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There are major public school budget cuts coming to Vancouver's Evergreen and Camas school districts. This will affect many students, teachers and support staff cutting significant programs including those provide social services to the areas most needy and homeless population. The deep cuts tend to focus more on student programs vs. administrative staff's high dollar salaries. Some of those salaries approach $500k annually with bonuses. Major cuts to the sports programs provide college scholarships for local kids among other things. Its going to be a big loss to the communities kids regardless of how the cuts get implemented.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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The district says declines in enrollment, expiring COVID relief funds and inflation have played a role in the current crisis.....parents and educators say the district is targeting positions that most directly affect kids.
We all have to manage within our budgets. Too bad schools, Fire Districts, EMS, public services cannot identify their own fluff and must direct their shortfalls to most effect their direct services (pain factor). Businesses are a lot smarter (they are required to be, to stay in business).
Schools had such a once / century opportunity to transform themselves during Covid (and be PAID for it!!!), but they did the "Chicken Little thing", and communities and students continue to absorb the ineptness of our 'professional' (?) educators.
It's not like the solutions aren't obvious or easy to implement.
Declining enrollments? , They could have seen that coming from many directions.
We all have to manage within our budgets. Too bad schools, Fire Districts, EMS, public services cannot identify their own fluff and must direct their shortfalls to most effect their direct services (pain factor). Businesses are a lot smarter (they are required to be, to stay in business).
Schools had such a once / century opportunity to transform themselves during Covid (and be PAID for it!!!), but they did the "Chicken Little thing", and communities and students continue to absorb the ineptness of our 'professional' (?) educators.
It's not like the solutions aren't obvious or easy to implement.
Declining enrollments? , They could have seen that coming from many directions.
Fix it
The problem is the bureaucratic administrators such as the district superintendent who earns more than our state governor and his high dollar staff. They are totally disconnected from reality as public servants including the students they are entrusted to serve and defend. It's ridiculous. Teachers, coaches and those working closely with the least fortunate really blast them. That includes their one and only black coach. I've never seen anything quite like it. If interested, go to 1:50:30. It's both shocking and eye opening as they attempt to cut the very things the most recent tax levy promised to fund. That includes sports coaches and assistants which actually help to retain and attract more students. Then cut the librarians and IT support after giving all kids new computers. They're really shooting themselves in the foot while going into a free fall.
Derek
Last edited by MtnSurfer; 03-20-2023 at 11:10 PM..
There are major public school budget cuts coming to Vancouver's Evergreen and Camas school districts. This will affect many students, teachers and support staff cutting significant programs including those provide social services to the areas most needy and homeless population. The deep cuts tend to focus more on student programs vs. administrative staff's high dollar salaries. Some of those salaries approach $500k annually with bonuses. Major cuts to the sports programs provide college scholarships for local kids among other things. Its going to be a big loss to the communities kids regardless of how the cuts get implemented.
Approach $500k annually? That's a bit of a stretch. All school district salaries are public. Here are the highest paid administrators at Evergreen School District. This is total compensation in 2022 including bonuses. Only three made over $200,000: https://openpayrolls.com/rank/highes...vergreen-clark
1 Michael Merlino Superintendent $352,563
2 Jenae Gomes Director/Supervisor $229,277
3 Brian Grimsted Other District Admin. $214,297
4 Susan Steinbrenner Director/Supervisor $190,057
5 Erin Lucich Other District Admin. $189,119
6 Julie Tumelty Other District Admin. $189,113
7 Klarissa Hightower Other District Admin. $187,247
8 Scott Munro Other District Admin. $185,012
9 Mathew Hill Other District Admin. $184,095
10 Bobbi Hite Other District Admin. $184,095
At Camas School District the top salary is the superintendent at $188,241.
At Hockinson School District the top salary is the superintendent at $162,560
I mean those are good salaries no doubt. But those are high pressure jobs. The Evergreen superintendent oversees 2,554 employees across dozens of different schools and district facilities and a budget of over $700 million. That is a lot of responsibility and the job is very much in the public eye on a daily basis.
As for how to find $17 million at Evergreen or $6 million at Camas? I don't have any great insights. Obviously there is some administration bloat in every organization. But there are also lots of administrative tasks that need to be done.
We can probably look south to Oregon for a hint of how this might play out. Even wealthy districts like Lake Oswego have participation fees for everything from football to band. Probably with waivers for kids from poor families which they already know who they are through the school lunch program. Probably also more fundraisers for everything not directly related to instruction. The schools with affluent parents will probably see a lot of money flow in. Nothing is scarier than a bunch of wealthy helicopter moms in charge of PTA fundraising. Trust me. So Camas, Union, etc. The schools with poorer parents? Not so much. So inequity will probably increase as the wealthy districts will push through and the poorer ones will struggle more.
Last edited by texasdiver; 03-21-2023 at 10:24 PM..
So, beyond those high salaries, what are your thoughts on the cuts to sports coaches, librarians, IT support and community services liaisons especially after the levy to fund them? There's a big problem there in terms of the fallout from poor planning for the proposed cuts, specifically related to what was targeted vs. not.
BTW, the $350k salary was for the old superintendent - Michael Merlino. They recently hired a new one, John Boyd, at an even higher salary, apparently. And both earn(ed) more than the governor of the state. I think the later job is one of greater responsibility and higher stress. If over $400k, its more than the US president makes. Though I'm sure being the Evergreen super is a stressful job especially when managing a shrinking district and budget. After the latest major outcry from the community regarding the nature of the cuts, the board will have to make adjustments as to where they fall or not. It seems almost criminal to cut the very things promised to tax payers in a recently passed levy. There could be lawsuits if things are not changed. Obviously, severe cuts need to be made. But there are better ways to go about it with some good suggestions coming from other school staff as well as the community.
I have no idea how Camas proposes to make their cuts. But I'm sure its gonna be a challenge there as well.
Derek
Last edited by MtnSurfer; 03-22-2023 at 04:36 PM..
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Subcontract the administration services.
Sell 1/2 the schools and double up (2 shifts per day) Year-round classes, no sense having empty school buildings during breaks.
Sell the buses
Exclude food service (no need for lunch with 2 shifts)
Just educate, leave the social engineering to our USA society (Which could use a reboot)... or at least a boot.
Delete the behavior problems. "You don't want to learn, that's fine, here's the adios option....(work... hard physical work) " If you have 'nominal' kids and families?, fund a social program (outside of the school / educational objective)
Sell 1/2 the schools and double up (2 shifts per day) Year-round classes, no sense having empty school buildings during breaks.
Sell the buses
Exclude food service (no need for lunch with 2 shifts)
Just educate, leave the social engineering to our USA society (Which could use a reboot)... or at least a boot.
Delete the behavior problems. "You don't want to learn, that's fine, here's the adios option....(work... hard physical work) " If you have 'nominal' kids and families?, fund a social program (outside of the school / educational objective)
Actually, you're not far off given the realities they must face. They apparently just built new facilities and likely don't want to acknowledge some of those need to go. It's the sunk-cost fallacy. This is like businesses that shrink while not wanting to give up their precious buildings. Even though all forecasts point to a downward trend in student enrollment (= lost funding), they are hanging on to facilities which are very expensive to maintain. That's not a good model for turning the tides of students and parents fleeing to greener pastures. If the school district lost thousands of kids, they need to 'right size' smartly across the district accordingly. That includes closing some smaller schools and consolidating services vs. cutting entire programs or important, specific roles (coaches, librarians, special ed teachers, community outreach liaisons, etc...). The later effectively lowers the overall quality of education which only serves to accelerate the decline as families see things going from bad to worse. It becomes a sinking ship scenario with the captain focused on his own special interests vs. the greater community.
Derek
Last edited by MtnSurfer; 03-22-2023 at 05:13 PM..
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,690 posts, read 57,994,855 times
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Originally Posted by MtnSurfer
Actually, you're not far off given the realities they must face. ... they are hanging on to facilities which are very expensive to maintain. That's not a good model for turning the tides of students and parents fleeing to greener pastures. If the school district lost thousands of kids, they need to 'right size' smartly across the district accordingly. That includes closing some smaller schools and consolidating services vs. cutting entire programs or important, specific roles (coaches, librarians, special ed teachers, community outreach liaisons, etc...). The later effectively lowers the overall quality of education ...
Thus, they (USA EDU, and SWWA EDU) continues their march to their grave. Rather than innovate the very obvious and proper solutions. They will inflict as much pain on the students and community as they can, on their path to extinction.
The School districts are hoarding their coveted properties, where a better use could be community and senior centers and IMPROVING the community and society and gaining all those bonus credibility points they really need to serve and build the community who pays and expects the EDU to deliver. (an education).
Older schools could serve temporary housing, senior care, community services, city and county services, and parks. (or apartment tracts if the school district wanted to operate as a profit center and SELL the properties the citizens already bought for them (and paid many times over valuation.)
The world has changed, there needs to be a new leaf turned over. Totally new education concept and delivery. Forget the past, it's history (and recently a very failed history).
Absolutely simple and reasonable to bridge the paradigm, and leap into the educational future. We have the talent, the examples, the need, and the incentive.
Just do it.
Or, subcontract it (EDU) to many nations who have demonstrated they know how.
There is a proper point to hang up 'old school', and beam into the future. Seems education would be all over that... but they're not.
It's not the part of the community and the students and parents (and employers) to educate schools how to do this. The information is vast and readily available. (and EDU administrators ought to be looking it over!)
I’d love to see which nation’s model would be good to subcontract to. Who is lining up with funds to buy evergreen or camas schools and convert them to senior or community centers?
It’s difficult to see the types of cuts being proposed, i expect we’ll be living in the camas district soon and will be adding a couple more kids to their bottom line. Interesting to see this, while Ridgefield is lacking so much space.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,690 posts, read 57,994,855 times
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Originally Posted by SusVelo
I’d love to see which nation’s model would be good to subcontract to.
Those are not hard to find. Much of the world LISTENS and LEARNS and is far above USA in innovative education (and why I prefer to hire a foreign educated workforce). It is also fun and encouraging to network with worldwide educators who are leading in successes and new education innovation.
Sweden. #1 in Well-developed public education system. ...
Denmark. #2 in Well-developed public education system. ...
Germany. #3 in Well-developed public education system. ...
Canada. #4 in Well-developed public education system. ...
Norway. #5 in Well-developed public education system. ...
Finland. ...
United Kingdom. ...
Netherlands.
We, and several friends moved to Singapore about the time our kids were ready for school. Those who were able to stay for 10 yrs, kid's came home and ACED the ACT and SAT's and got free college of their choice in high end USA colleges & US Military academies, others did WW colleges and excelled with excellent lifelong international careers (and spouses).
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Who is lining up with funds to buy evergreen or camas schools and convert them to senior or community centers?
Private senior care dollars flow very freely +/-, but the best care I've found in the USA is in midwestern towns where the community funds and staffs senior care centers. The community wins (as it does with community owned power, which doesn't happen much in PNW, we prefer the foreign countries reap our wind, solar, and enjoy and use those profits in their foreign countries.)
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It’s difficult to see the types of cuts being proposed, i expect we’ll be living in the camas district soon and will be adding a couple more kids to their bottom line. Interesting to see this, while Ridgefield is lacking so much space.
One does not have to wonder why SWWA has always been a hotbed of homeschooling. (Moore Foundation circa pre 1980).
There were over 300 in our CW homeschool group when Mill Plain and 164th was a 4 way stop. Vastly improved in all forms and availablility of schooling (except one).
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, They could have seen that coming from many directions.
" If you have 'nominal' kids and families?, fund a social program (outside of the school / educational objective)
