50% of general fund to K-12, Jr.College, State College, plus; and in addition, the bill just signed yesterday to replace administration, close, or encourage opening of Charter Schools for poorly performing schools. Quit support of Regional Occupation Programs because "We want higher education rather than those who need trade schools" from a Democrat. Look at the shifting with amount of funds within the existence of each of these plans!
The most important reason the K-12; higher ed. must be included in a through review of its systems to reduce costs is apparent in:
1) talking about closing rather than correcting or problem solving with quality circles consisting of a partner school higher on the performance scale - move the administration and teachers rather than having empty buildings at the expense of the student's learning.
2)Eliminating one of the oldest and most effective education for those students who won't go to, or can't perform at the college level right out of H.S: The Regional Occupation Programs are 'the open door' for a young or older adult to chose a course for success or moving-up in a career. Lots of adults return to college more than 5 years after working at a trade. The reason to not support 'ROP' sounds like not enough money when it comes between funding college or funding trades.
How, in view of the amount of taxpayer dollars and in view of the future of the United States of America, could anyone say the Education system should be exempt from reviewing its own spending, costing, bureaucracy, demonstration of learning effectiveness in the student who graduates? The graduate should have some idea of how to ask and answer a question, where and how to find the answer, and determine if the choices he/she makes in learning are the most valued rather than the most politically correct; or social interaction between groups of students, more than the individual who will, in the end, be most responsible for whatever contribution he/she makes in the world of tomorrow.
With 50% of taxpayer resources, plus some Federal Taxpayer Resources means 50% at least - accountability for how, where, what, why, who (administration versus classroom) in terms of the incredibly large amount of money used without measuring outcomes or making changes in courses which allow a student to bypass American History, Mathematics, Science, Language, Geography, Literature, Writing and English, philosophy and religion, along with the critical thinking these subjects require, for easier subjects. In administration, looking a policies and procedures which do not allow a teacher to assist an insulin dependent diabetic who is as normal as any other student in the room, just has to perform one more item than just washing hands or face, i.e. test and perhaps cover a blood glucose result or have a source of quick-acting glucose could be consideration for policy and procedure review.
Purpose of spreading above subject matter is each student regardless of grade level represents a single part of America in how he/she learns to learn and think. The education system should not have an easy, but much more expensive out in closing a school, which doesn't solve why the school is poorly performing. That many times even in poor performing schools, a student does succeed in spite of the school's situation or location, is the reason shutting down won't change anything except increase the costs to shift every-one including students around without noticeable change because the problem is not intervened to the direction required.
In medicine, part of the care is putting the care into a problem-risk-management-intervention-outcome-circle; and integral to each patient's care regardless of which department the patient attends: inpatient, outpatient, homecare, laboratory, radiology, whatever area you want to name - has a quality circle to evaluate and change what needs changing. It is a constant, weekly to monthly part of everything, every professional and paraprofessional performs. But schools don't have to do this?! Self examination for the benefit of their students - no matter the age, location, grade-level in relation to age, teacher, classroom characteristics, the environment, the roles the students take in school and at home along with interests, gifts/skills; in other words in all aspects of life as it exists because is what school represents. No school, charter or not, will have the same level simply because individuals are different and individuals are who lead the classroom on a daily basis.
Second only to medicine, schools must have problems, intervention, outcome, risk-management, mission, goal process in order to be sure the individual student can think and decide for their benefit in relation to their goals! No student arrives at this point at the same time or in the same way. It is personal and must be worked through in a manner that works for that person. All education can do is offer tools, techniques, skills, some discipline to complete a task, and freedom to learn from weakness and strengths.
With the primary goal of testing outcomes belonging to the student to strengthen his/her learning, thinking skills; Not to the teacher, principle, or school. A student test is just that---tests the student --- not the teacher and Not for the continued existence of the school! Whether a school remains open or gets closed depends on the outcome of 100% or the greatest number of students who do well on the tests. Education is for the individual --- not the entire school as a conglomerate of students for teacher outcomes; and outcomes need a quality circle to be sure the individual student accomplishes his/her needs in the whole of the school! These are the reasons schools must not be exempt from the budget process. (As an aside, we do not run education for the benefit of union opinion)!
With the primary goal of testing outcomes belonging to the student to strengthen his/her learning, thinking skills; Not to the teacher, principle, or school. A student test is just that---tests the student --- not the teacher and Not for the continued existence of the school! Whether a school remains open or gets closed depends on the outcome of 100% or the greatest number of students who do well on the tests. Education is for the individual --- not the entire school as a conglomerate of students for teacher outcomes; and outcomes need a quality circle to be sure the individual student accomplishes his/her needs in the whole of the school! These are the reasons schools must not be exempt from the budget process. (As an aside, we do not run education for the benefit of union opinion)!
This may be a shocking idea, but returning to the classical method of learning might be helpful: Research, Reason is logic with inspiration or meditation, Relate-bridging the gap between knowledge and application, Record with reason - go hand in hand!*
School throughout California must be accountable as much as the sickest person in the largest hospital; because people matter and so does the future of this Nation!
*"AGuide for Learning and Teaching The Declaration of Independence and The U.S Constitution, Learning From the Original Texts Using Classical Learning Methods of the Founders" by Joseph Andrews; copyright 2001; pp.9-13; The Center for Teaching the Constitution; www.teachconstitution.org.
Arnold Budget: Includes $12 Billion in Non Existent Revenues
Written by CA Political News on January 08, 2010, 09:24 PM
Gov. Schwarzenegger's California budget proposal fails to pass reality test
Contra Costa Ties editorial, 1/08/10
GOV. ARNOLD Schwarzenegger's proposed budget, which seeks to close a $20 billion deficit over the next 18 months, fails the reality test.
It stipulates $8.5 billion in spending cuts, mostly in already-reduced welfare programs, employs $4.5 billion in legally questionable fund transfers and relies on $6.9 billion in federal money in excess of stimulus funds.
His $82.9 billion general fund spending plan asks for no tax hikes and would allow the temporary increases in sales and income taxes to phase out later this year and next year.
The governor also promised not to reduce funding for K-12 education except for a $1.2 billion cut in district administrative costs. None of the cuts could be shifted to the classroom. He would also offer modest spending increases to higher education.
We wonder how equitable it is for the governor to call a fiscal state of emergency that leaves taxpayers and schools unscathed, yet strips the poorest Californians of much of their safety net and asks state employees to trade furloughs for what likely would be a long-term 10 percent take-home pay cut.
Even more troubling from a fiscal standpoint is Schwarzenegger's call for fund transfers of the kind that were found illegal in the past and now account for $4.9 billion of the budget gap.
But perhaps the most fanciful part of the governor's budget is the $6.9 billion he hopes to get from the federal government,
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which is deeply in debt and in no mood to bail out a state that has had a failed fiscal system for many years and has refused to fix it.
To his credit, Schwarzenegger once again has proposed major tax and budgeting reforms. Even if he were successful, which is unlikely, the changes would not be in place for this and the next fiscal year.
Nor is the economy improving nearly quickly enough to stave off another huge state budget shortfall.
California will be forced to make major, painful spending reduction to a number of welfare programs, and it is going to have to require pay cuts and greater pension contributions for state workers. The state also should go ahead with the governor's plan to allow private prisons.
But California also needs to find new sources of tax revenue, at least during the short term, even if all the spending cuts the governor seeks are enacted.
Also, with about 50 percent of the general fund designated for K-12 and higher education, we wonder if schools should be exempt from the kind of sacrifices being asked of others,
There is little chance of California getting almost $7 billion from Washington, D.C., and much of the fund shifting he seeks is apt to once again be reversed by the courts.
It should be clear to everyone that long-term budgeting and tax reforms are critically needed in California. But, for now, any realistic budget must rely solely on California's own resources and not depend on federal largesse or legally questionable fund transfers.
Unfortunately, the budget outline the governor presented to Californians on Friday does not adequately face up to these realities.
Contra Costa Ties editorial, 1/08/10
GOV. ARNOLD Schwarzenegger's proposed budget, which seeks to close a $20 billion deficit over the next 18 months, fails the reality test.
It stipulates $8.5 billion in spending cuts, mostly in already-reduced welfare programs, employs $4.5 billion in legally questionable fund transfers and relies on $6.9 billion in federal money in excess of stimulus funds.
His $82.9 billion general fund spending plan asks for no tax hikes and would allow the temporary increases in sales and income taxes to phase out later this year and next year.
The governor also promised not to reduce funding for K-12 education except for a $1.2 billion cut in district administrative costs. None of the cuts could be shifted to the classroom. He would also offer modest spending increases to higher education.
We wonder how equitable it is for the governor to call a fiscal state of emergency that leaves taxpayers and schools unscathed, yet strips the poorest Californians of much of their safety net and asks state employees to trade furloughs for what likely would be a long-term 10 percent take-home pay cut.
Even more troubling from a fiscal standpoint is Schwarzenegger's call for fund transfers of the kind that were found illegal in the past and now account for $4.9 billion of the budget gap.
But perhaps the most fanciful part of the governor's budget is the $6.9 billion he hopes to get from the federal government,
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which is deeply in debt and in no mood to bail out a state that has had a failed fiscal system for many years and has refused to fix it.
To his credit, Schwarzenegger once again has proposed major tax and budgeting reforms. Even if he were successful, which is unlikely, the changes would not be in place for this and the next fiscal year.
Nor is the economy improving nearly quickly enough to stave off another huge state budget shortfall.
California will be forced to make major, painful spending reduction to a number of welfare programs, and it is going to have to require pay cuts and greater pension contributions for state workers. The state also should go ahead with the governor's plan to allow private prisons.
But California also needs to find new sources of tax revenue, at least during the short term, even if all the spending cuts the governor seeks are enacted.
Also, with about 50 percent of the general fund designated for K-12 and higher education, we wonder if schools should be exempt from the kind of sacrifices being asked of others,
There is little chance of California getting almost $7 billion from Washington, D.C., and much of the fund shifting he seeks is apt to once again be reversed by the courts.
It should be clear to everyone that long-term budgeting and tax reforms are critically needed in California. But, for now, any realistic budget must rely solely on California's own resources and not depend on federal largesse or legally questionable fund transfers.
Unfortunately, the budget outline the governor presented to Californians on Friday does not adequately face up to these realities.
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