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Dr. Williams states the annual budget for the Buffalo City Schools is $750 million dollars. He also states that the biggest challenge in the schools today is that the children don't know how to read.
Will increasing their budget really help improve student learning?
The standard answer, for years, is to spend more money on education. Well, we did, and it hasn't worked. Obviously the problem lies elsewhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by Enough
Why don't children know how to read? That's the most basic educational skill there is. If the schools can't teach reading, there's a big problem with the system. Don't blame it on parents, television, etc., the school has the kids for 6-7 hours a day.
What else can be expected since he discontinued exams? :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Enough
Check this out.
http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/
I just watched this 20/20 program I taped this week. Interesting stuff. So Woodstock and other pro union/ pro teacher federation, let us have a calm and real discussion.
I am going to throw out two ideas. I would like real feedback on why you think this would or would not work. No one liners here. A real discussion. Deal?
1.
Funding for the schools. I do not think that anyone will have a problem investing in our children. So let's have the current system (teachers union) come up with a number that they feel is the best number to spend per student, whatever it is. Here is the catch, have 100% of that money follow the child. They can choose to go to a catholic school, private school or stay public. Let the parents decide each year where they want to send their child. Create competition for the schools. If you under perform, you loose funding. If you over perform, you gain funding. Each school can choose to spend the per student funds however the school wants without outside interference.
However, if that spend does not produce the desired results, they could possibly loose that funding the next year based on children leaving. With a program like this a school can set the right amount of kids in the class per teacher. Once they hit that limit, the school can turn away students. If there is an overflow of students, more schools will be created based on the funding that is attached to each child.
I would feel OK with 20k per kid. So even the most "unique" children in a group of 10 would have 200k associated to them.
2.
Tenure for teachers. I think we should make the teaching position the most highly competitive job in America. I think it should be paid on the levels of doctors. I would even agree to have the same type of pension, FULLY funded. Provide the BEST benefit program out there. This is of course with one change. Eliminate tenure. COMPLETLY and IMMEDIATILY. The job of being a teacher will be highly PAID and highly competitive. If a teacher currently under tenure, lost his/her job, they would keep the "pension" amount accrued much like the fund you keep in a 401k.
3.
School in session 11 months of the year, 7am-6pm a day. The reason we have summer breaks is so children could work on the farm to support the family. I do not know of that many farms in WNY or the US for that matter.
Now since teachers should be paid with the best of them, they should work with the rest of them. The workday would be from 7-6. Classes would be the same as they are today and the extra time would be spent on study halls, music and sports. I would support each teacher having an assistant. Someone who is good with children and maybe an assoc degree. Pay this assistant 25k a year to work about 30hours a week to support the teacher.
So.....who wants to go next?
00000
fully funded pension ?? why not a 401 like the rest of us with matching funds. up to 3 or 4 % of salary
as for paying them the same as doctors that is too much doctors have much more training and when a doctor makes a mistake your dead a treacher makes a mistake they erase the board and rewrite it. I agree with good wages but that is what they already have and they work part time. 180 days a year 6 1/2 hours a day is not full time work if they want more money contract for longer days and a full year.
tenure is stupid and only a bad teacher would insist on having it to protect their job good teachers dont need it