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Friday, May 13, 2011 | 1:55 a.m.
Sun archives
- Sandoval pushes for budget with reduced cuts (5-3-2011)
- State revenue forecasters to project an additional $72 million to offset budget hole (4-26-2011)
- Senate Republicans refuse to play ball on budget test votes (4-25-2011)
- Shelley Berkley admonishes Nevada lawmakers not to gut education (4-20-2011)
- First public budget debate before full Assembly ends in predictable stalemate (4-20-2011)
- New style of budgeting — probably not a new result (4-17-2011)
- Democrats take budget fight out of money committees, bring it to the floors of the Assembly and Senate (4-11-2011)
- Raggio-style deal-making a no-go this time (4-3-2011)
- Horsford doggedly attacks Sandoval’s budget cuts (3-29-2011)
- Horsford to lawmakers: ‘Talk about our revenue needs’ (3-28-2011)
- Counties fearful of Sandoval’s budget (3-8-2011)
- Republicans issue list of demands to be met before they'll talk taxes (3-3-2011)
- Senior programs not spared from cuts in Sandoval budget (2-2-2011)
- Gov. Brian Sandoval’s budget means job, service cuts for Clark County (1-26-2011)
Successful politics are often about the ability of lawmakers to sell a story that illustrates what they’re pushing. Legislative Democrats are convinced they’ve done just that as they paint pictures of the potential fallout from Gov. Brian Sandoval’s budget cuts. Yet those messages aren’t convincing Nevadans.
Some point to the failure of Carson City journalists to consume and regurgitate the messages. Lawmakers have spoon fed them detailed accounts of coming gloom and doom with massive budget cuts to the state’s colleges and universities, public schools and social service programs. Even so, the stories have been written and broadcast. The messages are out there. But not many Nevadans are speaking out.
They’re not routinely packing legislative hearings in Northern Nevada or the televised satellite sessions in Las Vegas. Parents aren’t flooding potential Republican swing votes in the state Senate and Assembly with letters, emails and phone calls. To be sure, hundreds of messages have been sent. Calls have been made. Dedicated parents and social service users and advocates have turned out in modest numbers for meetings and rallies to oppose the cuts. But the hyperpoliticization of public employees witnessed in Wisconsin, Ohio and elsewhere hasn’t happened in Nevada.
We’re familiar with the theories for this region’s relatively low level of political engagement. People live here but many don’t care about the community. They’re colonists rather than pioneers, taking what they can in hope of eventually leaving rather than committing to staying and building the region.
Add to that, people are emotionally exhausted and physically drained by three years of economic collapse. They’ve lost jobs and a great deal of hope. Personal savings and retirement funds are depleted or gone. Many have lost their homes. Others are trapped in houses that are worth half or a third of the mortgages they hold. This is a state of boom and bust cycles, and on the way up there was an arrogance of sudden-found wealth and success.
On the way down there’s the insecurity and fear that comes with a troubling present and an unknown future. We’re trying to get through the day, and participating in the political process to prevent another round of budget cuts doesn’t quite rise to the level for many of us of feeding the family, keeping or finding a job, and holding onto the house or apartment.
Two weeks ago, a midday rally was held in a Cashman Field parking lot for Clark County School District teachers, support staff, parents and students to protest the cuts as well as changes to the state law that permits teachers to collectively negotiate their contracts. It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, temperatures in the low 70s, blue skies and a steady breeze.
The parking lot provided plenty of space for thousands of angry people who were opposed to the loss of as many as 1,800 school district jobs. Democratic legislators, union activists and community organizers spoke. They shared tales of increasingly overcrowded classrooms that will hinder the education of tens of thousands of students, the loss of hundreds of enthusiastic first- and second-year teachers, the elimination of vital programs that nurture and retain students.
The crowd heard how the troubled Clark County School District, with its relatively low per-pupil spending and troubling high school dropout rate, needs all of the money it can get.
An estimated 1,200 people showed for the April 30 event sponsored by the Clark County Education Association and the Service Employees International Union. That’s 1,200 people in a region with 309,000 public school students, a school district with 37,300 employees, 18,010 of whom are teachers, a supposedly vocal linchpin to the Democratic Party’s organizational backbone. The event was publicized by fliers distributed to teachers and parents. It was mentioned during PTA meetings and discussed curbside while moms and dads waited for their children at the end of the school day.
Event organizers offered the best public spin they could for the turnout, but many of the participants were privately troubled by the numbers.
“People feel hopeless,” one political organizer said later. “We have a governor who has taken a hard stance against raising taxes. Nevada has a history of cutting budgets incredibly low, and there isn’t a strong history of communications between youth populations and elected officials.”
Then she offered this thought: “This generation is more civically engaged than prior generations. To me the question is, why are they volunteering more but aren’t engaging in the political process? Do they not feel like they really have a voice?”
"... Do they not feel like they really have a voice?" Well duh. This city has always been apathetic, at least for the 35 plus yrs I've been here. I've voted every year, I've written "concerned" letters to politicians, blah blah, yadda yadda, all to no avail. After years and years of trying to make a difference, get my/our voices heard and when nothing ever changes, and the money still lines those of the rich and "powerful", then I give up and so do alot of other Nevadans. The politicians, the rich, the lobbyists, when will they realize that this city is dying and when its gone, when its citizens are bleed dry, finally...then their jobs, their money, THEIR houses, and their power will also BE GONE! If you want a community to pull together, to regain our status as a thriving, great place to live then those who are continuing to bring us down need to do a reversal and HELP OUT! Find solutions that benefit NV, not those that continue to hinder a revival, make mining and gaming pay more (for a change) get your selfish heads out of the sand and truly do your job!!! Uh huh, yea right...about the only thing now that will bring Nevadans together is a natural disaster....which seems, in other parts of the country to actually bring the good out in people...again..uh huh....same ole chit..
Congress is deadlocked by partisan politics, and we see the same thing happening in Nevada. We didn't elect people to sit and bicker, not solving the problems of Nevada. We have record unemployment, but we see no action to create jobs. For years, Nevada has been in the top 5 in the country as being "business friendly" but in the past year we have dropped to number 10 and will likely drop lower. We are not seeing businesses breaking our doors down to relocate to Nevada. The Sun did a survey a few days ago asking 20 business professional what was needed to attract business to Nevada. Ten of the respondents said that education needed to be improved. Only 4 listed low taxes as attracting business. http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2011/may/09... Put yourself in the position of a business owner. Nevada has a low tax structure, but has the worst education system in the country. Would you locate your company here? Be honest, and the answer is probably NO.
Nevada is at a crossroads, and the decisions that are made now will set the future for years to come. In Clark County School District, there are about 200 vacant teacher positions with almost 1800 teachers surplus. I doubt that the unions will agree to concessions, with the result that more drastic cuts will have to be made. Yes that is a local problem, but it can be traced back to what you do on AB568. Can you imagine the public outcry when huge cuts are made to programs and class sizes grow astronomically? We have the model for how education should work, but it will take courage and money. The schools in Eureka County have small class sizes, teachers who have a relationship with their students, and know their strengths and weaknesses. The down side, the cost per student is over 32K.
You want the best possible teachers in Nevada schools, but how are you going to attract that teacher when you have the lowest funding, the largest class size and the loss of tenure. The good teachers will go else where, with the ones who do come to Nevada being the teachers that couldn't get a job anywhere else. Do you want your doctor to have graduated at the top of their class? Do you want your lawyer to have graduated at the top of their class? Do you want your engineer to have graduated in the top of their class? Then why don't you want your teachers to have graduated at the top of their class?
The citizens of Nevada are tired of the posturing and lack of solving problems. We don't want Republicans and Democrats, we want NEVADANS who have the courage and wisdom to do what is right for the state of Nevada, not for business or political ideology. NEVADANS have real problems to solve and we want and demand that our elected representatives, NEVADANS ALL, solve those problems for the betterment of NEVADANS. Do you have the courage, wisdom and judgment to do that?
I think this is a sign of things to come and they will come quick. I see many teachers just getting up and moving. No self-respecting person will put up with this type of abuse. Good teachers will go where they know they are treated and respected with the dignity we deserve. What will be left are the teachers that the government is trying to weed out. They will be here because their chances of being hired in another state are slim to none. So Nevada's education will maintain its lousy record of educating it's children and it will take decades to dig themselves out of the mess.
Teachers do not have a ho hum attitude. They are already looking for another place to move. I am sure once all the shuffling that goes on in every state at this time of year is done, CCSD and others will find themselves searching for more teachers. Believe me the pickings will be few once these changes that sandoval wants to pass through get in. Even the democrats are talking cuts. That is plain crazy. We are already at the bottom for funding. Neither side is talking about maintaining or investing more. Total ignorance.
Let the wealthy keep getting what they want. Soon it will only be them and tourists. The infrastructure is on its last breath. There will be only a skeleton left of the middle class.
Perhaps teachers don't show up because they are doing lesson plans, grading papers, cleaning out (and sometimes packing) their rooms at the end of the year, and/or taking classes.
When you're putting in fifty or sixty hours during the week, it's hard to look at going to a Saturday rally that will likely do absolutely nothing because hard-headed ideologues who do not care about anybody but the rich are winning, and you know there are a lot of people out there who voted for them. Pretty discouraging.
Personally, I think teachers better step up, anyway, but I don't see it happening. They're already tired, and know it's going to get worse. They are also so used to abuse that I think many are just masochistic. ("Yes, I'm abused, but it's okay, because I'm helping the children! That's how wonderful I am! I take the abuse for the children! Do you see my halo? Isn't it beautiful? Am I not wonderful? Shouldn't every teacher be abused and take it for the children?")
There is no point in educating kids here, they need service workers to clean hotels & strippers, nothing more.
Your best bet is to move. You should be charged with child abuse raising a family in this town. How can you let your kids view constant strippers, flithy billboards, constant drunks on the road, and the list goes on...
Democrats have successfully spent trillions of dollars and it didn't even keep unemployment below 8% or the teachers employed, thats failure.
At this point none of this matters, its all a moot point. You will pay more and get less. Deal with it, its what you voted for.
I believe that the people are engaged but don't want to be associated with unions, even those who are members. My wife belongs to a CCSD union because of the life insurance offered. When she needed the union's help in a management dispute, they were worthless. Her union rep did not return her calls.
Unions are out of touch with the rank and file. They try to push a socialist agenda and most Americans are not in this camp. I know as a parent, I will not associate myself with the selfish and self-serving unions. In my book, they are part of the problem and not the solution.
Most Nevadans realize that we must now go into an austerity mode if we are to survive this economy. The state doesn't have the money to spent on social engineering. The unions just haven't gotten the message, they are in denial.
Political action, like everything else is taught. Our community has felt ineffective to it's power players for years. I guess to some this feels like a small turn-out, to me it feels like watching a toddler begin to walk.
We are becoming something that is difficult to do in this state - organized.
We only need a few more of the registered voters in this state to turn out and a more balanced approach will take over this state. Yes, people are discouraged. Yes, people are economically strapped. But they are learning . . . how to advocate for themselves. That should be a scary thing for those who have traditionally held power. A more diverse point of view is gaining power.
The people who are waking up - will be excited by people like Horsford, who, inspite all odds, are holding to what is right and not letting themselves be bullied.
I am not convinced of the doom and gloom. Nevada's students have been underperforming for a very long time. There is much waste and there are no signs of life as far as proven reforms that may increase child education. They wont even accept the layoffs on merit as opposed to seniority. Seems like educators are still missing the point. Students first! We shouldn't be throwing good money into a flawed system.
@ Tanker1975
I wish more people would not think Democrat or Republican but as NEVADANS. I bet a lot more of our problems would be on their way to being solved.
@commonsense101.
The tenure issue is just a smoke screen.
If you want to talk about REAL education reform why aren't we talking about making the school year match that of the countries that are ahead of us in the world? Most other countries have school years of 200-220 days versus our 180. The longest break in other countries is one month, not THREE! Why do our students follow a calendar that was developed in 1850? When was the last time you saw American school kids working in the farm fields. That is why we have the calendar we have.
Why is nobody talking about the implimentation of Common Core State Standards, which is being done by 40 states, and is supported by many professional education groups as well as the National Governor's Association to raise the standards for American education. Why do other countries select their best and brightest to be teachers, pay them accordingly and treat them as respected professionals? Look at how the US selects, pays, and treats its teachers.
The high schools up north, for the most part, pass AYP. We have the model, small class sizes and teachers who have a relationship with their students. The model works in Nevada because it is Nevada schools, teachers and students who are being successful. The only problem is the cost, up to 33K in some districts. In Clark County, since the test scores are low, we are going to punish the teachers by making the classes bigger, taking away pay and resources. What sense does that make? It's like taking ammunition and supplies away from soldiers because they failed in their mission.
What business is going to relocate to a state that has the worst education system in the country, even if they have some of the lowest taxes? Would you do that if you owned a business? I don't think so.
Teacher tenure has nothing to do with educational reform. It is about union busting, and destroying collective bargaining. It distracts from the fact that we aren't doing any to improve the quality of education in Nevada unless we address the other, more important issues as well.
This entire article should read something more like "After almost 30 years, the people of Nevada start to wake up, they are still groggy but there are signs of life, finally."
The sad truth of the matter is that some of the media actually think it's possible to take a completely apathetic populace and turn it into a roaring raging rally town in just a couple of months. It is NOT possible.
Comparing Nevada's engagement levels to Wisconsin's is about the same as believing Jack's magic beans will grow a bean stock with gold at the top (the no giant version). Those people in Nevada that have paid attention to their communities and been engaged with them knew that Nevada was not going to pull a Wisconsin. The real miracle has been watching a fledgling student movement finally rise (something we haven't ever seen in Nevada).
Justin Stivers,
They aren't missing anything. Common sense would tell you that the union busting efforts put forth in Nevada by Michelle Rhee, under the guise of governor Sandoval, are short sighted at best and litigious at worst. Even she has admitted so, not that this has stopped her from pushing a simple but flawed ideology of strict merit versus strict seniority. Real life isn't that simple. The reality is that the ratio of teachers that are let go whom are new teachers ,with higher success rates with students, is 1 in 10,000. While Rhee's slogans resonate with people they don't ever come close to the reality. Full implementation of her policies leads to the laying off a thousands of master teachers that are out performing new teachers but that cost a couple thousand dollars more a year in wages. Again, it's a short sighted policy push.
If you really want to track student success and see where the real villain lies it becomes quickly apparent that the real problem is "No Child Left Behind" and it's failed policies. Removing it's policies won't make any private school investors rich and won't allow the governor to lay off good teachers in order to reach his deluded budget goals. Therefore, you won't be seeing him or Rhee push to have it removed even though doing so would be a real "students first" policy move.
There is apathy among many to be engaged with the very public process of two groups, government and education employees, trying to workout a solution that works for Nevada and its school system. You can call it "engagement" but many actually despise advocates that reduce the debate to group/personal attacks which clearly don't add to the solution-building process. Advocates, through personal attacks, try to reach people's emotions and with many who are trying to survive this lackluster economy, its more than they want to deal with. With that said, it boils down to whom you trust to make the right budget decisions, those in charge of governing or the education employees? I'm sure each Nevadan will draw their own conclusions. Its just hard to sympathize with those who personally attack others that have a different point of view, its just downright disrespectful. Since 2008, my company reduced headcount by 25%, a decision made by company leadership. It was a difficult decision but our sales volume dropped 33% so it had to be done. If employees were involved in making that decision it obviously would have resulted in a minimal headcount reduction. Now, does it make sense to reduce the cost structure in education given the reduction in state revenue? I prefer the leaders in government make that decision. If current teachers want to scurry out of state then, given the current economic environment, I'm sure a recent education college graduate would jump at the opportunity to work in Nevada in their chosen field. It never hurts to see sour people leave and replaced by those who are more enthused about their chosen profession.
Is this "news story" opinion or fact? What is the point of this article? "Only" 1200 people showed up downtown on a Saturday for a midday rally against the budgets? What a ridiculous article verging on irresponsible given the timing and stakes.
LVSReader: Thanks for the comment. The story was prompted by the concerns of a large number of people I've interviewed who believe that in this environment many more people should be attending such events. In fact, several organizers were concerned that "just 1,200" showed up for the April 30 rally. Bottom line, the story is designed to reflect some of those concerns, spark discussion and prompt ideas for future stories.
Best,
Dave
Most of the people in this state are just not interested in "public" education and "teachers".People are working at real jobs, those who have them, and have no interest in paying for a failed education system. People are sick of whiny teachers and administrators wanting more money to waste. Let's face it, people have real and more important things to worry about.
@rejecto. The offer still stands. If you think that teaching is so easy a caveman can do it, come to my classroom for a week and see how you do. That "failed" education system is what has to be fixed if this economy is ever going to recover. How are we going to attract high tech jobs if we don't have an educated workforce. How are we going to get doctors, lawyers, engineers, and all of the professional who make our infrastructure work? How can we keep our best and our brightest in the state? See my post above on education reform. You want your doctor to have graduated in the top of his class. You want your lawyer to have graduated in the top of his class. You want your engineer to have graduated in the top of his class, so why don't you want the same for your teachers. We have the model in Nevada on what works in education. Almost every high school outside of Washoe and Clark counties made Adequate Yearly Progress. How did they do it? With small class sizes, with teachers who develop relationships with students and know their strengths and weaknesses. The only problem is the cost, up to 32K per student. If you are not happy with the results in CCSD why are you increasing class sizes, taking away pay and resources as "punishment". Do we take resources away from workers who don't achieve the results we want? Why do it to our kids? Those who can teach, those who can't post as rejecto.
Well, Dave, consider this; you are coming to this story with a different background than a typical reporter. You spent years talking to community activists and very concerned citizens for almost 5 days a week on State of Nevada. When looking from either that perspective or from the perspective of a community activist, 1200, 2000, 5000, even 10000 wouldn't be enough.
Let me suggest a different perspective from which you should view what is happening. Look in the Sun's vault for another period of time when demonstrations that regularly raised up to and over a thousand people were taking place as often as they have been for this legislative session. What about the number of phone calls, emails, snail mails, etc?
To view the activism that is taking place from the point of view of, "there could always be more" offers no differentiation or analysis when comparing it to any other movement in Nevada's history. To view the activism that is taking place from the point of view of, "historically, has there ever been this kind of sustained effort that has been attended to this degree" would be more interesting.
Good point, William. I'll certainly bring that up in a follow-up piece that I write. That said, teachers and school administrators are troubled by the fact that in their minds relatively few show up for neighborhood meetings. That could be a reflection of the three-shift nature of the town. Also could reflect a failure to publicize such events. Nonetheless, it's a common refrain that I hear. As you and other posters beneath this story consider this piece, what other aspects of the school debate should we be writing about?
I am a teacher and haven't participated in rallies. I am also a parent of children in the school district. I have no respect for this school district. We teachers are just numbers to use in a political game against their opponents. And even if they do succeed in "winning", the money won't get to us or our classrooms. They'll hire more specialists and mentors and give themselves more raises and more secretaries and more aides. No matter how much money is poured into this district, only the smallest percentage is ever given to teachers and classrooms. There are just too many layers in between. And the district will continue to use us, and our children, as their decoys. Until the district shows more transparency and common sense, I see no reason to pay higher taxes that will never benefit my children, or me as a teacher. Sure, they may hire back many teachers they let go, but then the next year we'll go through the same thing as no amount of money is ever ENOUGH....
We are not ho-mum on the issues at all. We are very much engaged and that is why the governor was elected. We are tired of feeding the self seving with more and more for less and less.
Shared sacrifice means it is the teachers turn. Stop cutting the kids books, supplies, programs..... and take one for the team like EVERYONE else already has.
Funny how some cry about fairness but could not handle things being fair. Funny how some yell shared sacrifice but say cut everything else and tax everyone else but me! Funny how some say they are tax payors too when they consume hundreds of times in tax money than they contribute.
We are not ho-hum at all. We are giving you the fairness you have been yelling for. Get ready for it!
As has been reported in the Sun, Barrick Mining touted it's record profits and earnings in the 2010 Annual Report. The return on investment went up from 12% in 2009 to 19% in 2010. In 2009 the mining industry paid 48.6 MILLION in state taxes on 5.8 BILLION gross revenue. In 2010, the gaming industry paid 416 MILLION on 5.8 BILLION in gross gaming revenue. We were talking about fair share.
http://media.lasvegassun.com/media/pdfs/......
Nevadans are NOT HO-HUM. We want SPENDING CUT AND TAXES CUT. Enough waste and abuse. Enough over-compensating of City, County and SD employees, teachers, fire fighters. Sure many of those jobs are "essential" government services but that doesn't mean any particular individual employee is indispensable. WE SUPPORT THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET--but no add backs to K-12. TIME TO CLEAN HOUSE.
Wow, tanker 1975 you are filled with anger. There is no reason to take this personally. The saying actually is: those who can-do, those who can't- teach, those who can't teach-teach others to teach, those who can't teach others to teach- administrate. Let's get control of that nasty little temper. I sure hope you don't show that to the little children you purport to "teach".
I am a teacher, and I have not attended any of these rallies, even though I knew about them in advance. Why? I am honestly discouraged and worn out. I spend countless hours outside of school pouring my heart into lesson plans and giving feedback on assessments. At the end of the day, I don't have the energy to fight. If huge cuts are coming, fine. But I know that many teachers will be trimming their time investment as well. I could easily give multiple choice tests for every chapter...and spend 2 minutes grading, instead of 6 hours. I believe that my current practices are BETTER for kids, promoting higher-order thinking. But hey, my students could become pros at multiple choice tests...and that's the definition of "success" in education, right?
@rejecto. The offer still stands, come do my job for a week if you think you can teach. You also seem angry about educators. If you are so jealous of the "easy" job teachers have, why aren't you a teacher? I know exactly what the saying is, I chose to modify it. In reviewing my earlier posts, what did I say that leads you to believe I have a "nasty temper"?
A teacher above wrote - "If huge cuts are coming, fine. But I know that many teachers will be trimming their time investment as well"
This is why real education reform is necessary. We keep throwing money at teachers and scores get worse. They have been empowered by the cash and not the job we request of them. She just said she and others like her will do less if they get less and they are already doing too little. I say this because the evidence is we get crappy results. (50% graduation rate and worst state for education is pretty crappy if you ask me)
So teachers, stop threatening me as a parent and a taxpayer and indoctrinating our kids about how hard you have it when you are already not doing what we need you to. 50-70k is a fair income for a 9 month, 6 hours a day with every conceivable holiday off and some made up ones, indoor desk job.
If you wont do it for the cash, because every time we give you more, we get less. Than maybe you will do it for the performance evaluation so you can keep that desk job.
@tbvegas.
If you want to talk about real education reform, then start first with the school year. Every country ahead of the US in the world has a school year between 200-220 days, with a school day longer than ours. No other country gives it's students three months off during the summer. In most, the longest they are only out for a month. Why do we have the calendar we have? It was developed in the 1850's when children were the labor force for family farms.
Now let's talk about how teachers are selected and paid. In Finland, one of the top 5 countries in the world as far as test results, the national government recruits teachers, and pays them as professionals. In the last class for elementary school opening in their FIVE year training program, there were over 1200 applicants for 130 positions. Teachers in most other countries are respected, in the US not so much.Teacher turnover is almost nonexistant in Finland. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/articl...
In other countries, schools are given the resources that they need. If you owned a business and your workers didn't accomplish a task to the standars you wanted, but did the best they could, what would you do? Would you cut people, take away resources, and cut pay to punish them? Then why do you do it to educators? You want your doctors to be in the top of their class. You want your engineers to be in the top of their class. You want every professional you come in contact with to be in the top of their class, but why not teachers?
part 2
We already have a model in Nevada on how education can work. If you look at the high schools in the state of Nevada outside of Washoe and Clark counties, 32 of 39 or 82% made AYP. How are those schools able to make AYP and Clark County isn't. Washoe County has 16 high schools, and 13 of those or 81% made AYP. What do the schools have in common that allows them to be successful? First is small size, with students having the same teachers who know their strengths and weaknesses. The second is funding, most of these districts spend in excess of 15K per student with some approaching 32K. Contrast that with the approximately 6k that is spent in Clark County.
Finally, lets talk about Common Core State Standards. This is an initiative sponsored by the National Governor's Association and other professional organizations, parents and educators. http://www.corestandards.org/ This is a program agreed to by over 40 states to change how we teach kids and get everybody on the same page. It stress basics in the early grades, and strives to prepare students for college and the work force. Students will learn not only how to do something but why it works as well.
The last part of education reform is to get parents really involved in their childs education. How many parents have checked Parent link recently for their childs grades and attendence? Do you know the phone number to the school. If your child is in middle or high school, do you know the names of their teachers? When was the last time you checked to see if they were doing their homework, or if they were getting to school on time. A recent study said that teenagers get 3000 text messages a month. That works out to 100 per day, when are they getting those messages. Do you call or message your student on their cell phones during class time? We see your child for an hour a day, PARENTS, must be involved as well.
Once we do those things, then we have taken the first steps to education reform.
If you considered the demographics of Nevada, and the people's habits, all the apparent complacency can be traced to either energy levels, interest, and culture/religion. When a great portion of youth and older people are church goers, they are NOT spending their time protesting or voicing concerns. You won't see them, because they aren't there.
Then you have the folks who are wildly concerned about ICE showing up and doing a raid, causing THEM grief. These individuals care a great deal about education and what is going on for their children at school, but there is the fear factor, and a shame factor of possibly not being articulate enough and embarassing themselves. They want to help, but all they can offer is encouraging a teacher and "praying" for them. Okay.
This time of year is packed with events, and IF you are a parent and a teacher, your dance card is pretty full much of the time. AND if you have some condition that might limit you, that also is a factor in making appearances at "organized" events. You live in fear towards the end of the day, that if you sit quietly for two minutes, that will lead to a four hour nap!!! You are exhausted from all the activities and commitments. Letter writing, phone calls, and media comments tend to be safe bets for many busy people who are on an "energy budget".
Perhaps this is exactly what the Governor expects and plans on. Folks are too beaten down, wore out, over-commited, or plain scared to put up much of a resistance.
This current 30+years of kick the can tyrancy will likely end with a real shake up: civil unrest. You cannot continue to oppress citizens without them revolting. People will grow more resentful, distrustful, and angry. It is coming, I have lived to see it before in the South and with the Watts Riots, California. Change will come either by cooperation or coersion.
390K students with 37,300 employees. That's an employee for ever 8 1/4 students. UNACCEPTABLE. CUT FUNDING FOR K-12.
Taxpayers have told the politicians to CUT SPENDING, CUT THE BUDGET. K-12 is BROKEN AND MONEY WON'T FIX IT. Gee how does Europe get 99% graduates that can read and write at HALF THE COST THAT WE SPEND. We're NOT getting our money's worth. STOP SPENDING.
@roseandrose. Follow the link. Teachers in Europe are respected and valued. In some countries teacher are considered nation builders. National governments select the best and brightest to be teachers.http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2062419,00.html
@roseanrose. I have posted a link to the current CCSD pay scale. The base pay is what is paid to the teacher. The other columns reflect what is paid by the district on the teachers behalf. The base pay is paid over 12 months. Please show me where you see a base pay of 90K. If the budget proposed by Sandoval is passed, all of the columns to the left of the base pay would need to be subtracted from the base pay, NOT added. Class A is a teacher with a Bachelors degree right out of college. Class C is a teacher with a Masters degree and the last class is a teacher with a PHD. Hope this helps.
http://ccsd.net/jobs/LLPsalary.php
Having a child educated in Northern Nevada, I can testify that he received a world class education there. Coming to Southern Nevada for the balance (complete college/university degree education) offered a change in delivery and quality of services. Teaching here in Southern Nevada is quite challenging, as folks do not really welcome teachers into their lives, they tend to maintain an advesarial relationship/not close/not truly caring---this is what does not serve a child or adult person trying to learn or become educated.
Learning is a joint venture--"Let's go see," "Let's find out," "What made this happen?" and so on. The teacher and student go together on this journey where it is all about discovery and learning and applying. That "life" goes on between a student and a teacher. Paranoia, dysfunctional attitudes, and lawsuits tend to kill that quality of "life" and kind of education a person has. Policies restrict "involvement" and foster the kind of low quality outcomes you have today. There's NO MONEY INVOLVED here, just attitudes and values.
For years, Nevada has mandated schools to have teachers administrate the PARENT/TEACHER/STUDENT INVOLVEMENT contract each school year at conference time. It costs MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, yet there are NO enforcement teeth in it! Come on people! Make this have teeth or eliminate it, as it takes time and energy for staff and parents. Really.
Sometimes, the numbers or statistics just aren't perfect. Last night, on LV PBS listened to high school Principal Montoya, stating that the drop out rates would show lower rates but for the problems with PAPERWORK. That is happening everywhere. Did computers really make workloads lighter?
Part 1
Part 2
One reader in the comments spoke about how much of the money for education actually never makes it to the classroom, but pays the "layers" of people and services in between, very true. Teachers are still slumming around for free stuff and deals for their classes though, who thanks them for doing this kind of work on their off duty time?
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND needs to go. It leaves countless children behind. Its author recanted and disproved it 2 years after it was implemented. Now it chains educational funding down as a slave to the Federal Government. That needs to end. NCLB does NOT allow for second language students, and guess what Nevada has? Second language students are now the majority and all others are the minority. How do you expect to meet AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) or rise from bottom in national educational rankings? Please don't blame the teachers or unions or tenure for this.
Nevada will have a participation problem. When you have 2nd language folks in the shadows avoiding exposure for fear of deportation, and then others who have given their all and have full plates and simply can't handle another thing like a rally, and then the folks who are burnt out over the 30+ years of kick the can with politicians doing self-service/pad their pockets, and retire on the taxpayer nickel, or those who see 2012 will be the end of time and the world. Take your pick, you are right either way.
The United States of America has lost its world ranking when it began to lose respect for teachers, and not treat its teachers with respect. Nevada will be the state to avoid if you have a family. Nevada will again be the place where people think of it as a desert and a place to take a gaming vacation, and that's it.
The mega-wealthy wins and the worker (may still have a low paying job & no benefits to few) wins. Right.