Texas drops close to bottom among states in student spending

[Nbadan]

Attention Governor Good hair...disgraceful


http://dallasdrilling.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/rick-perry.jpg?w=600

Texas drops close to bottom among states in student spending

Last edited Sat Feb 23, 2013, 01:44 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20130222-texas-drops-close-to-bottom-among-states-in-student-spending.ece



AUSTIN — Texas has dropped to 49th in spending per pupil and is now more than $3,000 below the U.S. average — or about $66,000 less per elementary classroom — according to new comparisons by the National Education Association.

Texas schools are spending $8,400 per student in the current school year, well under the national average of $11,455. Only Arizona and Nevada spend less among the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Preliminary figures that the labor group released Friday show per pupil spending in the state has now decreased $1,046 from the 2010-11 school year, when Texas ranked 41st with an average of $9,446.

The precipitous drop in the rankings follows the Legislature’s decision in 2011 to cut funding for public schools by $5.3 billion in the current two-year budget to offset a revenue shortfall without raising taxes.

Stupid people in Austin continue to dominate the Lege. Why?

Demand more...work with less...down the torpedoes...

[Wild Cobra]

Another idiotic link that does not compare it to cost of living by state.

How do teacher salaries compare to other states?

How does the total running costs compare to other states?

[Latarian Milton]

there're probably more immigrants (both legal and illegal) in texas than any other state in the US, the state government grants free education to all their children and give them the equal chances as american students to get educated in colleges, but the overall quality of education is lowered as a result.

[TeyshaBlue]

Another idiotic link that does not compare it to cost of living by state.

How do teacher salaries compare to other states?

How does the total running costs compare to other states?
49th is 49th. You can't spin that. Coupled with the bloodbath education has taken under Perry, I'm shocked we're not dead last.

[Edward]

:lol Texas and Arizona 2 of the worst 3 states
:lol me moving from one to the other in a few months
:lol can't wait till I get a job North of the Missouri Compromise line

[TeyshaBlue]

:lol @ thinking you still won't be a retard by moving north.

[George Gervin's Afro]

My favorite part of this story is that good hair starves schools...and then blames the feds for the poor performance of public schools.... of course his base buys that logic..

[boutons_deux]

TX sucks for the 99% because TX 99% bubbas vote against themselves as "Christian", or "hate LGBT", or racist, but US education overall sucks vs other industrial counties

Commission's Report Outlines Education Priorities

When you have school districts that are inequitably funded, then the salary systems are also disparate, which is not the case in these high-achieving countries. They fund all of the schools equitably. They pay teachers competitive wages comparable to professionals like engineers. They pay them equitably across schools also.


In this country a teacher who goes to teach in Oakland will earn $10,000 a year less than a teacher who goes to teach in Palo Alto right here around Stanford, and will teach a larger class size with many more needy students. Will often have to pay for supplies and materials out of her own paycheck. So we're not creating the context in which we can provide high quality teaching and teachers in all communities to all children.

the comparison of Oakland and Palo Alto schools, the people in Palo Alto where I live are very proud of their schools, because they're doing quite well.


Except that if you put the students in Palo Alto on an international scale, the average Palo Alto student is at the 67th percentile in the international distribution.

The top school in California, or one of the top school districts in California, is only two-thirds up the scale compared to what's being seen in international comparisons of our competitors.

There are 27 that are doing better than us in mathematics. They start out with the East Asian - Singapore, Korea. They get to Finland, Germany. They get to Canada. You can name all of the developed countries and we're below average among the developed countries of the world.



http://www.npr.org/2013/02/22/172674083/commissions-report-outlines-education-priorities

The bubba racists will say: "remove the blacks and browns, and the white kids do as well as in other industrial countries". TX bubbas live by their myths, and vote that way, so they get their schools raped in funding. At least they have their HS football for filling the pot bellies with beer.

The Repugs' "hate/destroy govt" and "hate science, the Bible and other (Repug) myths provide the Promised Land fantansy" has serious NEGATIVE consequences.

btw, RickyBobby's red fucking REPUG TX remains the only large population red state that has refused federal funds for expansion of Medicaid. Even Obamacare-hater FL criminal Scott caved in this week

RickyBobby and other Repug TX assholes insist on no-strings-attached federal block grant so they can spend that money anywhere but on Medicaid for TX blacks and browns. There's plenty of rural WHITE bubbas who depend on Medicaid.

[Wild Cobra]

49th is 49th. You can't spin that. Coupled with the bloodbath education has taken under Perry, I'm shocked we're not dead last.
It's an invalid picture. Wages and cost of living are cheaper in Texas than most states. That's why it's not accurate to show unadjusted dollar amounts. Now if it still comes out 49th when based on proper comparisons, then fine. I just don't accept the intellectual dishonesty.

[Nbadan]

It's an invalid picture. Wages and cost of living are cheaper in Texas than most states. That's why it's not accurate to show unadjusted dollar amounts. Now if it still comes out 49th when based on proper comparisons, then fine. I just don't accept the intellectual dishonesty.

Your an idiot.

[Nbadan]

There are states with cheaper costs of living than TX, and even they spend more on education...

[Wild Cobra]

There are states with cheaper costs of living than TX, and even they spend more on education...
There aren't many.

My state pays way too much on education. I don't know what the current numbers are, but the "all funds budget" was in excess of $12k per student a few years ago.

I would be curious to know if they are looking at the total of all funding, or just one or two. They always play games with these numbers.

What matters, it how much actually makes it to the classroom, and only to a point. At some point, spending more is just like throwing it in the fireplace.

Teacher wages are 85% the national average, and the numbers they cite say the per student spending is 73% the national average. Maybe they have less overhead in other areas like heating or cooling. Bus driver wages, maintenance staff, etc. Some places have union wage janitors, others pay barely above minimum if they do. Some places have contract bus drivers, others pay union wages and benefits. Plus, a state like mine has a much higher minimum wage, which means everyone in hourly jobs thing they deserve more.

In my view, the article gives an opinion, by using little fact. Probably cherry picked facts.

[Nbadan]

Sure...do more with less..even when you compare what TX was spending just two years ago


This is more proof of the assault that Governor [Rick] Perry and the legislative majority made on public schools and public school students two years ago,” said Clay Robison of the Texas State Teachers Association, which is affiliated with the National Education Association. “Funding has dropped more than $1,000 per child over the past two years, and there is no doubt that is causing a lot of damage to learning opportunities in Texas.”

The effects are economic..


On the SAT last year, Texas high school students matched their lowest scores on the college entrance exam in more than a decade as average scores dropped in math, reading and writing.

You get what you pay for..


A Texas Education Agency analysis last year found that schools with the highest performance ratings were generally those that spent more on their students.

TEA officials told the House Public Education Committee that school districts graded “exemplary” — the highest performance rating — had more than $1,000 more to spend per pupil than districts rated “unsatisfactory” — the lowest performance rating. That amounts to an extra $22,000 per elementary classroom.

As far as the credibility of the data....well...


The statistics — based on data furnished by state education agencies — are among the most reliable in the nation and are frequently cited by officials in Texas and other states. The NEA has been issuing its annual reports on public schools, called “Rankings and Estimates,” since the early 1960s.


http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/headlines/20130222-texas-drops-close-to-bottom-among-states-in-student-spending.ece''

...reading is fundamental..

[FuzzyLumpkins]

It's an invalid picture. Wages and cost of living are cheaper in Texas than most states. That's why it's not accurate to show unadjusted dollar amounts. Now if it still comes out 49th when based on proper comparisons, then fine. I just don't accept the intellectual dishonesty.

Guesses and wishful thinking. Incredulity is not an argument.

Intellectual dishonesty is making assertions like what you are doing here and dismissing without justifying based on said assertions. What if the floods were caused by a solar burp?

Using gross as opposed to your arbitrary normalization is not cherry picking btw. Why do you insist on using terms that you do not understand?

[z0sa]

The more I research Texas politics, the more it scares me. I can see why some people actually believe secession is possible. And the voting bloc is nauseously low. I will be voting in my local and state elections from now on.

[boutons_deux]

The more I research Texas politics, the more it scares me. I can see why some people actually believe secession is possible. And the voting bloc is nauseously low. I will be voting in my local and state elections from now on.

Won't make any difference (if you vote non-Repug). Repugs have used the opportunity of the 2010 census to gerrymander Repugs into permanent dominance, in TX and other red states. Now states like PA are using 2010 gerrymandering to change the allocation of electoral votes from winner takes all to proportion of districts won or some such formula that gives the Repug candidate in presidentially blue states the most electoral votes. So even if more people vote Dem, the Repug candidate gets more electoral votes (like in the 2000 election).

[exstatic]

Won't make any difference (if you vote non-Repug). Repugs have used the opportunity of the 2010 census to gerrymander Repugs into permanent dominance, in TX and other red states. Now states like PA are using 2010 gerrymandering to change the allocation of electoral votes from winner takes all to proportion of districts won or some such formula that gives the Repug candidate in presidentially blue states the most electoral votes. So even if more people vote Dem, the Repug candidate gets more electoral votes (like in the 2000 election).

Nothing is permanent, and to Gerrymander, you have to dilute your base to cover more districts. When the vote swings in 4-8 years, their majority will collapse like a house of cards.

[ElNono]

It's an invalid picture. Wages and cost of living are cheaper in Texas than most states. That's why it's not accurate to show unadjusted dollar amounts. Now if it still comes out 49th when based on proper comparisons, then fine. I just don't accept the intellectual dishonesty.

Let's see your 'adjusted dollar amounts' data, profe

[Wild Cobra]

Let's see your 'adjusted dollar amounts' data, profe
I haven't looked. It most certainly not be #49. Still be lower than average, but not at the bottom.

Do you disagree with that assessment?

If so, care to run the numbers yourself?

[TeyshaBlue]

I haven't looked. It most certainly not be #49. Still be lower than average, but not at the bottom.

Do you disagree with that assessment?

If so, care to run the numbers yourself?:lmao:lmao

[boutons_deux]

asshole TX Repugs insist on imposing their hate-filled "Christian" morality on "our tax dolars" public schools

Texas Republicans Threaten Funding For Schools With Pro-LGBT Policies (http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/02/25/1633951/texas-republicans-threaten-funding-for-schools-with-pro-lgbt-policies/)
SPRINGER: Our tax-dollars are for educating kids, not for enacting policies that attempt to get the state to recognize homosexual relationships. To think Pflugerville has sued the state for more funding, while at the same time bankrolling a lifestyle most Texans do not agree with is quite disturbing to me.

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/02/25/1633951/texas-republicans-threaten-funding-for-schools-with-pro-lgbt-policies/

[101A]

In Pa now; was in Texas. Schools spend much more here; suck just as bad.

Money =/= good education.

Teachers in this town (K-12) START at ~$60K. Bulletproof union protection. Life appointment. Dumb education majors for the most part...Two married teachers, each with 20 years in; over $200K salary; with guaranteed pension. Don't even need to save any of it. Work only 8 months a year. Damn cushy.

[boutons_deux]

In Pa now; was in Texas. Schools spend much more here; suck just as bad.

Money =/= good education.

Teachers in this town (K-12) START at ~$60K. Bulletproof union protection. Life appointment. Dumb education majors for the most part...Two married teachers, each with 20 years in; over $200K salary; with guaranteed pension. Don't even need to save any of it. Work only 8 months a year. Damn cushy.

ok, I suggest that teacher training and qualification are too low, no matter what the salary. Raise all the training and certfication and ongoing education so the PROFESSIONAL level salaries are justified and teaching is effective. It works in other countries (oops, did I just imply the USA sucks in k-12 education? sorry)

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

I haven't looked. It most certainly not be #49. Still be lower than average, but not at the bottom.

Do you disagree with that assessment?

If so, care to run the numbers yourself?
Yeah, I do disagree with that assessment, and just for the fuck of it I ran the numbers myself because you love making arguments that are flat out wrong knowing the numbers to prove it wrong require some research no one is gonna do.

Here is a cost of living index for the 4th quarter of 2012:
http://www.missourieconomy.org/indicators/cost_of_living/index.stm

The study referred to in the OP can be found in detail on page 114 of this attachment under "per student in ADA":
http://www.nea.org/assets/img/content/NEA_Rankings_And_Estimates-2013_(2).pdf

With that information I divided each expenditure per student figure by cost of living index in order to adjust (even though for a number of reasons that's over adjusting but I don't feel like explaining why). Here are the results:

http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s590/dokike1/4c5d4930-ea61-4d4e-b84d-1462fa85f820_zpsa80cf8a3.jpg

Texas is 46th rather than 49th, so adjustment for cost of living improved Texas by 3 whole spots. I'm sure that's what you meant when you said, "It most certainly not be #49. Still be lower than average, but not at the bottom," or at least I know that's what you're going to say you meant.

It should also be noted that Florida, California and Nevada were all hit particularly hard by the recession and are in worse-than-average economic shape in general. Arizona and Texas OTOH are states with governors and legislators who view cutting education as one of the first things a state should do when it needs to balance the budget.

[GoodOdor]

Yeah, I do disagree with that assessment, and just for the fuck of it I ran the numbers myself because you love making arguments that are flat out wrong knowing the numbers to prove it wrong require some research no one is gonna do.

Here is a cost of living index for the 4th quarter of 2012:
http://www.missourieconomy.org/indicators/cost_of_living/index.stm

The study referred to in the OP can be found in detail on page 114 of this attachment under "per student in ADA":
http://www.nea.org/assets/img/content/NEA_Rankings_And_Estimates-2013_(2).pdf

With that information I divided each expenditure per student figure by cost of living index in order to adjust (even though for a number of reasons that's over adjusting but I don't feel like explaining why). Here are the results:

http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s590/dokike1/4c5d4930-ea61-4d4e-b84d-1462fa85f820_zpsa80cf8a3.jpg

Texas is 46th rather than 49th, so adjustment for cost of living improved Texas by 3 whole spots. I'm sure that's what you meant when you said, "It most certainly not be #49. Still be lower than average, but not at the bottom," or at least I know that's what you're going to say you meant.

It should also be noted that Florida, California and Nevada were all hit particularly hard by the recession and are in worse-than-average economic shape in general. Arizona and Texas OTOH are states with governors and legislators who view cutting education as one of the first things a state should do when it needs to balance the budget.

robinlopez.gif

[Trainwreck2100]

:lol Texas and Arizona 2 of the worst 3 states
:lol me moving from one to the other in a few months
:lol can't wait till I get a job North of the Missouri Compromise line

:lol if you're moving from texas to Arizona best get your dick ready to see some of the ugliest women ever

[admiralsnackbar]

:lol if you're moving from texas to Arizona best get your dick ready to see some of the ugliest women ever

We just don't teach them to exercise and lay off fatty foods, is all. :lol

[FuzzyLumpkins]

In Pa now; was in Texas. Schools spend much more here; suck just as bad.

Money =/= good education.

Teachers in this town (K-12) START at ~$60K. Bulletproof union protection. Life appointment. Dumb education majors for the most part...Two married teachers, each with 20 years in; over $200K salary; with guaranteed pension. Don't even need to save any of it. Work only 8 months a year. Damn cushy.


Nice union fearmongering and heaven-forbid that teachers get paid well of course.

According to THIS (http://www.edweek.org/media/ew/qc/2010/QualityCounts2010_PressRelease.pdf) PA ranks 6th.

THIS (http://www.ed.gov/blog/2011/09/newly-released-state-by-state-snapshot-of-educational-performance/) has them the same.

Who cares about empirical proof when you can go by ideology?

[Bobby Boucher]

more spending =/ better learning. i once read that pakistan ranked higher than us in science and math. they're up in the middle of the fucking mountains writing their homework in the sand...america doesn't have a spending problem imho it has a people problem. starts from the top down. lazy, entitled, greedy selfish little bitches.

[Nbadan]

i once read

Oh well then, case closed.

:rolleyes

[DarrinS]

Money is not the problem

[DarrinS]

Progressives own what has happened to public education

[Spurminator]

Progressives own what has happened to public education

Which progressives in Texas State Government, specifically, are responsible?

[ElNono]

I haven't looked. It most certainly not be #49. Still be lower than average, but not at the bottom.

Do you disagree with that assessment?

If so, care to run the numbers yourself?


Yeah, I do disagree with that assessment, and just for the fuck of it I ran the numbers myself because you love making arguments that are flat out wrong knowing the numbers to prove it wrong require some research no one is gonna do.

Here is a cost of living index for the 4th quarter of 2012:
http://www.missourieconomy.org/indicators/cost_of_living/index.stm

The study referred to in the OP can be found in detail on page 114 of this attachment under "per student in ADA":
http://www.nea.org/assets/img/content/NEA_Rankings_And_Estimates-2013_(2).pdf

With that information I divided each expenditure per student figure by cost of living index in order to adjust (even though for a number of reasons that's over adjusting but I don't feel like explaining why). Here are the results:

http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s590/dokike1/4c5d4930-ea61-4d4e-b84d-1462fa85f820_zpsa80cf8a3.jpg

Texas is 46th rather than 49th, so adjustment for cost of living improved Texas by 3 whole spots. I'm sure that's what you meant when you said, "It most certainly not be #49. Still be lower than average, but not at the bottom," or at least I know that's what you're going to say you meant.

It should also be noted that Florida, California and Nevada were all hit particularly hard by the recession and are in worse-than-average economic shape in general. Arizona and Texas OTOH are states with governors and legislators who view cutting education as one of the first things a state should do when it needs to balance the budget.

[CosmicCowboy]

If they are spending $8400 a year to attempt to educate the street trash I see around my office then that's about $8300 too much. I charge $100 an hour and could teach them everything they need to know about using a weedeater/leaf blower or bussing tables in an hour.

[Wild Cobra]

If they are spending $8400 a year to attempt to educate the street trash I see around my office then that's about $8300 too much. I charge $100 an hour and could teach them everything they need to know about using a weedeater/leaf blower or bussing tables in an hour.
Maybe its time to move to a better office location...

[Halberto]

It's no secret Rick Perry views education as a overrated idea (just look at his college transcript LOL). He's currently trying to have every public college in Texas run an online program where you can receive a Bachelor's degree online for $20,000. The President of UT, Bill Powers, is refusing to do this so Rick Perry is appointing 2 members to a board that will vote Powers out (hasn't this douche bag done similar things before?).

[CosmicCowboy]

Maybe its time to move to a better office location...

LOL

That's my retirement savings for when I sell my business. The property is downtown just blocks from the courthouse and riverwalk. They would love for me to move my nasty dirty business somewhere else...

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

It's no secret Rick Perry views education as a overrated idea (just look at his college transcript LOL). He's currently trying to have every public college in Texas run an online program where you can receive a Bachelor's degree online for $20,000. The President of UT, Bill Powers, is refusing to do this so Rick Perry is appointing 2 members to a board that will vote Powers out (hasn't this douche bag done similar things before?).

At least Rick Perry actually has a 4 year degree :lol

Jan Brewer's highest level of education is a 2 year associates degree in cocksucking from Glendale C:lolmmunity C:lolllege

[LnGrrrR]

In Pa now; was in Texas. Schools spend much more here; suck just as bad.

Money =/= good education.

Teachers in this town (K-12) START at ~$60K. Bulletproof union protection. Life appointment. Dumb education majors for the most part...Two married teachers, each with 20 years in; over $200K salary; with guaranteed pension. Don't even need to save any of it. Work only 8 months a year. Damn cushy.

This is what I don't get... why doesn't more money = better education in some instances? It seems that, much like Maslow's hierarchy of needs, you need a basic amount of money to be effective. And many studies have shown that if you grow up wealthy, you're much more likely to be educated. But just throwing money at a school doesn't necessarily make a school educate better. *shrug* It looks like an inefficiency that the market hasn't solved/corrected yet.

[LnGrrrR]

Yeah, I do disagree with that assessment, and just for the fuck of it I ran the numbers myself because you love making arguments that are flat out wrong knowing the numbers to prove it wrong require some research no one is gonna do.

Here is a cost of living index for the 4th quarter of 2012:
http://www.missourieconomy.org/indicators/cost_of_living/index.stm

The study referred to in the OP can be found in detail on page 114 of this attachment under "per student in ADA":
http://www.nea.org/assets/img/content/NEA_Rankings_And_Estimates-2013_(2).pdf

With that information I divided each expenditure per student figure by cost of living index in order to adjust (even though for a number of reasons that's over adjusting but I don't feel like explaining why). Here are the results:

http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s590/dokike1/4c5d4930-ea61-4d4e-b84d-1462fa85f820_zpsa80cf8a3.jpg

Texas is 46th rather than 49th, so adjustment for cost of living improved Texas by 3 whole spots. I'm sure that's what you meant when you said, "It most certainly not be #49. Still be lower than average, but not at the bottom," or at least I know that's what you're going to say you meant.

It should also be noted that Florida, California and Nevada were all hit particularly hard by the recession and are in worse-than-average economic shape in general. Arizona and Texas OTOH are states with governors and legislators who view cutting education as one of the first things a state should do when it needs to balance the budget.

Great work DoK. Not at all surprised about Hawaii. As I've mentioned in other threads, they have set aside Furlough days in school to save the education dept some money.

[admiralsnackbar]

This is what I don't get... why doesn't more money = better education in some instances? It seems that, much like Maslow's hierarchy of needs, you need a basic amount of money to be effective. And many studies have shown that if you grow up wealthy, you're much more likely to be educated. But just throwing money at a school doesn't necessarily make a school educate better. *shrug* It looks like an inefficiency that the market hasn't solved/corrected yet.
The trouble is that there's no clear vision of what a successfully educated person would look like (owing as much to student's unique needs and distributions of talent/intelligence as to divergent opinions among voters/policy-makers about the goals, methods, and content of education). Without a feasible, reliable metric by which to assess performance (standards-testing remains the best, cheapest option, but is admittedly a verrrry blunt instrument), there can be little expectation of progress.

[admiralsnackbar]

Democracy owns what has happened to public education

fify

[LnGrrrR]

The trouble is that there's no clear vision of what a successfully educated person would look like (owing as much to student's unique needs and distributions of talent/intelligence as to divergent opinions among voters/policy-makers about the goals, methods, and content of education). Without a feasible, reliable metric by which to assess performance (standards-testing remains the best, cheapest option, but is admittedly a verrrry blunt instrument), there can be little expectation of progress.

Another thing that I'm curious about: have various means of money expenditure been tested? I know it would be hard to control for that sort of thing, but my thought experiment would involve some arbitrary amount of cash (1 million, let's say) that was then spent in different ways in different schools: teacher salary, extra programs, better materials etc etc in order to compare which expenditures were the most efficient.

[CosmicCowboy]

Americans have the right to be stupid.

[admiralsnackbar]

Another thing that I'm curious about: have various means of money expenditure been tested? I know it would be hard to control for that sort of thing, but my thought experiment would involve some arbitrary amount of cash (1 million, let's say) that was then spent in different ways in different schools: teacher salary, extra programs, better materials etc etc in order to compare which expenditures were the most efficient.

It's certainly a good idea.

While I expect some form of what you suggest has been tested, it seems like the sort of effort which would require planning at a regional or state level -- I'm simply not familiar enough with how much autonomy school districts have in relation to their state boards of education to have any insight about how doable it would be.

There's also the socio-economic issue you touched on with wealthier students typically performing better, which can be read as "wealthier students grow up in better-educated families and don't have to work to provide for their households." Testing emergent technologies (?) to streamline education (if that can be done without dumbing-down) to fit into busier students' lives seems like something worth looking into. It wouldn't have to be Rick Perry's proposed Phoenix U-style courses as much as study-guides, tutorials, etc.

[admiralsnackbar]

Americans have the right to be stupid.

And an obligation to their system of government to create smarter voters if they aren't too cynical or stupid to care. That's why Jefferson was so committed to the idea.

[boutons_deux]

Freedom to remain silent not available

Student Suspended For Participating In ‘Day Of Silence’ Sues School

Last April, high school student Amber Hatcher announced she would be participating (http://www.lambdalegal.org/in-court/cases/hatcher-v-desoto-cty-bd-of-ed) in the National Day of Silence (http://www.dayofsilence.org/), a nationwide protest to raise awareness about anti-LGBT bullying, and sought permission in advance from her school administrators in Desoto County, Florida. Her principal threatened “ramifications” if she participated and even called her parents suggesting they keep her home because there “would be consequences.”
Principal Shannon Fusco sent to teachers advising about the protest:


Teachers:

Please note that we have a group of students today who have an intention of protesting. The district has an absolute policy against protesting on school campuses.
If you have students who are wearing placard [sic] in protest of an issue or disrupting the hallways or classrooms, please notify the dean or administration, and we will handle it.
If a student refuses to participate in class by taking part in a silent protest, that is considered a disruption. Again, please notify the administration, and we will handle it.

Thanks you,
sdf

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/02/26/1640501/student-suspended-for-participating-in-day-of-silence-sues-school/

[admiralsnackbar]

Freedom to remain silent not available

Student Suspended For Participating In ‘Day Of Silence’ Sues School

Last April, high school student Amber Hatcher announced she would be participating (http://www.lambdalegal.org/in-court/cases/hatcher-v-desoto-cty-bd-of-ed) in the National Day of Silence (http://www.dayofsilence.org/), a nationwide protest to raise awareness about anti-LGBT bullying, and sought permission in advance from her school administrators in Desoto County, Florida. Her principal threatened “ramifications” if she participated and even called her parents suggesting they keep her home because there “would be consequences.”
Principal Shannon Fusco sent to teachers advising about the protest:


Teachers:

Please note that we have a group of students today who have an intention of protesting. The district has an absolute policy against protesting on school campuses.
If you have students who are wearing placard [sic] in protest of an issue or disrupting the hallways or classrooms, please notify the dean or administration, and we will handle it.
If a student refuses to participate in class by taking part in a silent protest, that is considered a disruption. Again, please notify the administration, and we will handle it.

Thanks you,
sdf

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/02/26/1640501/student-suspended-for-participating-in-day-of-silence-sues-school/





Procrustean, but I respect the principal's decision -- and the district's policy -- completely. There are instances where quashing protest can and should be questioned, but this does not seem like one IMO.

[CosmicCowboy]

And an obligation to their system of government to create smarter voters if they aren't too cynical or stupid to care. That's why Jefferson was so committed to the idea.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/26/us-usa-kerry-liberties-idUSBRE91P0HJ20130226

[Drachen]

more spending =/ better learning. i once read that pakistan ranked higher than us in science and math. they're up in the middle of the fucking mountains writing their homework in the sand...america doesn't have a spending problem imho it has a people problem. starts from the top down. lazy, entitled, greedy selfish little bitches.

I don't disagree completely, but the questions is how are those teachers held. Are they held in high esteem? Are they paid well (obviously relative to their peers)? I think that higher salaries will attract better teachers. Additionally, it will show the rest of society that teaching and indeed educating is a valuable pursuit. This may give teachers SOME power over the variables that you have problems with.

I guess my best case scenario would be to have those PA style salaries in a TX no-union area. That way the dead weight could be cut. Unfortunately, those two situations are pretty much mutually exclusive.

[boutons_deux]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/26/us-usa-kerry-liberties-idUSBRE91P0HJ20130226

Jefferson didn't deny the right to be stupid.

ALEC/VWRC/REpugs/"Christians" absolutely want dumb, ignorant, uneducated, MIS-educated supporters who will swallow their lies and emotional appeals without thought.

[admiralsnackbar]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/26/us-usa-kerry-liberties-idUSBRE91P0HJ20130226

Ah. My mistake.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Which progressives in Texas State Government, specifically, are responsible?

[TeyshaBlue]

Which progressives in Texas State Government, specifically, are responsible?

DarrinS actually has a point and you respond with a stupid question. State govs are not involved in pedagogy.

[admiralsnackbar]

DarrinS actually has a point and you respond with a stupid question. State govs are not involved in pedagogy.

Do the anti-science, anti-history ladies and gentlemen of the TXBOE qualify as progressives? :stirpot:

[boutons_deux]

DarrinS actually has a point and you respond with a stupid question. State govs are not involved in pedagogy.

Sure they are. They appoint the (TX) state board of education that defines the contents of textbooks (like removing references to Thomas Jefferson while including the false equivalence of creationism and evolution), which are, surprise, deeply involved in pedagogy.

[Spurminator]

DarrinS actually has a point and you respond with a stupid question. State govs are not involved in pedagogy.

Wait, what? Yes they are. We have a Board of Education and a Commissioner of Education at the state level. We have a Public Education Committee in the Texas House. And these positions aren't exactly overrun with Progressives.

Obviously local municipalities and districts are heavily involved as well, but this thread is about the State of Texas falling behind other states. If you and DarrinS feel this is solely the responsibility of liberal school districts in Texas, then I'm curious as to what specific liberal policies in Texas school districts have led to Texas students being at a disadvantage to students in other states.

I'm pretty confused as to why you think it's a stupid question. I'm not surprised that Darrin has yet to respond to it either.

[admiralsnackbar]

Sure they are. They appoint the (TX) state board of education that defines the contents of textbooks (like removing references to Thomas Jefferson while including the false equivalence of creationism and evolution), which are, surprise, deeply involved in pedagogy.

Minor niggle: SBOE members are elected.

[101A]

Nice union fearmongering and heaven-forbid that teachers get paid well of course.

According to THIS (http://www.edweek.org/media/ew/qc/2010/QualityCounts2010_PressRelease.pdf) PA ranks 6th.

THIS (http://www.ed.gov/blog/2011/09/newly-released-state-by-state-snapshot-of-educational-performance/) has them the same.

Who cares about empirical proof when you can go by ideology?

I've got two children currently enrolled here (Pa); and one who graduated last year.

In addition, I had children enrolled in Texas schools (NISD) for 6 years.

I don't know what ideology you're referring to, my children are living this, and I'm witnessing it; actual evidence is these teachers are not good; and they are, frankly, over paid for the talent and effort they bring to the table.

I have even more evidence that informs my conclusion: My wife is a Chemistry professor at the local state university. As such she has access to the records of all students past and present that have attended that University. Most of the teachers, obviously, in the local school district took classes at that university. Their transcripts, even taking ridiculously easy education classes range from unremarkable to shockingly poor. Most started out as a "real" major: Math, Chemistry, Biology - then when they begin to flunk out, switch over to education, and VOILA, degree, and $60,000 paycheck at 23!!!

AND they don't have to worry about competition from the students who COULD cut it and get real degrees in real departments; because the Union makes damn sure that "education certification" is required to work in the district; less "teachers" have to compete with ACTUAL scientists, mathematicians and writers...

I'm afraid it is your ideology that is informing your conclusion on this. I bring actual experience, observation and evidence, from two different states, with mine.

[TeyshaBlue]

Do the anti-science, anti-history ladies and gentlemen of the TXBOE qualify as progressives? :stirpot:
lol. Hell no.

[TeyshaBlue]

Wait, what? Yes they are. We have a Board of Education and a Commissioner of Education at the state level. We have a Public Education Committee in the Texas House. And these positions aren't exactly overrun with Progressives.

Obviously local municipalities and dist ricts are heavily involved as well, but this thread is about the State of Texas falling behind other states. If you and DarrinS feel this is solely the responsibility of liberal school districts in Texas, then I'm curious as to what specific liberal policies in Texas school districts have led to Texas students being at a disadvantage to students in other states.

I'm pretty confused as to why you think it's a stupid question. I'm not surprised that Darrin has yet to respond to it either.

You make the assumption, in a rather boutonesque fashion, that education has bern static the last 40 years. We had these same aencies in place in the 70's yet we had a much, much healthier dual path for completion. Vocational Ed is a shadow of what it once was, but tha didnt happen at the behest of the various boards. No, there was a dramatic shift in how we educated children and the notion that all children could achieve equally was developed and codified by a faction of educational "progressives". These methodologies and often wild ass guesses (hello open concept) were developed by these progressive schhols of thought and then codified over time by the various boards and agencies.

[TeyshaBlue]

I know theres a thousand typos...I dont give a fuck.

[boutons_deux]

http://www.publicschoolreview.com/state_vocationals/stateid/TX

:lol

[boutons_deux]

we'll see if the anti-education TX Repugs will find the money

http://www.caller.com/news/2013/feb/17/senator-seeking-education-overhaul/

Pretty stupid not to have voc students not take math, science, English

[TeyshaBlue]

Anyone up to parsing boutons last post?

[boutons_deux]

Anyone up to parsing boutons last post?

TB :lol R I F

Even for you voc students

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I've got two children currently enrolled here (Pa); and one who graduated last year.

In addition, I had children enrolled in Texas schools (NISD) for 6 years.

I don't know what ideology you're referring to, my children are living this, and I'm witnessing it; actual evidence is these teachers are not good; and they are, frankly, over paid for the talent and effort they bring to the table.

I have even more evidence that informs my conclusion: My wife is a Chemistry professor at the local state university. As such she has access to the records of all students past and present that have attended that University. Most of the teachers, obviously, in the local school district took classes at that university. Their transcripts, even taking ridiculously easy education classes range from unremarkable to shockingly poor. Most started out as a "real" major: Math, Chemistry, Biology - then when they begin to flunk out, switch over to education, and VOILA, degree, and $60,000 paycheck at 23!!!

AND they don't have to worry about competition from the students who COULD cut it and get real degrees in real departments; because the Union makes damn sure that "education certification" is required to work in the district; less "teachers" have to compete with ACTUAL scientists, mathematicians and writers...

I'm afraid it is your ideology that is informing your conclusion on this. I bring actual experience, observation and evidence, from two different states, with mine.

What ideology? That empirical evidence and verified sources are the path to the truth? My ideology is a way. Yours is a conclusion.

You are one with the 'unions are coming' message. Your two unqualified anecdotes of your two kids and your wife as a chemistry teacher aside, I just gave two independent comprehensive sources that gave PA #6.

This is an anonymous internet forum. What are random people going to believe? Linked sources or story time? I especially liked the part where your wife just got to look through transcripts at whim FERPA being what it is.

[TeyshaBlue]

TB :lol R I F

Even for you voc students
:lol

[Spurminator]

You make the assumption, in a rather boutonesque fashion, that education has bern static the last 40 years. We had these same aencies in place in the 70's yet we had a much, much healthier dual path for completion. Vocational Ed is a shadow of what it once was, but tha didnt happen at the behest of the various boards. No, there was a dramatic shift in how we educated children and the notion that all children could achieve equally was developed and codified by a faction of educational "progressives". These methodologies and often wild ass guesses (hello open concept) were developed by these progressive schhols of thought and then codified over time by the various boards and agencies.

In boutonseque fashion? I'm not the one making this a one-sided partisan issue as you appear to be.

The "progressive" shift in education was not an exclusively Texan shift, it's a societal shift. And it's not hard to imagine that the shift was more significant in liberal states. So again, why are Texas students lagging worse than other states?

[boutons_deux]

True.

Europeans and other countries have always "tracked" their students into academic and non-academic HS tracks. America has the stupid idea that everyone goes academic, has "equal opportunity" to win a Nobel, etc, afraid that a future Nobel late-bloomer might have gotten snuffed and tracked into wood shop or metal bashing.

[Spurminator]

Oh and GFY

:lol

[TeyshaBlue]

Oh and GFY

:lol
:lol

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Repug Bubba Koch Brothers

[TeyshaBlue]

In boutonseque fashion? I'm not the one making this a one-sided partisan issue as you appear to be.

The "progressive" shift in education was not an exclusively Texan shift, it's a societal shift. And it's not hard to imagine that the shift was more significant in liberal states. So again, why are Texas students lagging worse than other states?

Boutonesque in the implied timeline...as if this were a recent development laid at the feet of Perry & Co.
And, Progressive is used in a different context when discussing education. The educational progressives of the 60's and 70's share some traits with social progressives but there are enough differences that you just can't conflate the two. Indeed, the educational progressives of Texas in the 90's were largely Bush & Co.

[TeyshaBlue]

Gross oversimplification. Sorry...on my phone...lol

[Wild Cobra]

LOL

That's my retirement savings for when I sell my business. The property is downtown just blocks from the courthouse and riverwalk. They would love for me to move my nasty dirty business somewhere else...
A former employer on mine managed to buy a whole city block, lot by lot, just across the river from downtown Portland.

Makes for a nice investment.

[101A]

What ideology? That empirical evidence and verified sources are the path to the truth? My ideology is a way. Yours is a conclusion.

You are one with the 'unions are coming' message. Your two unqualified anecdotes of your two kids and your wife as a chemistry teacher aside, I just gave two independent comprehensive sources that gave PA #6.

This is an anonymous internet forum. What are random people going to believe? Linked sources or story time? I especially liked the part where your wife just got to look through transcripts at whim FERPA being what it is.

You're quoting simply that PA spends more than Texas.

I'm telling you that dollars spent don't matter - the result is the same.

[Spurminator]

as if this were a recent development laid at the feet of Perry & Co. And, Progressive is used in a different context when discussing education. The educational progressives of the 60's and 70's share some traits with social progressives but there are enough differences that you just can't conflate the two. Indeed, the educational progressives of Texas in the 90's were largely Bush & Co.

I can certainly agree with that, and that's part of the reason I was interested in names. Because I highly doubt those are the progressives DarrinS had in mind.

[Wild Cobra]

Americans have the right to be stupid.
Yet they want us to protect them form themselves.

[101A]

... your wife as a chemistry teacher...

o/t but with a Ph.D. from Texas A&M in Biochemistry, and having been published in Nature (twice), The Journal of Molecular Biology (Multiple times), as well as several other peer-reviewed journals, Dr. ___________ has earned the right to never be referred to as "teacher"; even on anonymous internet boards she doesn't even know exist.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

o/t but with a Ph.D. from Texas A&M in Biochemistry, and having been published in Nature (twice), The Journal of Molecular Biology (Multiple times), as well as several other peer-reviewed journals, Dr. ___________ has earned the right to never be referred to as "teacher"; even on anonymous internet boards she doesn't even know exist.

Blah blah blah. If she lectures students on chemistry she is a teacher. Getting indignant does not mitigate the fact that she does not get willy nilly fee access to transcripts. It does not mitigate that your characterizations about PA's educations system are wrong when faced with the objective reality of multiple comprehensive studies.

I have an idea: since it sounds like she is an accomplished scientist. Ask her whether or not the anecdotes of your children's education is a good basis to speak on the state of education overall in PA. The ask her if it is a good basis to speak on how PA ranks overall in the country. Ask her if she would be comfortable publishing in a journal her views on the trends on choice of majors witht he information she has gathered so far.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

You're quoting simply that PA spends more than Texas.

I'm telling you that dollars spent don't matter - the result is the same.

You obviously did not read the links and you're wrong. Next you should ask her if commenting on reports without reading them gives you credibility.

[Nbadan]

.
These methodologies and often wild ass guesses (hello open concept) were developed by these progressive schhols of thought and then codified over time by the various boards and agencies.

No Child Left Behind was developed by a 'progressive schools of thought"? that's a new one to me...

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

.

No Child Left Behind was developed by a 'progressive schools of thought"? that's a new one to me...
There's a new Republican strategy to blame all of Bush's actions on "the liberals," some people on this site have even started referring to Bush as a covert liberal. It's pretty hilarious seeing Republicans shamelessly revise history and hope people will forget what actually happened from 2001-2008.

Another good one is that "Bush kept us safe!" as if the biggest domestic terrorist attack in American history didn't occur under Bush.

[Nbadan]

T
he "progressive" shift in education was not an exclusively Texan shift, it's a societal shift. And it's not hard to imagine that the shift was more significant in liberal states. So again, why are Texas students lagging worse than other states?

Because unlike other homogenized societies, poor districts in TX don't just suffer from a money lag, they also suffer from a qualified teacher lag, English as a second language lag, emotional, physical, and behavioral issues lag.....and everyone's hands are tied by the court system who's view on education is 'equality' not what's best for the majority...

[TeyshaBlue]

.

No Child Left Behind was developed by a 'progressive schools of thought"? that's a new one to me...

Absolutely, Dan. Ill post up a couple of links...

[Wild Cobra]

LOL...

Why do liberals get so pissy when republicans deliver on democrat empty promises?

[TeyshaBlue]

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2012/09/chicagos_teacher_quality_debat.php

[TeyshaBlue]

http://www.dallasobserver.com/1998-09-10/news/some-fly-some-die/

[TeyshaBlue]

LOL...

Why do liberals get so pissy when republicans deliver on democrat empty promises?

Quiet. The grownups are talking.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Another great one. Whenever the Republicans pass something really fuckin stupid that fails, they'll say, "The Democrats made us do it!"

[Wild Cobra]

Another great one. Whenever the Republicans pass something really fuckin stupid that fails, they'll say, "The Democrats made us do it!"
No...

I thought it was funny for example when Medicare part D passed. It was a democrat promise never acted on, then they get all defensive and fight against it when the republicans take the lead on it.

[TeyshaBlue]

Who are you talking to, DOK? Besides yourself.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Neat. Medicare part D in a thread about education.

Yet another tangent you're trying to steer the topic away from.

[TeyshaBlue]

Who are you talking to, DOK? Besides yourself.

Nm....WC. smh

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Who are you talking to, DOK? Besides yourself.
The person who just responded to me.

[Wild Cobra]

Neat. Medicare part D in a thread about education.

Yet another tangent you're trying to steer the topic away from.

No, I was making a point.

I just looked at the 2013 NEA Ranking and estimate document. They have Texas at #39 and #40, in tables F1, F2, and F3.

I started to put numbers in Excel, but I need to get some sleep.

[boutons_deux]

Why Liberals Dislike No Child Left Behind
http://socialfoundations.blogspot.com/2007/04/why-liberals-dislike-no-child-left.html

[boutons_deux]

Texas’ public school disaster: How segregation and cuts are gutting the system

Nation's second largest school system is over 50 percent Hispanic. That makes recent headlines even more shocking

almost everyone in the state agrees that the public school system is currently failing students and something radical has to occur to turn that around; the problem with much of this discussion is that it’s framed on “white flight” (i.e. the rich, white families abandoning public schools in favor of charter or private schools).

Currently, the Texas public school system (the second largest in the country) is over 50%Hispanic (http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20130503-explosive-growth-of-hispanics-in-texas-bring-dramatic-changes-to-schools.ece). Yet you would never know that Hispanics constitute a majority of the public school population if you followed the sad headlines that trickle out of the three largest cities in the state.

Activists in Houston recently lost a long battle with the city over the closing (http://www.chron.com/news/education/article/Activists-mount-final-effort-to-prevent-school-5308577.php) of two schools from a predominantly black and Hispanic neighborhood. In 2006 a federal court ruled that Preston Hollow Elementary School in Dallas was intentionally segregating (http://www.dallasobserver.com/2007-01-11/news/split-decision/) Hispanic students. And earlier this year LULAC (The League of United Latin American Citizens) sued (http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20140610-lulac-sues-texas-over-hispanics-english-language-instruction.ece) two school districts in San Antonio for violating the Equal Educational Opportunities Act.

Mostly concentrated in urban areas, 23% of Texas schools have a Hispanic population over 80%. These are the schools where the poverty is particularly striking.

A number of factors have contributed towards the decline of Hispanic education in Texas. There’s a lack of funding for many programs with majority Hispanic populations and few teachers who speak Spanish. There’s also a dearth of Hispanic representation on many of the state school boards. Affinity programs like SAT prep are simply unrealistic for the families well below the poverty line.

An absence of a solid education is reflective in the socioeconomic outlook for Latinos in Texas. In 2010 the state census showed that 40% of Hispanics over the age of 25 didn’t complete high school (compared to 8% of non-Hispanic whites). And one out of every four Hispanics in Texas lives below (http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20130503-explosive-growth-of-hispanics-in-texas-bring-dramatic-changes-to-schools.ece) the poverty line.

Everyone has an opinion on how to improve Texas schools but few are speaking about that very large Hispanic majority.

The Texas Governor’s race to succeed Rick Perry has been a national point of interest for many pundits thinking Texas could turn blue in a few years (thanks to that growing Hispanic population). But neither Wendy Davis nor her opponent Greg Abbott, the current Texas Attorney General, have adequately addressed the issue of Hispanics in the public school system.

Abbott presents some good recommendations on improving public schools (e.g., providing more transparency), but one of his central initiatives reaffirms local control (https://www.gregabbott.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Greg-Abbotts-Educating-Texans-Plan-Governance.pdf). One of his proposals would allow schools to be able to “exempt themselves” from things like transportation or food and beverage service. That’s quite problematic for many families living below the poverty line.

It’s hard to envision a future for Texas without taking a serious look at the Hispanic population. Demographer Steven Murdock recently released (http://www.texasmonthly.com/story/steve-murdock-texas-demographics-population-growth) Changing Texas: Implications of Addressing or Ignoring the Texas Challenge. Murdock has been a de facto prognosticator (http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/2014/02/demographer-tells-texas-business-leaders-education-is-key-to-improved-economy.html/)when it comes to accurately foretelling the future of Texas. Numbers don’t lie.

His book offers a stern warning for the state. “In the absence of change, the Texas labor force as a whole will be less well-educated, work in lower-status occupations, and have lower incomes in 2050 than 2010.”

The last census indicated that Texas experienced the largest increase (http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/AECF-ChangingChildPopulation-2011-Full.pdf) in children in the nation — which means that the future of the country is very much tied to Texas. Continuing to ignore the dire situation of education there is simply something we cannot afford.

http://www.salon.com/2014/08/04/texas_public_school_disaster_how_segregation_and_c uts_are_gutting_the_system/

[BradLohaus]

It’s hard to envision a future for Texas without taking a serious look at the Hispanic population. Demographer Steven Murdock recently released Changing Texas: Implications of Addressing or Ignoring the Texas Challenge. Murdock has been a de facto prognosticator when it comes to accurately foretelling the future of Texas. Numbers don’t lie.

His book offers a stern warning for the state. “In the absence of change, the Texas labor force as a whole will be less well-educated, work in lower-status occupations, and have lower incomes in 2050 than 2010.”

So the state will be more like Latin America. Shocking. Although on the last results that I've seen of the international PISA test that they give students every year Hispanic Americans outscored every other Latin American country that took the test. That's a positive right?

I've always figured that the first things that a majority Hispanic blue TX will do is 1.) state income tax and 2.) give the state as much power and control over the funding of public schools as possible. This will infuriate most whites of course, but at that point it won't matter. The courts will uphold it all under some kind of disparate impact on race theory. If there's one iron law of a decreasing percentage of whites in a city/region/whatever, it's this: they increasingly send their kids to private school. Houston ISD is 8% white; Dallas is 5%. That explains how the Preston Hollow case above was even possible; if anybody has ever lived in Dallas then you know that Preston Hollow is wealthy and white. Almost all of their kids are in private schools. Expect to see this same type of thing happen more and more in smaller cities, and even clusters of smaller towns.

This is great news for the future Left majority in TX. When the changes that are implemented in the public schools fail to substantially change the differences in test scores among the races, you will have an old standby for an excuse: white flight strikes again! This time in the form of children instead of whole families moving. Whites are like the 3 bears' soup in Goldilocks. Too many is bad, too few is bad, but one of these days we will figure out what's just right. Hopefully soon though, as we appear to be running out of them.

Then there will be calls to diversify all of the schools. It will interesting to see the Left embrace some kind of voucher system. And then when that doesn't work, we're right back where we are today. Somewhere around that time is when I expect the end of affirmative action bonus points in college admissions and the beginning of a racial quota system. If you think that's too far I'll give you 2 reasons why it's not: 1.) Under the new disparate impact theory they already basically exist in some areas, like Fire and Police Dept. exams, and it's well known to exist in many major corps. 2.) Do you think that the majority of blacks and Hispanics would vote for that for their children? I bet they would, and I bet they will, and I bet the politicians will. Again, the courts at that point will uphold it, just as the SCOTUS eventually did with AA in the first place. Also, this will hurt Asians more than anybody, so in exchange for their continued votes the Left will lump them in with whites.

The Dire Situation in Education has been going on nonstop since school integration. More money, more new plans, on and on indefinitely. California wants to give all of the students iPads. I'm sure that'll help a lot. But the ultimate solution is always the same: just change the scoring rules. All that's really wanted is to get more blacks and Hispanics into good universities, and then get more into higher status jobs. Ask yourself what's the easiest way of doing this as fast as possible when whites are no longer the majority, and then plan on that happening.

[pgardn]

The Dire Situation in Education has been going on nonstop since school integration.



So you are implying that segregating schools would halt the dire situation?

Or the dire situation Public schools are in was caused by integration, or both?

I will repeat this yet again based on working closely with public school teachers as a volunteer. This State, as well as other States, have no clue as to exactly what the role of public schools are?

1. Warehouse teenage boys until they become old enough to be treated as adults.
2. Feed and provide a safe place for kids.
3. Take care of children's medical needs.
4. Act as a surrogate family.
so many more...

And part of the problem IS CLEARLY FUNDING.
There are not enough teachers/staff in the State to adequately take care of State Mandates.
The above is a HUGE factor. The State makes rules that the public schools CANNOT carry out adequately with the funds they are given. I know this is true for NISD in San Antonio, the most diverse, and one of the fastest growing school districts in the Nation given its huge enrollment.

[boutons_deux]

In fiscally conservative TX? naw, say it ain't so, Repugs!

Local Debt Climbs as Texas Cities Deal With Growth

Eight years ago, officials with the city of Jarrell decided their small community north of Austin needed a new wastewater system. They expected an influx of new residents and businesses to support some debt to pay for the project.

“That was about the time the market crashed,” City Manager Mel Yantis said. “Building basically rolled to a stop.”

As of 2013, Jarrell’s $10.3 million debt works out to $9,928 for each of the community’s 1,035 residents. It is one of the highest per-capita debt loads among Texas cities, which mostly have debt loads of less than $1,000 per resident.

In recent years, nearly all of Jarrell’s property taxes — 39 out of 44 cents per $100 of assessed value — have gone to paying off debt, Yantis said. That’s meant holding off on other projects, like expanding the police force.

Jarrell’s story is an extreme example of the way hundreds of Texas communities are relying more on borrowing to handle basic public services. Over the last decade, local government debt has grown around the country, but Texas, with an economic performance in recent years that has outpaced the rest of the country, is a special case.

Of the 10 largest states, Texas has the second-highest local debt per capita as cities and school districts have gone on a borrowing spree to maintain or expand amenities while not raising taxes. :lol

(Use our Local Debt Explorer (http://localdebt.texastribune.org/)to find out how much tax-supported debt is held in Texas cities, counties and school districts.)

In many cases, local communities are counting on expected population growth and the success of new businesses to bring in more tax revenue, allowing them to paying off the debt years ahead of schedule. Yet if that growth doesn’t pan out, that strategy can shift the burden to taxpayers, potentially decades into the future.
“This is a pervasive problem at every single level,” Comptroller Susan Combs (http://www.texastribune.org/directory/susan-combs/) said. “Nobody gets off scot-free on this.”

Many local officials argue that issuing debt is the only option to maintaining essential services as Texas gains more than 1,000 people a day.



“Texas does a really good job of bringing people to Texas but not a very good job of supporting the local infrastructure, like schools and libraries and parks and all those things that make people want to stay in Texas once they get here,”

https://www.texastribune.org/2014/08/27/local-debt-soaring-across-texas/

Remember LIBOR criminal rate fixing, that increased, among everything else, municipal bond rates? Any LIBOR criminals go to jail? Any LIBOR-screwed municipal bonds get renegotiated at lower interest rates? hell no.

Guess who's holding those municipal bonds (getting paid interest)? yep, the wealthy 1% and the finance sector. aka, the USA is victim of rentier capitalism.

Just another REDISTRIBUTION of wealth upwards.

The Repug strategy of NEVER raising taxes, of always pushing to cut taxes, suckers their base into thinking that's "sound" government, but in fact it forces the suckers' local govts to go into dramatic debt to the Repugs' paymasters. Keeping taxes low stretches out the bond debt, INCREASING the interest burden.

[boutons_deux]

The SEMINOLE ISD, West TX rednecks, won't let a NAVAJO 5-year-old into school with long hair. :lol

http://www.alternet.org/native-american-kindergartner-sent-home-first-day-cut-hair

[boutons_deux]

Texas school districts militarize campus cops with free surplus weapons, armored vehicles

Taking advantage of U.S. Defense Department offers of free or low-cost military hardware, Texas school districts have been helping themselves to high-powered weaponry, bullet-proof vests, and armored vehicles to militarize their campus police officers.

A KHOU investigation (http://www.khou.com/story/news/investigations/2014/09/05/military-rifles-armor-ammo-sent-to-texas-school-police/15112731/) shows that ten school districts in Texas have been acquiring the military surplus under a government program that allows them to load up at little to no cost.

According to the investigation, the districts have acquired 64 M-16 rifles, 18 M-14 rifles, 25 automatic pistols, and magazines capable of holding 4,500 rounds of ammunition. Additionally, the schools stocked up on armored plating, tactical vests, as well as 15 surplus military vehicles.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/09/05/texas-school-districts-militarize-campus-cops-with-free-surplus-weapons-armored-vehicles/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29

low-wage, redneck bubbas gotta have their war toys

[Cry Havoc]

Conservative values getting short term profit gains by selling out to big companies while burning the future in a dumpster? SHOCKING.

[ChumpDumper]

Thank God we gave Apple $30 million to keep them from going someplace they were never going in the first place.

[Ignignokt]

Scoff, we should totally throw our money at education so that people will excel in women studies and critical theory in highschool only to be unemployed with a masters degree in degeneracy