This has nothing to do with money, just ideology.
Rhode Island parents enraged at school board for removing honors classes in 'equity obsession'
- Thread starter ipatent
- Start date
This has nothing to do with money, just ideology.
Removing honors classes. What's next?
Didn't they remove previously, required SAT scores? They should just hand everyone a degree. Extreme liberal professors could all be laid off. Schools will be flush with cash. Just charge every person $100 for a diploma. Most students end up getting loans and spending $100,000 or more on useless degrees like Sociology?
You specifically stated it has "nothing to do with money..."
I disagree because Barrington was expecting a whopping 38% increase in financial aid (state aid) from the government while at the same time they are having a big decline in students in their public school system...
- They were hoping to use that state aid to protect their taxpayers from the proposed increases in the budget.
Keep in mind, that this is Barrington Rhode Island with income levels 2 - 3x above the national average and asking our government for more money (state aid) for the public school system instead of asking their wealthy taxpayers to pay their fair share.
My guess is they did not get the funding and instead decided to cut programs to compensate while knowing they have other academic excellence programs to compensate for the honors programs.
Therefore, I strongly disagree with you when you state "nothing to do with money...".
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Overview of the 2021-2022 Proposed Operating Budget for the Barrington Public Schools:
The District’s FY22 Operating and Capital Budget request represents an increase in spending of $2.33M or 4.25%. The taxpayers’ impact has been significantly mitigated by the anticipated increase of $2.18M from the State Aid Funding Formula (plus additional categorical funds for High Cost Special Education expenses and English Language Learners). Because of this unprecedented increase in the State Funding Formula Aid, the net increase from local taxpayers for the operating budget is $193,329 or a 0.4% increase in the tax levy.
The proposed FY22 budget covers costs associated with maintaining all existing programs and services, without eliminating any teaching positions or extracurricular programs.
Enrollment projections guided the administration when developing the Comprehensive FY22 Budget and we will continue to closely monitor student enrollment as well as building capacity, especially at our elementary levels.
It is not uncommon that staffing needs may be adjusted as late as August due to changes in enrollment which occurs from June through August.
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As I stated, my guess is that they didn't get the state aid funding that they were expecting especially if they were using independent teachers for those honors classes...teachers that typically get paid much higher.
Yet, if they did get the state aid with declining school enrollments...it would be a gross error.
wrbtrader
That isn't much financial pressure, and even paying an additional 4.25% during 8% inflation isn't that much either. Read the article, it's about so-called "equity."
Could be enough to force them to trim off some of the excesses while knowing their student enrollments is on the decline.
I've seen this before (cutting of honors classes) at a school I attended in Kentucky and Illinois...it was all about money and the budget for the teachers of those classes.
wrbtrader
You responded while I was still editing. See above.
Regardless, Rhode Island isn't the first. We will hear about other schools doing the same in their academics and sports.
Anyways, the cost of everything is going up...time to trim off a little fat.
wrbtrader
I do believe they did remove SAT scores. Everyone is eligible for a degree now no matter if they have a brain or not.
Yes, and when they can't pay their student loans because the job market has put them back at their natural level, Democrats will promise to bail them out.