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(06-19-2013 12:53 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  

(06-19-2013 12:10 PM)LairDweller Wrote:  So...I'm unclear. Has the state cut per pupil spending recently?

I wonder where Alabama ranks in per pupil spending.

The challenge is to get figures on state per pupil spending for ALL state districts solely on state funding without adding in the suburban local funding which is for their own pupils only. The Tuscaloosa NEWS article I quoted stated that 35 states had cut per pupil funding during the 2008-2012 period, and Alabama's cut was the largest in America - almost $1400. The figures for 2013-2014 can't be determined until the funds are released this summer -- so school districts can know how many of their "furloughed" teachers they can hope to rehire in August.

It's like getting salary numbers for only the state's academic classroom teachers without the inclusion of coaching salaries and Voc Ed CoOp teachers whose salaries are always higher (these may be $15,000 more to as much as $100,000 annually - and many head coaches are not required to meet any daily classes), but whose subject matter is never included on all those standardized tests used to determine "failing schools". The lowest paid teachers in Alabama school districts teach all of those subjects.

Obviously the solution is simple. To increase per pupil spending, they need to reduce the number of pupils. Encourage more homeschooling.

Reduce the number of students, you increase per pupil spending.g, and you have to find a new gripe.

(06-19-2013 01:58 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Obviously the solution is simple. To increase per pupil spending, they need to reduce the number of pupils. Encourage more homeschooling.

1st: LairDweller- shame on you...
2nd: MB, you just swooped in, fanned the embers AND threw gasoline on it- Isn't it enough that this discussion is entirely monopolized in the pol forum?!?!?!

Next, either or both of you will ask about a 6'2", 285 lb FB...

(06-19-2013 01:58 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Obviously the solution is simple. To increase per pupil spending, they need to reduce the number of pupils. Encourage more homeschooling.

Reduce the number of students, you increase per pupil spending.g, and you have to find a new gripe.

In a state like Alabama where the average level of school completed by adults is 9th grade or less (2000 census), I don't think "home schools" are a good "blanket" answer unless the level of "world of work" preparation is unimportant. I would like it if the per pupil spending in Alabama's schools was more like the 2010 SEC median annual spending of $165,000 per athlete than the $8,000 per pupil in Alabama public (K thru grad school) schools (And that may be with the suburban local taxes for only their local schools thrown in). Then I would indeed have something less to "gripe about".

In a recent national survey made by "PARADE" magazine, 95% of respondents opposed any kind of state certification requirements for those who "Home school". To my thinking, this implies that most of these have little belief that state certification of ANY teachers is really necessary. Politicians I have discussed it with seem to believe that all teachers are infinitely replaceable (hence the termination of DROP) and that they are "a dime a dozen" throughout our state. At a certain low level of competence, that may be true. As long as suburban school districts have hundreds of applicants for every opening, they may be spared the effect of the present attitude. What about the bottom districts of the "food chain" where positions sometimes outnumber applicants? Every August, these districts become desperate to fill every classroom with a "warm body" and hope for the best.

Thanks Memphis.......................................................

(06-19-2013 02:35 PM)USAFBlazerFan Wrote:  Thanks Memphis.......................................................

Memphis overlooks that funding in Alabama's school districts is based upon Average Daily Attendance (ADA) which determines Teacher Units so if there are fewer students for ANY reason, there will be less funding so "per pupil" spending will remain equivalent for the new level of enrollment. That is what has "failing schools" scared of the effect of the state's new Accountability Act which may cut their funding as they try to improve.

That will be like telling the FBHC at AU & UA that "we want you to coach better so we are cutting your FB scholarships from 85 to 60 per year".

Damn, I always overlook that. It's like a mental block to me.

How about this, when determining per pupils spending, you define the pupil as a part of the eye. Since most kids have two pupils, that doubles per pupil spending right there.

D'ja hear about the cross-eyed teacher?

She had trouble controlling her pupils.

I'll be here all week. Try the veal.

D'ja hear about the Alabama teacher who got tired of being fired each May and then waiting to see if he/she would be called back in August if funds made it possible?

D'ja hear about the Alabama teacher who got tired of paying out of his/her own pocket for classroom pupil supplies because the state quit funding them?

D'ja hear the one about the Alabama teacher who had to beg parents to supply toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning liquids, etc. because the district couldn't supply them?

How about the one about the Alabama teacher who went from Oct.31,2007 to Oct.31, 2013 without a state provided raise (while the state legislature voted over 6% cut in "take home"pay) and now gets a 2% raise spread over the next 3 years.

Isn't all that simply hilarious? The state's schools may die laughing.

(06-20-2013 11:46 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  D'ja hear about the Alabama teacher who got tired of being fired each May and then waiting to see if he/she would be called back in August if funds made it possible?

D'ja hear about the Alabama teacher who got tired of paying out of his/her own pocket for classroom pupil supplies because the state quit funding them?

D'ja hear the one about the Alabama teacher who had to beg parents to supply toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning liquids, etc. because the district couldn't supply them?

How about the one about the Alabama teacher who went from Oct.31,2007 to Oct.31, 2013 without a state provided raise (while the state legislature voted over 6% cut in "take home"pay) and now gets a 2% raise spread over the next 3 years.

Isn't all that simply hilarious? The state's schools may die laughing.

Did ya hear the one about the old codger who keeps derailing threads on a sports message board with the same ole tired issue. The punch line is that he is so relentless and tiresome that he is slowly turning the readers against education funding.

Now that's funny.

If you and others are tired of hearing about the problems, imagine how tired those who have the problems must be. There's always a large capacity rug to sweep all problems under, but that doesn't make the problems actually vanish no matter how tired you and others are of hearing about them. Yes, I am an "old codger" who constantly touts a desire for quality public education for ALL Alabama's children, and I don't know how many years I have left to do so. I've posted here, written "Letters to the Editor" and other publications. Like you and so many others, they are "tired" of hearing the same refrain, but I keep hoping that "one day we will overcome" the resistance to educating children who "don't live where I live" so they don't matter. Now isn't THAT funny?

You're beating the drum on the wrong forum. This is where people go to talk about sports. UAB sports.

Like Roone Arledge said, "Sports are the toy department of life."

Everybody here knows there are more pressing issues in the world than sports. We are bombarded with them daily. This is our sanctuary when we want to take a breather and talk about something we enjoy.

Quit crashing the sanctuary.

(06-20-2013 01:50 PM)Smaug Wrote:  You're beating the drum on the wrong forum. This is where people go to talk about sports. UAB sports.

Like Roone Arledge said, "Sports are the toy department of life."

Everybody here knows there are more pressing issues in the world than sports. We are bombarded with them daily. This is our sanctuary when we want to take a breather and talk about something we enjoy.

Quit crashing the sanctuary.

Mea Culpa, but my original post (#17) was a comment on a program that has so much money it has to search out ways to spend it all so they wouldn't have to give it to the academic side. From that point it drew fire from Memphis and a couple others and we went back and forth. I apologize.