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I had figured someone else would start this thread. I waited, but since nobody else did, here is it. Care to Discuss? How many jobs will this be? They cut some 300 positions last year? Where is all that stimulus money?
I had figured someone else would start this thread. I waited, but since nobody else did, here is it. Care to Discuss? How many jobs will this be? They cut some 300 positions last year? Where is all that stimulus money?
WCPSS has claimed that stimulus funds enabled it to save or create jobs for 558 positions including classroom teachers, teacher assistants and instructional support staff. I guess it could have been much worse.
With the new school board coming on in a little over a week, and their stated intention to dismantle many of the existing policies, one has to wonder what additional costs (and deficits) are coming.
WCPSS has claimed that stimulus funds enabled it to save or create jobs for 558 positions including classroom teachers, teacher assistants and instructional support staff. I guess it could have been much worse.
I am glad you included the word "claimed". As recent investigative reports have shown, there have been a large number of discrepancies in jobs reported as "created or saved". Some of this is due in part to the fact there is no proven way to measure "saved" jobs and some is due in part to complete misrepresentation. Given what we now know regarding false numbers, I would be very cautious taking what WCPSS has "claimed", as 100% accurate information.
Not sure what teaching jobs were saved go to any school in the district they all lost many teachers. I lost two positions that added up to a 40% position. I was not hired back. I am now sub teaching and boy you must see how many teachers classes are well over 35 and 40 students per class in the middle schools and high schools. In fact at two HS that I sub in there are 48 in many physical education classes. Per Teacher. With 4 teachers on the floor at a time almost 200 in the gym. It becomes recreation not teaching at those numbers. In addition on fridays there are 50 60 or even 70 teachers absent at the 25 schools I have on my sub list.. I have been told they are sick of the large numbers sick of the added stress of not knowing if they will have a job next semester. Yes the teacher can be let go if funds are not available by giving 30 day notice. Many are on terminating contracts.
WCPSS could cut that $20mil from central services EASILY! They are not as lean as they make it sound. I wouldn't put too much faith into anything the top brass at WCPSS says. They are all about themselves and not helping anyone else, let alone the students. There are expenses right now in certain departments that would make taxpayers puke. What little the general public knows about them. They have people filling positions making $80k plus a year that are total idiots. They hire 3 people do do the job of one. They put together cases to receive more money for everything from trucks and cars for workers who take them home, to new computers, office furniture and phones which are not needed...especilly not now. The numbers they use to justify these expenses are inncorrect, but they don't care. The school board is also kept in the dark about so many things.
The general public should be quite leery of what WCPSS says they "need". The middle management to the top of the school system are riff with liars and deceptive people.
Wow now isn't the Wake County School System in a good place to be. Positive discussion and positive vibes abound. Home sales will sky rocket as everyone wants a piece of the pie. Not a good time to be a homeowner in Durham, Chatham, Johnson or Orange with everyone wanting to be in the highly thought of and discussed Wake.
I am glad you included the word "claimed". As recent investigative reports have shown, there have been a large number of discrepancies in jobs reported as "created or saved". Some of this is due in part to the fact there is no proven way to measure "saved" jobs and some is due in part to complete misrepresentation. Given what we now know regarding false numbers, I would be very cautious taking what WCPSS has "claimed", as 100% accurate information.
While I agree that there have been errors in the reporting of "saved" jobs, it is actually a measurable stat. I'll explain it so it is easy for anyone to understand.
You are a 5 year old kid and you receive $10 a month and with that $10 you typically buy 10 candy bars. Your dad has to file bankruptcy. Because of your family's money troubles, your allowance is cut from $10 a month to $7 a month. Now you can only buy 7 candy bars. Your uncle hears about your father's troubles and your decreased allowance and decides to make up the $3 a month difference. Now you can still buy your 10 candy bars a month. He saved you from having to cut 3 candy bars a month from your typical candy bar consumption.
Understand?
Mike
Last edited by Green Irish Eyes; 11-22-2009 at 08:10 AM..
Reason: Deleted non-local political references
While I agree that there have been errors in the reporting of "saved" jobs, it is actually a measurable stat. I'll explain it so it is easy for anyone to understand.
You are a 5 year old kid and you receive $10 a month and with that $10 you typically buy 10 candy bars. Your dad has to file bankruptcy. Because of your family's money troubles, your allowance is cut from $10 a month to $7 a month. Now you can only buy 7 candy bars. Your uncle hears about your father's troubles and your decreased allowance and decides to make up the $3 a month difference. Now you can still buy your 10 candy bars a month. He saved you from having to cut 3 candy bars a month from your typical candy bar consumption.
Understand?
Mike
Let me enlighten you as to how they are actually calculating it. They are stating that spending X dollars saves Y jobs. That's their calculation. Nothing more. It is not verifiable or accurate. Then places claim they have "saved" 100 jobs, yet only have 25 actual jobs. Don't assume the numbers from WCPSS are accurate in the least. If you were given money to say the sky is green, you might say it is green too.
That's actually not how they are doing it. It is reported by those receiving the money.
And while there may be some overreporting because it's difficult to calculate a thing like that, it's also impossible to accurately measure how many more jobs are created down the line once that money is spent. If a job is saved or partially saved by that money, then the employee will purchase things, helping to save other jobs.
But back to the subject at hand.
The major issue is class size. It would be difficult to overstate how much class size affects the educational experience. I have taught classes of every size, and I can tell you that my students right now (class size 35) are not getting the same quality as my classes did at 25.
College classes sometimes have 50-100+ students in a class, why would grade/high school be any different?
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