Dublin Schools only receive ~ $995 per student from the state, but if a student in their district transfers to a charter school $5,732 is taken to pay for that. That's a disproportionate subtraction and one of the direct costs of so-called "Choice". In Dublin it's costing between $300,000 and $400,000 alone.
What's more baffling about this continued policy is that Dublin City Schools are rated Excellent with distinction and have one of the lowest percentages of expenditure on administration per pupil. There's simply no need for charter schools to suck money away from high performing districts like this, yet we allow it.
Last night Dublin City Schools held a budget town hall, to a packed auditorium, as you can see from this 10 second video clip
A number of state legislators were in attendance, Rep. Carney, Rep Duffy, Rep Brenner's aide, Sen. Gillmor, Sen. and Sen. Jordan. Each spoke for a brief few minutes. None broke any new ground, with Republicans making their case for no tax increases and the lone Democrat, making the case that the budget was not balanced nor fair. While each received polite applause from the crowd, Carney received numerous instance of raucous applause and a standing ovation from many when he concluded. The crowd clearly preferred a more balanced approach.
The School treasurer and superintendent then went through the district's budget and presented the following power point
Obviously not good news, so much so people are urged to contact the legislators and express their concern with the current budget proposal. We echo that request.
State Representatives John Patrick Carney (D) District: 22 77 S. High St 10th Floor Columbus, OH 43215-6111 Phone: (614) 466-2473 Fax: (614) 719-6961 Can be contacted via web. http://www.house.state.oh.us
Cheryl Grossman (R) (Southern portion of district schools) District: 23 77 S. High St 14th Floor Columbus, OH 43215-6111 Phone: (614) 466-9690 Fax: (614) 719-6962 Can be contacted via web. http://www.house.state.oh.us
Andrew Brenner (R) (Delaware Co.-Pinney) District: 2 77 S. High St 12th Floor Columbus, OH 43215-6111 Phone: (614) 644-6711 Fax: (614) 719-0002 Can be contacted via web. http://www.house.state.oh.us
Mike Duffey (R) (Far northeast portion of district) District: 21 77 S. High St 13th Floor Columbus, OH 43215-6111 Phone: (614) 644-6030 Fax: (614) 719-6960 Can be contacted via web. http://www.house.state.oh.us
David Burke (R) (Union County) 77 S. High St 12th Floor Columbus, OH 43215-6111 Phone: (614) 466-8147 Fax: (614) 719-6983 Can be contacted via web. http:www.house.state.oh.us
Ohio Senate Jim Hughes (R) District 16 Senate Building 1 Capitol Square, 1st Floor Columbus, OH 43215 Phone: (614) 466-5981 Email: SD16@senate.state.oh.us
Karen Gillmor (R) (Union Co.-Jerome,Glacier) District 26 Senator Senate Building 1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor Columbus, OH 43215 Phone: (614) 466-8049 Email: SD26@senate.state.oh.us
Kris Jordan (R) (Delaware Co.-Pinney) District 19 Senate Building 1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor Columbus, OH 43215 Phone: (614) 466-8086 Email: SD19@senate.state.oh.us
Kevin Bacon (R) (Far northeast portion of district) District 3 Senate Building 1 Capitol Square, Ground Floor Columbus, OH 43215 Phone: (614) 466-8064 Email: SD03@senate.state.oh.us
Earlier in the year the Fordham Institute released a report "Stretching the School Dollar - A Brief for State Policymakers", that contained 15 right-wing ideological reform ideas, some of which we are currently seeing being implemented in Ohio.
End "last hired, first fired" practices.
Remove class-size mandates.
Eliminate mandatory salary schedules.
Eliminate state mandates regarding work rules and terms of employment.
Remove "seat time" requirements.
Merge categorical programs and ease onerous reporting requirements.
Create a rigorous teacher evaluation system.
Pool health-care benefits.
Tackle the fiscal viability of teacher pensions.
Move toward weighted student funding.
Eliminate excess spending on small schools and small districts.
Allocate spending for learning-disabled students as a percent of population.
Limit the length of time that students can be identified as English Language Learners.
Offer waivers of non-productive state requirements.
Create bankruptcy-like loan provisions.
Some familiar stuff, mostly centered on teacher bashing and erosion of the profession. The National Education Policy Center took a look at this Fordham report, and let's just say their findings were not kind.
One category I might have included above is that at least two of the recommendations embedded in the report argue for stretching the school dollar, so-to-speak, by effectively taxing school employees. That is, setting up a pension system that requires greater contribution from teacher salaries, and doing the same for health care costs. This is a tax – revenue generating (or at least a give back). This is not stretching an existing dollar. This is requiring the public employees, rather than the broader pool of taxpayers (state and/or local), to pay the additional share.
Credit where credit is due, the Governor's education Czar is also unhappy with the House Republican changes to the budget that creates a wild west charter school privatization system in Ohio.
House leaders refuse to say which legislator submitted the budget amendments. However, at least some were made at the request of major Republican donor and leading for-profit charter-school operator David L. Brennan, who runs White Hat Management in Akron.
Sommers told state board members today that school choice creates competition that will improve Ohio's education system. But both charter schools and traditional public schools alike must be accountable for student performance and public financing, and poorly performing schools must be shut down.
He also cited the need for "more transparency about funding for charter schools."
Clearly, pressure from all angles is causing some second thoughts, and hopfully the big loser in all this will be David Brennan and not pubic education and accountability.
Thank you for your email regarding Governor Kasich's biennium budget proposal and education plan. I appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns with me.
As work on House Bill 153 begins in the General Assembly, I will be weighing all issues important to the state and my constituents. Much time and debate will go into House Bill 153 and I will keep your thoughts in mind.
Again thank you for your email. If I can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.
A short while ago we brought to your attention the partisan political nature of Michelle Rhee's organization - StudentsFirst.org. The Washington Post brings news today, of the deceptive tactics being used to push their school privatization agenda
Even teachers might be fooled into thinking the organization is all about helping them, when it is actually intended to bring down teachers unions which are often blamed for failing schools by protecting adults. That argument, of course, ignores the fact that the problems are the same in states where teachers are unionized and in states where they aren’t.
Rhee, by the way, appeared Monday at the national school choice summit of the the American Federation for Children, whose board chair is Betsy DeVos.
She is wife of Dick DeVos, who is the son of the co-founder of Amway, and the sister of Erik Prince, founder of the private military contractor once known as Blackwater USA and now called Xe Services LLC.
The DeVos family has spent millions to support efforts to promote vouchers and promote reforms that are furthering the privatization of public education.
