This week, there was news in the paper that the teachers in the Conestoga Valley Districts (where Veritas Academy resides and where my family lives) have agreed to a decreased salary increase next year. This will save the district about $300,000. Two points: (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘public education’
Hat’s Off and the Plunge through the Looking Glass
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011Governor Weighing In On Education
Thursday, May 12th, 2011In this week’s paper there was a very interesting story about Governor Corbett. The PA House and Senate have two of the most interesting educational reform bills floating around in them. Senate Bill 1 starts a voucher program in PA—beginning with needy kids in failed districts and expanding (possibly) to middle class people in 5 years. The other is House Bill 1330. It doubles and redoubles the Educational Improvement Tax Credit in the next 2 years from 53 million to 200 million. There are things to like about both bills. In the topsy-turvy world of state budgets both of these bills save the tax-payer money.
The real question for me has been whether Governor Corbett will shepherd these ideas through to completion. Early observations have been unclear. Governor Corbett has been vaguely supportive, but not charging forward (in all areas but the non-taxing of Marcellus Shale). In the story in today’s paper seems to indicate that the Governor is going to support both bills. If he does, and if they are passed, education (and the state of PA) will be changed greatly over the next 10 years. I have concerns about both these bills, but I am beginning to wonder what a free market education system would look like. (There are no children in Atlas Shrugged! No help there.)
Senate Bill 1
Wednesday, May 11th, 2011In education politics it has recently seemed to me that my first impression of things is always wrong. I attended a recent meeting of experts concerning Senate Bill 1 (the voucher bill). It is stalled right now in a number of ways. It is stalled in the Senate keeping it from final approval. It is stalled in the House of Representatives because they will not take it up unless the Senate votes for it. The governor seems to be for it, but is hanging back in a way that is not very helpful. If you are for school choice (and I am—although if I were doing it myself I would do it differently than this), this would seem like bad news. (more…)
The Starting Point of Education
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011Today, an interesting story greeted me as I opened the paper. It seems that there was a book content dust up at last night’s Manheim Township School Board Meeting. Here is the article:
Manheim Township School Board Meeting article
The issue was the content—violent and sexual—of some of the “canon” (their word not mine) of literature that they read in High School. In the article we see one of the great conundrums of secular education. The content of the books matters—of course—and parents should be concerned about the content of the literature that their children are reading—again, of course. Many school board members seemed to be scrambling away from the hot potato of parents questioning who is responsible for the choices of literature. Board members differed—we did not make the choice and we don’t think it would be appropriate for us to make the choice. The parents (of course further angered) kept questioning—if you are not responsible then who is? The underlying problems, and at first glance I see two, were not touched upon in the story. (more…)
The Ides of March and Education
Thursday, March 17th, 2011The Ides are a day for changes. You might have wondered why I have been quiet over the last few weeks—so much has been going on. I will be back at it again. Note, there will be a few changes in the blog. First, I am going to be talking a lot more about what is going on and what will be going on at Veritas Academy. I have been knee (sometimes neck) deep in doing strategic planning at the school. I am going to start to lay our vision of the future out here in the blog. I welcome your feedback. Also, I am going to try to give you a view of what is going on—sometime really amazing things—at Veritas Academy. I will also post about all that is going on in the world—especially the educational world.
Today, I woke to find that the Hempfield teachers are possibly the smartest in the state. Teachers in many districts have turned down pay freeze proposals. Hempfield was smart enough to accept it—overwhelmingly. I have family members that teach in the district and my hat is off to them. They, unlike every other district that has considered this so far in PA, realize that this is not about 3% this year, nor is it about protecting hard fought collective bargaining rights (actually they are protecting these things by taking the freeze). It is about the survival of public education in PA. Honestly, the next five years are going to be interesting. Things could look radically…and I mean radically…different just five (maybe even three) years from now.
Education and the Future
Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011As the present, accelerating shake up in education occurs, our culture and each of our families have a real opportunity. We can rethink what responsibility we have concerning preparing our children for their future. Few get to think about these things—we are blessed. Presently, there is a lot of tension and uncertainty about this. This multifaceted problem should give us pause, but in once sense they are inevitable. Our educational system (or the part of it run by the government) has become economically unsustainable—like many other parts of government. Our public schools—like many other parts of our national life—have been philosophically unsustainable for a long time. We desire children to have a strong moral foundation. We expect them to work hard. We want them to love one another. Yet, we have eroded constantly the faith that underlies all of these things. Now, we do so officially. We want the car to run after we drain the gasoline from the tank. (more…)
Report from the Slow Train
Saturday, January 29th, 2011I have written a number of times on the impending judgment day type economics that are facing public school districts in Pennsylvania and (through the pensions) the entire state. I recently lauded Bob Hollister for making painful, but necessary decisions in Garden Spot. The next day another story popped up that made me want to write again:
Hempfield School District forum looks at deficit
I have a lot of respect for superintendent Becker, but there are a couple of things about this story that concern me. I think that getting people together to “air grievances” might be a good tactic, but I cannot imagine doing something like this. (more…)
But what about the children?
Friday, January 28th, 2011I have written in this blog about vouchers recently. I have real fears that vouchers could be used by the state as a Trojan Horse to co-opt and control private education. Today, I found a reason to be for them:
Vouchers a Poor Plan for Poor Schools
Jeff Hawkes article against vouchers is so slanted that it makes me want to be for vouchers. The problem that he fails to see is that vouchers are not there to “help poor schools”. They are a way for some poor kids to escape failing school districts. The first estimate that was mentioned in the paper was that 70% of the McCaskey students would be eligible. If my kids were trapped in a failing district, I would move heaven and earth (if I could) to get them out.
The underlying assumption in this article is that failing districts could answer all the problems of these children if they just had more money or that the real problem is that these children have poor (economically speaking) parents. He believes that the real problem is “economic segregation”. This phrase is as meaningless as it is incendiary. Segregated from what? By whom? He is obviously sort of insinuating something using Jim Crow language—it is hard to tell what he means or what he thinks the fix is.
Here is my assertion: Poor schools should be poor schools—i.e., schools that fail at education should have less funds. Mr. Hawkes it seems cares more about preserving poor schools rather than helping poor students.
Slow train still coming down the tracks. Vouchers would speed it up.
The Reality Check
Friday, January 28th, 2011Tueday’s paper opened with this story:
Eastern Lancaster County School District Plans to Lay off 15 Teachers
It chronicles the story of one man (Bob Hollister) who acted in a rational manner. (Note, Mr. Hollister is a friend of mine.) Here are the facts. Mr. Hollister’s district Eastern Lancaster County has an annual budget deficit projection of 1.3 million for 2011-2012. Its enrollment has decreased from 3700 to 3200 over the last decade. It—like every other district in PA—is facing gigantic budget issues because of the increase taxes needed for the teacher’s pensions. Everyone is staring at these facts (or ones like them). Everyone is rubbing their hands together and hemming and hawing. Bob Hollister saw that facts and had the courage to take a rational step. He cut staffing. Today, I am sure, was a tough day for Mr. Hollister. Many districts (maybe all) will have to follow suit eventually (Manheim Township is facing a 3.5 to 4.5 million dollar deficit).
Mr. Hollister will, no doubt, take plenty of lumps for this action. Should he? Should he be castigated for reducing staffing when the district has shrunk by more than 10%? Should he be blamed for taking steps to close a deficit? Of course not!
The slow train is coming. Reality’s check is coming. I am glad that a few people have the courage to take action. More will have to.
Vouchers
Thursday, January 20th, 2011This morning’s paper first article was on Senate Bill #1 being considered now in Harrisburg. It would give low income families in failing districts (initially) and in all districts (soon after) a voucher to pay tuition at another school (private or public). This was greeted by cheers and jeers in different corners of education. I think that there is a chance (with the Republicans in control of everything in Harrisburg that this could pass). If it did, 70% of the students in the McCaskey district would be eligible for vouchers. Some districts—it seems to me—would simply collapse. In the long run this sort of reform would be good for public school. Here are few observations: (more…)
