The following is a press release from the Governor's office that was shared with me courtesy of Cheryl Hentz:
Monday, April 9, 2007
Contact: Carla Vigue, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2162
Governor Doyle Details Rural Schools Initiative
Budget Proposals Would Address Declining Enrollment, Provide Additional Resources for Transportation, Special Education, and Smaller Classes
SUPERIOR, MERRILL - Governor Jim Doyle today detailed a Rural Schools initiative aimed at ensuring that kids in rural communities have an equal chance at a great education. The initiative, part of Governor Doyle's budget for the next two years, represents significant reforms in Wisconsin's school financing system, including measures to address declining enrollment, support school transportation needs, provide additional special education funding, and other measures to strengthen rural education. The Governor made the announcements at Cooper Elementary School in Superior and Washington Elementary School in Merrill."Rural schools play a vital role in our state, yet they face unique challenges," Governor Doyle said. "I believe that every kid, whether they come from a rural area, the city, or the suburbs, deserves the same chance to get a great education. These reforms will ensure that rural schools are treated fairly, and can prepare our kids for the jobs of the future." Addressing Declining EnrollmentDeclining enrollment is one of the biggest problems facing school districts across Wisconsin. The state currently has limits on the total amount that schools can spend based on a per pupil amount. When a school's enrollment goes down, its allowable spending goes down. Under the Governor's plan, schools will be able to receive more revenue to offset a one year decline in enrollment. For a district that saw steady declines year after year, as many districts do, this will help soften the blow and give them added flexibility, so that they never face a devastating loss in any one year. Reforming the School Transportation FormulaTo provide more support for students living in rural areas who have to travel more than 12 miles to get to school, Governor Doyle is increasing school transportation reimbursement rates by $900,000 a year. This reform will help give rural schools more flexibility in their spending limits, allowing them to focus more of their spending on classroom resources. Lifting Low Revenue DistrictsAs another step to give rural school districts more flexibility in their spending, Governor Doyle is raising the revenue ceiling by $600 per student over the next two years, and making sure schools have the resources they need for their students.
Increasing Special Education FundingTo provide more support for students in special education programs, Governor Doyle is increasing special education funding by more than $50 million - the largest increase in support for special education in nearly 15 years. Increasing SAGE Funding Smaller class sizes during a student's earliest years in school are critical for a good start to their education. That's why Governor Doyle launched the Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) initiative - his plan to reduce class sizes from kindergarten through third grade. Today, Governor Doyle proposed increasing SAGE funding to $2,250 per student, to help raise student achievement, and create more opportunities for a good education.
NOTE the last point, I don't think SAGE is in danger of being discontinued this budget cycle...
I found some of these items had some interesting information in them... students who travel more than 12 MILES to school --- and we have people making 5 miles seem like the end of the world... I guess it just proves everything is relative...
So what do you think of the Governor's school funding proposals?
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16 comments:
When citizens CHOOSE to live near a school so their children are able to walk to school and pay more for that house, yes it is a big deal. People have a choice where they live. The people who live 12 miles from a school chose to live there. Those who purchased houses a block from a school expect their child to go to that school. So, yes, 5 miles is a big deal. Falling property values are also a big deal. These decisions are affecting people lives. So, again, yes, this is a big deal. As for SAGE, I am all for it. As long as all the students in our district have class sizes of 15 students (the 2 non-SAGE schools). We are striving for equality in our schools, aren't we?
I understand what you are saying but that's kind of like saying if you buy a home next to a vacant piece of land because it's quiet that you should never have to have a neighbor on that property. Sorry, but times change and so do our cities and schools. I do not believe for one second that kids are going to have to walk several miles to school. Some kind of arrangements will be made for transportation.
Anonymous 1:37 You are confusing equity with equality... the district is striving for equity --- giving all students an equal opportunity, not making everything the same. The 2 non-SAGE schools will have the current district class size of 22 students K-3. The other 5 will have SAGE because those 5 schools will all have students who were currently in SAGE schools.
Anonymous 1:52 you make an excellent point, times do change and for people to think that just because they bought their house thinking their student would go to a certain school that things will never change are rather short sighted. Try talking to Sunset parents, their students have been all over the district and I just didn't hear the outcry from all the people who are supposedly so interested in neighborhood schools saying how awful or harmful this would be for those students - bussing them "clear across town first to St. Peter's then to Tipler, making them go to Tipler for middle school and then to North for High School "ripping them away from all their friends etc. This all happened and I just didn't see the community rise up in protest against it --- if it was fine for Sunset students, why is it not ok for other students?
As for students walking long distances --- the district is looking at providing the following:
If transportation were provided for K-3 students over one mile away from school:
One add'l bus for Frankin/Roosevelt area $ 24,178.00
One add'l bus for E. Cook area $ 24,178.00
One add'l bus for Neumann Middle (parochial) $ 24,178.00
Add'l Cost of transporting K-3
over 1 mile $ 72,534.00
Overall Add'l Cost of
Transportation $ 46,065.82
We currently have 88 students who walk over 1.5 miles to school, under scenario 7 there would be 112 an additional 24 students.
Teresa, you have spent to much time with administration. What happened at Sunset was wrong. Two wrongs do not make it right. If most students show such great success in SAGE why should we not offer it to all students in the district? Why should the economically disadvantaged children at Shapiro or Oakwood be punished because they live in a wealthy area? Why should children from wealthy families be deprived of a 15 child class because their parents are wealthy? These children and their families have a whole different set of problems that are not $$ related. As for sending West side kids to Read/Merrill/North. I think you should consider the problems they are having a Traeger before you send any of those kids to the North side. Talk to a Traeger parent about the "mean/arrogant" kids they have at Traeger and the problems they are having in the 6th grade. Can you imagine mixing these kids with children from disadvantaged families. Oil and water! That is a recipe for disaster. Our district should not be in the business of social engineering.
Meanness and arrogance in a child is more likely a product of what role models are instilled at home than the school he or she attends.
I am not sure where to begin with the comments that have been made.
I guess I will start with anonymous who speaks of "times change". If you have a child that is 2 or 3 years old and you bought a house last year on Woodstock, you should be pretty sure that your child will eventually attend Traeger elementary (as it is in your backyard). Under scenario 7, these children will be bused to Shapiro for K-3. Yes, times change, but that is just not right under any circumstances. If you can throw a rock and hit a school, you should attend it. That includes Casey Meadow.
Next I turn to Teresa. You speak of only 24 additional kids having to walk more than 1.5 miles. You are twisting the data yet again. You are not mentioning that the kids in many neighborhoods like mine who can currently WALK to Traeger (less than a mile) will be bused to Oakwood. These are students that wouldn't need to be on a bus until high school. I will also add that Traeger is NOT the normal "neighborhood" school and it is not even paid for. Yet you and most of the board are dead set on changing the configuration of it.
Additionally you will be putting K-12 on the same bus. Not a very good combination. Many busses will carry 4-8 and potentially 4-12. How can you say that this is a "good" idea?
Lastly, how accurate are your numbers for the cost of busses? I seem to recall the cost being nearly double for each bus from Kobussen. With fuel increases, do you think that those prices will remain the same? How much additional will it cost? AND you didn't mention the bus that will need to be added to take children to Oakwood from the area south of 9th avenue or the bus to take children from west of 41 to Shapiro(more cost).
Don't use numbers that aren't accurate or can change dramatically within a year. It is misleading and deceptive.
Kent,
You are hardly the expert on school issues, I took the data straight from the Administration who got it from Kobussen... it was the total cost for bussing so the buses to Oakwood and Shapiro were included. There is a lot of savings in Special Education bussing. It is not misleading to state figures based on what we know... of course the cost will go up as time goes on but so will the cost of current bussing including special education bussing. Given the terrible traffic issues at Traeger I suspect some who live a "stone's throw" from the school are driving their students there rather than the children walking.
There is nothing misleading in the figures of students walking --- it was a comment on the additional students who might have to walk over 1.5 miles. I was not discussing children who would be bussed.
Finally, no K-3 graders will be riding buses with middle or high school students so you are mistaken when you say "Additionally you will be putting K-12 on the same bus."
Mrs. Thiel, are you saying that more than one bus will be put into service for the Casey Meadow students? It is laughable to think the school district would contract more than one bus for the aproximately 61 students that live there. It would be far more efficient and cheaper to hire one bus for those students to take them to Read, Merrill, and North. However, we aren't in this for what is efficient, are we? We also have to factor grandfathering and stagnated development before counting buses.
It was stated in several meetings, including one where Kobussen was represented, that the cost per additional bus is between $30,000 and $50,000. I understand that we did not have meetings this week due to spring break, but how did we strike such a sweet deal on buses in a week's time with all the rising costs we are suffering from?
Oh, and if anything, the "terrible traffic issues at Traeger" encourage some parents to allow their children to walk to avoid being late for work waiting in long lines.
I would recommend you verify your figures. I live about 2 miles from Oakwood and anyone in our growing area with K-3 students will have to be bused to Oakwood. Conversely, a larger group of students will have to be bused from Oakwood area to the 4-8 Traeger. Add in the entired area between Traeger and Shapiro that will now be bused over highway 41 and all the students south of town that will be bused to Shapiro and Traeger. While some in the Lakeside and Green Meadow area are currently bused, some live close enough for parents to drive. Under scenario 7 many more will need busing. Now add in the list of buses you are referring to.
As for the 112 students who may be walking over 1.5 miles, that is not set in the plan yet. The committees were still discussing the busing policy and the definition of hazards that require busing above and beyond what the Sheriff defines as a hazard. The BOE has also questioned how far small children should have to walk. That is one of many, many things the planning committees are supposed to address. To make definitive statements one way or another IS misleading, especially when it comes to numbers of students or dollars.
And to backtrack a little, shuffling kids around is not fine whether it be for Sunset, one school, or an entire district as in scenario 7. Maybe Sunset didn't cry out as loud because they were promised a new school on Ryf Rd that never came to be. Dangle a carrot long enough and you can keep some quiet and others just leave the public school system. I would bet Sunset parents are happier to have a school closer to their homes than sitting on the promise of one that will someday maybe get built eventually if there is enough interest.
And we wonder why we are experiencing declining enrollment. I am thinking it is those who THINK they are experts in school issues and only have half the information and will only believe half of that. EXPERTS who base an entire district's, and in turn community's, future on their EXPERT opinion, which in some respects flies in the face of real expert evaluations. That, historically, is the level of ignorance and arrogance that is driving our kids to other districts, public and parochial.
I hope you plan to attend meetings in the future if you intend to continue discussing the restructuring. Much of what makes it to the website, is incomplete and changes more frequently than the district updates. It is clear that you care about the school district. I hope you will make the extra effort to keep people accurately informed.
Well if it isn't 1 but 2 Montes sharing their immense cache of knowledge. NOT! This pair of know-it-alls constantly criticize others and attack them over opposite viewpoints. Oh yes, and God forbid anybody change their mind about something because factors with plans or times change. Unless it's a Monte, that is. Then it's okay. The hypocrisy that flows the lips of Kent "Quality Control And Micromanaging" Monte and Michelle "I Want To Be On The School Board But Got Caught Speeding In A School Zone" Monte is staggering.
Michelle,
I find it ironic that you would tell me to "I hope you will make the extra effort to keep people accurately informed." when that is something you have such difficulty with -- accuracy or don't you recall writing that we could put 9th graders in our middle schools and only be short 88 seats? That comment was totally inaccurate as the district would be short over 500 seats if 9th graders were moved into the middle schools.
I always take care to provide accurate information and if I make a mistake, I admit it I don't try to spin it and imply that others misunderstood. I suggest you worry about your own accuracy when reporting what takes place at meetings.
The information on bussing was provided to both the school board and school board candidates as well as found on the district website from the March 28th meeting so anyone can check it out.
http://www.oshkosh.k12.wi.us/site_uploads/uploads/LongRangeFacilitiesPlanning/Scenario_7_Q_and_A_--3-28-07_BOE_Workshop.pdf
It is on the top of page 4.
Can someone answer one question? Why is it okay to spend $32 million to construct over 100 classrooms after closing 6 buildings that could house those kids and not okay to add classrooms to our middle schools to address both freshman failure and include block scheduling?
We don't even know yet how much anything will cost, do we? But I thought I heard during the election debates that some of these buildings are just too old to continue putting money into,especially with the condition they're in. If that can really be shown then I am all for getting something new instad of throwing good money after bad.
Define too old. Dale school was 106 when closed and is still operating as an apartment building. It wasn't closed because of age but because of size in relation to student population. Clearly it isn't falling down around anyone. So, what is "too old?"
You are right about the former Dale School. But did it have the maintenance issues some of our schools are facing? The owner was evidently also willing to stick a whole bunch of money into the property to morph it from a school into apartments. That would have been a business owner's decision made about his own money. In this case I believe the district needs to look at what is the most economical for our tax dollars over the course of time.
No plan is perfect and no plan will please 100% of the parents in the district. We just need to come up with the most efficient, economical plan and something that works for most of the students. It seems pretty clear that our board is approaching the situation seriously and is taking steps necessary to do the best thing. Te Dan Beckers and Michelle Luchsinger Montes of the world need to stop finding reasons to complain every time something is presented that's not their own ideas.
I agree that there is a difference between listening to people and agreeing with them... you can disagree but that doesn't mean you haven't listened. I think just agreeing with who ever complains the most is why this district is still trying to decide what to do with our facilities!
I don't know about Becker but Monte didn't want to close any school that parents came to the board and said "don't close our school" i.e. Roosevelt, Green Meadow, Smith, but she didn't have a problem with Lincoln is is because those parents weren't a loud voice?
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