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StumbleSUN EDITORIAL:
Spare our schools
Budget for K-12 education should be a priority despite economic downturn
Sunday, July 20, 2008 | 2:05 a.m.
The Clark County School Board’s decision to postpone a $9.5 billion building plan should not be seen by the Legislature or the governor as an opportunity to cut K-12 education funding.
If anything, the woefully inadequate education funding from the state should be increased despite Nevada’s economic downturn, which has forced cuts of more than $1 billion in the state’s overall budget.
Postponing the plan to build 73 new schools was just that — a postponement. It was not a cancellation inviting parallel cuts by the state in educational programs.
Most likely the plan to issue bonds for new school construction will be voted on in 2010. The buildings will be needed in the future, despite the drop — likely temporary — in projected student enrollment that allowed the postponement.
Current projections show the district growing less than 2 percent instead of 4 percent, for an enrollment this fall of just more than 314,000.
What needs to be remembered is that the district is still growing and cannot withstand a cut in already low per-pupil funding without serious consequences, such as crowded classes’ becoming even more crowded.
Fortunately, K-12 education largely escaped the financial devastation visited on other state programs during a legislative special session in June. But right up until the session the state’s 17 school districts were in jeopardy. Clark County’s superintendent, Walt Rulffes, fearing a cut to his budget of more than $100 million, ordered a hiring freeze.
That would have left the School District almost 800 teachers short for the fall semester, but legislators were able to find savings in other areas and the freeze was lifted. Schools, though, are not out of danger — another billion dollars may have to be cut from the state budget after the regular legislative session begins in February.
The best solution would be to revise the tax system so that out-of-state companies and others doing business here are paying their fair share. The worst solution would be to start slashing our school budgets, an act whose damage would be irreversible for years.
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It is time for an open investigation of the CCSD and all of its financial activities. Included in this investigation should be a very thorough and careful review of all administrative positions that have been promoted, created and secured in the upper echelon of this district.
Who has been hired? Why? What are their qualifications and what is the job description?
Why are so many retired administrators rehired as consultants, mentor-administrtors, advisors etc. when there is not enough money to hire more certified teachers?
A careful examination and comparison of administration contracts with those of teachers and classified personnel needs to be made. Why are conditions and perks for administrators so much richer? What benefits do administrators get that are not available to teachers and classified, and why?
Why is the school district in the real estate business in an economic enviornment that is seeing large numbers of mortgage defaults occuring? Who is profiting from this business, and why?
Indeed it is time for a major grand jury investigation of all aspects of district operation. There is somehting definetly wrong when money can be spent so freely on administration but there is not enough to hire certified teachers and classified help.
It is time for the Boar of Trustees to FIRE Walt Rulffes. He is a disaster for this district and a replacement from outside the district must be found ASAP.
Students need more certified teachers, books and supplies not more administators!
Don't worry about the schools. With gas at today's prices and airfares rising the schools will be losing students in droves. If Sen. Reid keeps us from getting our oil production up, keeps us from building nuclear power plants, keeps us from any economic reality, the layoffs will rise, and people will have to move. Families will be the first to go, they have to have jobs, and it doesn't look like many are coming for awhile.