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jummel hidrosollo / special to the las vegas sun
Students and advocates speak out on budget cuts last week during a rally sponsored by Nevadans for Quality Education at Valley High School. Clark County School District officials say they hope slowed enrollment growth and attrition over the summer will minimize the number of layoffs that budget cuts will require.
Monday, March 23, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Related stories
- Students, decrying budget cuts, rally for after-school programs (3-16-2009)
- Chancellor Rogers enlists campus help in budget plea (3-12-2009)
- Budget might put teachers in game of musical chairs (3-1-2009)
- Fewer students, but same funding (2-24-2009)
Sun Archives
Clark County School District officials say they are cautiously optimistic they won’t be asked to make budget cuts deeper than the $120 million already asked for by state leaders.
At the same time, Jeff Weiler, the district’s chief financial officer, said the staff positions, programs and services on the chopping block “represent very tough choices.”
The district tried to protect school-level jobs by first trimming administrative and central office costs and staff, Weiler wrote in a memo to all employees last week. “But given the severity of the cuts we likely face, that was not possible.”
The hope is slower enrollment growth and employee attrition and retirement over the summer will minimize the number of layoffs necessary.
Weiler also sought to reassure employees that the district is “very committed to maintaining competitive salaries and benefits,” despite Gov. Jim Gibbons’ call for a 6 percent pay cut for teachers and state workers. Gibbons also wants to freeze step or merit salary increases, and have employees pay their own health benefit costs.
The governor’s proposal “is not, in fact, in addition to the above-listed $120 million in budget reductions,” Weiler wrote. “Rather, it represents a different way to achieve the same level of budget reductions.”
In an interview with the Sun, Weiler confirmed that if employee salaries were cut by 6 percent, step increases were eliminated and the district’s share of health care benefit costs reduced, the savings would come close to $120 million.
However, Weiler said, the district doesn’t believe it could take that action because employee pay and benefits are protected by a negotiated agreement.
Superintendent Walt Rulffes told the Sun even if the district could break the agreement, he wouldn’t support reducing teacher salaries. He said, however, that the district is in discussions with the three bargaining groups — representing licensed personnel, administrators and support staff — for alternative savings.
“It could be reduced health care benefits, it could be some revision in how step increases are scheduled,” Rulffes said. “It’s a long shot, but there’s always a possibility.”
•••
If Nevada wants to improve its public schools, the Silver State should look to Florida.
That’s the conclusion of a new report by the Nevada Policy Research Institute, a conservative think tank.
Entitled “Failure is No Longer an Option,” the report details the academic gains of Florida students since a series of school reforms was implemented in 1998.
The Sunshine State’s student demographics are similar to Nevada’s, with high minority populations and children from low-income households. The states spend close to the same amount per pupil and average teacher salaries are comparable, according to the study.
Changes in Florida included increased standards and accountability, allowing parents to move their children from failing schools to more successful campuses and merit pay for teachers. There was also an intensive focus on literacy, including hiring reading coaches, retraining teachers and remedial instruction.
Thirty-seven percent of Florida’s low-income fourth graders demonstrated proficiency on a national standardized exam in 1998. In 2007, that figure had climbed to 59 percent.
By comparison, 42 percent of all Nevada fourth graders, regardless of socioeconomic status, demonstrated proficiency on the same exam in 2007.
Gains were equally impressive for Florida’s Hispanic students, who also outscored all of their Nevada peers on the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress.
“Some like to use a high-minority student population as an excuse for not doing well,” said Patrick Gibbons, education policy analyst for NPRI and the study’s co-author. “Florida proves that with comprehensive reform you can improve.”
Gibbons said the education reform plan put forth by Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, which includes merit pay for teachers, is “getting people talking about reform in different ways, beyond demanding an increase in per pupil spending.”
•••
Instructional supplies are at a premium in Clark County schools.
A new joint venture between the Public Education Foundation and the Harrah’s Foundation will offer teachers a cost-free option for keeping their classrooms well stocked.
The Teacher Exchange, funded with a $708,000 grant from Harrah’s Entertainment, will hold its grand opening Monday inside a warehouse (donated by Czarnowski Exhibit Services) at 3165 Sunset Road, near Dean Martin Boulevard. Community businesses and people can donate new supplies, used office equipment and computers.
Florida is not a success as the numbers would have you believe. Teachers moral has never been so low. Parents and students are now seeing the system as being held together by threads. And the gains come from a lowering of standards. Statewide assessments have been gerrymandered over the years to create increased school grades and a svelte 110 question test(high school). For all of Florida's claimed success, we are still ranked with the bottom three states. Really research Florida before you make any quick judgements on success, because the Good-Old-Boys can spin the numbers pretty well down south.
Let us not forget that Florida, like Nevada, does NOT have a state income tax.
CCSD is like AIG, "to big to fail"...
Clark County needs three maybe four school districts!
Four school districts would encourage parents to get involved, more grassroots representation on the individual Boards. Parents and the public would realize that K-12 improvement increases property value as parents locate where the education system is "best". Thus more parent/public involvement and ownership!!!!
Administrators are awarded 20 PAID vacation days a year. Teachers are given ZERO PAID vacation days per year. ALL administrators (including Weiler and Rulffes) can bank 100 vacation days and then sell back 20 vacation days at their FULL DAILY RATE OF PAY.... What a perk! End this practice -- NOW!!!!
As a parent of 3 I cant afford to send them all to a private school, but I would be willing to pay more for them to get a decent education, enrollment fees, monthly tuition, books, and pay for extracurricular activities (like when I was a child) . It could be based on income / amount of children to help those who need it. Of course, the school system would be required to perform, but I cannot see ignoring the education system any longer as it is the single most important thing for all our futures.
It is a shame to compare Florida to Nevada. Florida is 49 in education and has the lowest standards in the nation. Teachers are leaving Florida at the rate of 3000-4000 per year because of poor salary, benefits and conditions.
They cannot even recruit teachers from within the US but go to China, Japan, South America and the near east. This is these folks ticket into the US. These folks cannot even read and write English correctly and they are teaching! Florida also has the lowest certification requirements in the US
Teachers in Florida DO NOT teach! They teach to state standardized tests from August-March! No curriculum is taught because each student must past the test because each school is graded and given a dollar award to be split among the staff depending on the outcome of the tests.
Florida has also bascially done away with all Business/Career, Technical and Vocational Edcuation because everyone MUST pass these state tests. Most students entering the college system in Florida must go through remediation courses in college because they are so ill prepared. A Florida student has problems getting into an out of state school because all students in Florida can do is take state tests!
I taught in South Florida for over 20 years and finally got out. Please please do not let the fine state of Nevada short change their students by following Florida. It would be a death sentence!!!
Nevada strives on the tourist industry, imagine turning out students who cannot do basic skills but than can take a state test!
I hope that the parents and educators of this finie state will not let this happen! You want to raise standards not lower them!
NPR and Really,
Actually the opposite is true. Florida, unlike most states has not dumb down their state test. As the study states, Florida students saw gains on the NAEP and other tests. These studies are NOT given by the state but by independent parties. There is no way for Florida to manipulate these tests. Thus it is very unlikely that anyone could conclude that Florida has lowered their standards.
In terms of Florida's achievement rank on the NAEP they are 19th on 4th grade reading, 20th on 4th grade math, 32nd on 8th grade reading and 35th on 8th grade math. Spectacular results given where the state started just 10 years ago -- hardly the bottom 3 either.
You all can see the report for yourself here and judge for yourself: http://npri.org/publications/failure-is-... There are several graphs and charts comparing the similarities between Florida and Nevada and charts showing the growth in student achievement in Florida while Nevada remains flat. There is no state in the union with a similar demographic, income level, teacher pay, and per pupil spending that has achieved results that come anywhere close to Florida.
Patrick:
I understand that you are reading charts and data, everything looks wonderful on paper, but the end result on the middle and high school levels are not cutting it. Unless you have spent time in the system and have experienced the lack of education going on EXCEPT to teach to that test nothing is being accomplished. Did you read my comment about college and remediation courses? I taught middle and high school in Florida for over 20 years. I could NOT teach my curriculum because I had to teach to the test to get the scores that you reference and the dollars at stake for the school!!!!!
Every teacher gets test prep books and scripted lesson plans to take them through the first six months. Heaven forbid you stray from the lesson plans! Schools spend money they do not have on pep rallies and incentives so the students will come to school and pass.
In the 20 plus years in the Florida system I have seen education go down the tubes because no teaching is going on! As I mentioned, every wonder why Florida has the largest teacher turnover rate in the nation? School population and families are moving out of the state and heading to Georgia and points north because of the poor educational system.
These students can not make it in the real world because they have no real life skills etc. But dam it they can tell you all about taking the FCAT! (Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test) we called it FCRAP!
I am all for accountabilty and assessment but Florida and other states have it all wrong! Take a hard look at NY, NJ and Ct. They have had state regents for over 100 years and rank in the top 5 in the nation. If Nevada wants to model take a look at NY, NYC for some real education.
1) The results do not show what you are saying
2) "Teaching to the test" is a rhetorical claim. Honestly, how are we supposed to ensure that teachers are effective and students are learning if we aren't testing students.
The problem with "teaching" and "testing" is part that curriculum sometimes does not line up with what is being tested. This is a legislative problem that can be easily remedied. The other problem is that some people just don't want to be held accountable.
As far as examining Florida v. New York and New Jersey there are some big differences in student demographics but lets look at the results. Unfortunately New Jersey was not tested in 1998 on the NAEP so we can only look at Florida and New York.
Results are thus. All students, Florida gains 8.7 percent while New York gains 4.2 percent. Today there is no difference between 4th graders in New York or Florida on the 4th grade reading exam. White students, Florida gains 6.9 percent New York gains 2.6 percent. Black students, Florida gains 11.8 percent, New York gains 8.9 percent (today blacks in New York are no better off than black students in Florida). Hispanic gains 17.2 percent in Florida 7.9 percent in New York (Hispanics are better off in Florida than in New York).
New York also spends $7,125 per student more than Florida -- almost double. Hardly worth spending the extra cash is it?
PS, students graduating with "no real world skills" is a problem faced by all students in all states, and is especially problematic here in Nevada where the education troubles continue through college with less than half our students ever graduating.
Excuse me, calculation error from excel.
Hispanics in Florida gain 10 percent and 9.6 percent in New York. Hispanics in Florida are better off than in New York.
Blacks in Florida gain 11.8 percent and 8.9 percent in New York. Black students are better off in Florida.
In regards to Conn. the state's reading score actually fell from 230 to 227, despite drastically increasing per pupil spending in that state. Results for Hispanics and Black students were flat and both groups would be better off in Florida.
Do not just look at how much a state spends per pupil. It seems you picked those states based on per pupil spending, not actual results. There is no relationship between per pupil spending and student achievement.
Using US Department of Ed per pupil spending data from 1998 and 2005 and adjusting for inflation: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d07/t... to 2005 dollars (the paper does 1998 and 2006) we find that the states increased per pupil spending (after adjusting for inflation) by
Connecticut $1,621
New York: $3,169
New Jersey $2,412
Florida $323 (the amount is $112 between 1998 and 2006, however)
Nevada $299
By the 4th grade NAEP reading exam there is no real difference between Florida and New York and Connecticut (with Florida's minority students tying or outperforming them as well). While Florida does not outperform New Jersey, Florida has made substantially greater gains than New Jersey (in fact, Hispanics in Florida already beat out Hispanics in New Jersey).
I should also note that New York is 52 percent white, New Jersey is 57 percent white and Connecticut is 67 percent white. Florida, by contrast is only 50 percent white.
Simply put, the residents of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey are not getting a good return on their investment while Florida has received a tremendous bang for the buck.
All these stats look great on paper, so now why does Florida have the highest teacher turnover rate in the nation? As I mentioned 3000-4000 teachers leave the state each year? I know I was one of them after 20+ years.
Florida colleges have more remediation courses for freshman than anywhere in the nation. Students are not being prepared for college but dam it they can pass that test to get the dollars into the schools. Your missing the point!
The white population are running out of Southern Florida in alarming numbers. Dade and Broward are now over 65% hispanic.
Like I mentioned unless you have lived and taught in the South Florida area all you have is numbers to go on. Take a position (if you can get one) for a while and see everything in action!
Do you mind providing sources?
As the report notes, Florida's education continues to improve on the NAEP and other exams despite an increase in poverty and minority student populations. That isn't just great on paper, that is great period.
Also, personal experience is no substitute for empirical analysis. All you have is personal opinion which does not reflect the situation as a whole but just a small slice.
The reason, on the average, that white kids outdo the ethnic kids in college preparation courses and subsequently later in the first and second years of college is because of better English language skills, since white kids are raised in English only homes (usually). Language prowess counts oodles in America. I don't want to sound racist, just practical.
Once again Mr. Gibbons you have avoided most of my thoughts and questions as most folks in think tanks do, Numbers look great on paper but practical experience is the best teacher. Let me input that from experience some of these numbers can be altered to look anyway the districts want them too!
I would like to know how many years you have spent in the classroom on the k-12 level and what areas you an expert in? My expereince in the classroom and administrative areas speaks enough after 20+ years!
Once again 3000-4000 teachers leave Florida every year. Florida once again has the highest teacher turnover rate in the nation!
afveteran, spot on.
As for the point of the article, "do it our way", they have clearly proven they can't do anything "their way".
Bust the CCSD up. One large inneficient entity can't be near as costly as two or three.
Patrick R Gibbons: What about the White students? Don't they count? How are their reading scores and test scores? White students are fast becoming the minority. There are no special services to help white students succeed. All students matter, not just the Hispanic and Black students. I was a substitute teacher in Florida and the schools there are horrific! The moral among teachers is very low and the students are turned into test robots. There is very little teaching that goes on in Florida and the violence rate among students in high. I counted the minutes until I left Florida.
Florida did not specifically target minority kids. However, minority children are disproportionately in poor performing schools. The combination of Florida's reforms boosted the scores for all students, regardless of race or income status. The biggest gains came from low-income students and minority students simply because they are disproportionately attending underperforming schools.
Really,
Practical experience has its place. It gives you a small picture of what is going on. It, however, is merely anecdotal evidence and is not a good substitute for empirical evidence when the empirical evidence is widely available.
The facts looks good on paper because it is also true, it looks good period.
As for your points, they are largely irrelevant since you have not provided any sources...only your own personal opinion.
As for my experience, I worked in public education too and my opinion is that it is backward. I had a history degree from a top university but I could only teach History for one semester before being replaced by a person with a degree in Education and a state certificate - despite the fact that my students and their parents signed a petition to keep me.
So the school board dismissed the parents and the students wishes on some bogus notion that teacher certification and pedagogy matters and they moved me to teaching special education. I had a degree in History, not special education. The teacher who replaced me had a degree in education. According to my students he showed them videos about medieval castles when they were on a chapter about renaissance art. Not only is that not even the same subject, they aren't even in the same century! Do you see how stupid that is?
Now if I was to take my personal experience and apply it to public schools nationwide, the fact would be that public education is backwards, illogical, irrational, and totally uncaring about students and parents.
Now if you value anecdotal evidence so much I'd suspect you'd have to accept my opinion as fact about public schooling as a whole. Do you see a problem now with substituting personal experience for empirical analysis?
1 more point I've already made. The school districts CANNOT manipulate the NAEP data. The NAEP is administered by a third party, not the state government, not the local government not the state's department of ed, not the local school boards. The data cannot be manipulated by anyone in Florida, period.
In regards to "little teaching going on" and "lots of violence" the fact is, the kids are learning somehow and they are improving faster than in any state in the country. If your statement is true that means there is even less going teaching going on in every other state.
Wow, easy for Gibbons to decry other's lack of sources since he only cites his own sources. That is just SLOPPY academics, no matter how you dice it.
It's all a charade, the school district has never been responsible with money, they're like kids who believe they deserve an unlimited spending allowance even though they continually bring home bad grades.
When asked where their allowance is being spent they plead the 5th as if their spending habit is a drug addiction secret.
When you tell them their allowance must be cut they go into spasms like an addict experiencing withdrawals.
The days of the school district believing they have a limitless credit card upon the taxpayer's account has ended.
There will be more cuts.
School districts never believed they had a limitless credit card. How absurd. They work to survive year to year. They do so for no pay. They willingly devote their attention to supporting the needs of the children in their area.
Coming up with some stupid scheme like one computer program to support all the needs of all the children in the district and letting the rest of them fend for themselves is equally absurd. Don't you people have something better to do than waste time with short-sighted, poorly conceived notions of how to raise the next generation? Threatening cuts for the system? Bad-mouthing logic?
Red, thanks for the vote of confidence but I did not write or administer the NAEP. That was a source, just in case you didn't understand the point.
You people in Vegas havn't seen nothin yet. The illegal aliens and they're anchor babies will bankrupt your entire city starting with your school systems and social services. I have had family in Vegas for 60 years beginning with Oliver Hardy. I have watched very closly the takeover by these people for the past 15 years in Vegas while visiting. If you people don't stand up to it you will lose your city like the rest of us have. and Utah is next from what I seen lately.
Airweave is right the school districts work very hard to budget the money they are allotted each year. Teachers use out-of-pocket money to buy classroom supplies. My Principal works for hours and hours on the budget trying to make it work. We don't get new textbooks every year, however, we do have computers to make sure the students are able to keep up with technology. Our students need a lot of different services. It's not like the schools are having a big party with all the taxpayers precious money. You have to invest in our students because they are the future.
Mr. Gibbons is advised to google Walter Haney, Boston university, retention, Florida NAEP scores. The grade three retention policy filters the grade 4 of poor performers. (One can be in grade 3 three times in Florida.) We see math in action, with the mean score rising due to the absence of low scorers since they remain in grade 3, not miraculous instruction. It is also unwise to compare proficiency rates within Florida when one year pre-dates te retention policy and one does not.
I had to fall off my chair when you wrote the system cannot be manipulated. Google Figlio and
see what his study showed.
Sorry as well to refer you to Marcus and Winters who found the retention of HIspanics higher than that of blacks and whites.
2008 FCAT scores for reading of Hispanic students in grade 10; 70% were in the two lowest levels of our five.
Be careful what you wish for!