Education funding

[Freewill]

I was viewing the TV and an ad for Governor came on the tube. He talked about fracking in the state and how PA is the only state that does not tax the profits from fracking. He said he would change that. So far I am with him. Then he says, sitting in a classroom with kids, that he would then make sure that education was fully funded for a change.

At that point I realized he was just saying BS. The governor doesn't say what is taxed or not that is still a legislative issue. I do know that the governor we have now balanced the budget without raising income tax.

My point in all of this, is education, like most government programs, a bottomless pit? We continue to spend more and more on education but politicians tell us we need to keep spending more and more.

What say you?

 

[Freewill]

Also, in a local district the out going council voted for a huge union teacher's contract. The new council voted to reject that contract. The argument, I heard, from the teachers was that the contract was a done deal and they can't change it. Which is probably right but is that the best they can say?

 

[Disir]

Do you know where your money is going?

 

[Freewill]

Do you know where your money is going?

My property tax pays for our schools if that is what you mean.

 

[The Rabbi]

There has not been a tax increase in my city or state in 25 years that was not billed as "paying for schools" or "improving education." Every time.
And while more has been spent on education, student performance is not much better now than it was 20 years ago.
It's a con. Plain and simple.

 

[nodoginnafight]

Every tax hike that I have ever seen put up for referendum was "for education .... for the kids ...." Then you look under the hood a few years later and about 10% to 15% of the revenue is actually going to education.

I'm not so sure we actually ARE spending more money for education.

 

[Disir]

Do you know where your money is going?

My property tax pays for our schools if that is what you mean.

Well, it looks like the PA got a waiver to develop their very own School Performance Profile system.

The state spent $2.7 million over three years developing the system, which is expected to cost $838,000 a year to maintain.

Read more: New school scores get incomplete grade upon Pa. release - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Administrating high stakes testing?

All this comes with a price tag of $176 million, according to an article by Jan Murphy in The Patriot-News. According to Murphy’s reporting, the state signed a five-year contract with the DRC (Data Recognition Corp.) based in Minnesota. For this amount, DRC was contracted to develop the model curriculum, classroom diagnostic tools to measure student progress and 10 end-of-the-year Keystone tests. The DRC also has a lucrative contract with the state to administer the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments tests (more commonly known as PSSA exams).

State's handling of Keystone Exams isn't the answer | PennLive.com



Looks like PA needs (desperately) to repair the cyber/charter school funding formula.
http://www.auditorgen.state.pa.us/Department/Press/CyberCharterSpecialReport201206.pdf

 

[Freewill]

There has not been a tax increase in my city or state in 25 years that was not billed as "paying for schools" or "improving education." Every time.
And while more has been spent on education, student performance is not much better now than it was 20 years ago.
It's a con. Plain and simple.

What I have found is if there is any surplus in a budget the workers want it as if it is theirs. So when doing a budget never, ever say, "hey we are really doing well." Well means they can take more money it is never ending.

 

[Freewill]

Do you know where your money is going?

My property tax pays for our schools if that is what you mean.

Well, it looks like the PA got a waiver to develop their very own School Performance Profile system.

The state spent $2.7 million over three years developing the system, which is expected to cost $838,000 a year to maintain.

Read more: New school scores get incomplete grade upon Pa. release - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Administrating high stakes testing?

All this comes with a price tag of $176 million, according to an article by Jan Murphy in The Patriot-News. According to Murphy’s reporting, the state signed a five-year contract with the DRC (Data Recognition Corp.) based in Minnesota. For this amount, DRC was contracted to develop the model curriculum, classroom diagnostic tools to measure student progress and 10 end-of-the-year Keystone tests. The DRC also has a lucrative contract with the state to administer the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments tests (more commonly known as PSSA exams).

State's handling of Keystone Exams isn't the answer | PennLive.com



Looks like PA needs (desperately) to repair the cyber/charter school funding formula.
http://www.auditorgen.state.pa.us/Department/Press/CyberCharterSpecialReport201206.pdf

Although it is slightly off topic I find nothing about the contract awarded other then on blogs. What I did find is that the contract was awarded through the required bidding process. Very unlike, way off topic, the 600 million was awarded to develop the Obamacare web site which was awarded NON-BID.

 

[TheOldSchool]

Education in this country is nothin more than muslims infiltrating our youth with homosexual propoganda. It's a sad state of affairs I know

 

[Disir]

My property tax pays for our schools if that is what you mean.

Well, it looks like the PA got a waiver to develop their very own School Performance Profile system.


Administrating high stakes testing?

All this comes with a price tag of $176 million, according to an article by Jan Murphy in The Patriot-News. According to Murphy’s reporting, the state signed a five-year contract with the DRC (Data Recognition Corp.) based in Minnesota. For this amount, DRC was contracted to develop the model curriculum, classroom diagnostic tools to measure student progress and 10 end-of-the-year Keystone tests. The DRC also has a lucrative contract with the state to administer the Pennsylvania System of School Assessments tests (more commonly known as PSSA exams).

State's handling of Keystone Exams isn't the answer | PennLive.com



Looks like PA needs (desperately) to repair the cyber/charter school funding formula.
http://www.auditorgen.state.pa.us/Department/Press/CyberCharterSpecialReport201206.pdf

Although it is slightly off topic I find nothing about the contract awarded other then on blogs. What I did find is that the contract was awarded through the required bidding process. Very unlike, way off topic, the 600 million was awarded to develop the Obamacare web site which was awarded NON-BID.

Pay to play?
Minnesota-based Rendell supporters get $201M state contract | TribLIVE

Test graders?
Inside the multimillion-dollar essay-scoring business - Page 1 - News - Minneapolis - City Pages

Oh, and if we are going to hit medical, do your hospitals pay property taxes or are they exempt because of "charity"? How much "charity" and who does the choosing? So, your property taxes are probably covering the cost of the property taxes not being paid in that arena?

 

[USNavyVet]

Yes it is basically a scam. I remember my home town didn't have enough money to bus the kids any more and put a referendum on the ballot to pay for the buses. That referendum went through and the money was spent giving teachers raises and the busses stayed where they were. And the kids are no better educated.

 

[FA_Q2]

Every tax hike that I have ever seen put up for referendum was "for education .... for the kids ...." Then you look under the hood a few years later and about 10% to 15% of the revenue is actually going to education.

I'm not so sure we actually ARE spending more money for education.

I am absolutely sure that we are. A LOT more. We are also getting nothing for that increased spending so I guess the real problem is that we have not thrown enough of other peoples money at the issue. Well, that is what many of our liberal friends here keep telling me.

 

[FA_Q2]

I was viewing the TV and an ad for Governor came on the tube. He talked about fracking in the state and how PA is the only state that does not tax the profits from fracking. He said he would change that. So far I am with him. Then he says, sitting in a classroom with kids, that he would then make sure that education was fully funded for a change.

At that point I realized he was just saying BS. The governor doesn't say what is taxed or not that is still a legislative issue. I do know that the governor we have now balanced the budget without raising income tax.

My point in all of this, is education, like most government programs, a bottomless pit? We continue to spend more and more on education but politicians tell us we need to keep spending more and more.

What say you?

the instant that a politician starts spilling the 'for the kids' or the fire/police/public parks lines it is a bald faced lie. A lie that they willingly spew right into your face.

That is nothing more than a convenient way to fleece more cash out of the people. We need to STOP spending more in education and start spending what we have more efficiently. We do not have a funding problem - we have a bureaucratic problem and the more that the feds get involved the worse off we are getting.

 

[FJO]

No amount of money thrown at education will improve it as long as the teachers are union members.

 

[DiamondDave]

Education spending has ZERO place in the federal government.. it is not a charge of the federal government.. hence, per the 10th amendment, should be left to the states or the individuals

 

[ScienceRocks]

Reform and kicking dead beat teachers out of teaching our children is the goal. Slicing our throat isn't.

 

[editec]

I was viewing the TV and an ad for Governor came on the tube. He talked about fracking in the state and how PA is the only state that does not tax the profits from fracking. He said he would change that. So far I am with him. Then he says, sitting in a classroom with kids, that he would then make sure that education was fully funded for a change.

At that point I realized he was just saying BS. The governor doesn't say what is taxed or not that is still a legislative issue. I do know that the governor we have now balanced the budget without raising income tax.

My point in all of this, is education, like most government programs, a bottomless pit? We continue to spend more and more on education but politicians tell us we need to keep spending more and more.

What say you?

Any goal that does not have a final destination is a bottomless pit, if you let it be.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Education one element of society that's within all of our interest. Worth every cent....

 

[LogikAndReazon]

Just think how good the kiddies could learn with a few trillion more in the hands of those courageous teachers unions....... Lol