Poll: Saving for College, cutting the public schools’ budgets
Last week, we asked if you had a plan for saving for college. The most respondents (35 percent) said that they would have to rely on scholarships or more moderately priced schools. Another 18 percent said “We’ve saved, but the tumultuous markets have taken a big bite out of our funds.” Almost 30 percent of respondents would like some help with their planning – 14 percent of them feel that they have no extra money to save and 13 percent said that they have tried to put a little aside but need guidance. A small fraction of respondents – 5 percent – will have family help with tuition bills, and 18 percent have been saving and feel that they are on the right track.
This week, we are wondering what you would cut from your child’s school if you were in charge of slimming down the 2009/2010 budget. Some schools will have to cut up to 5 percent of their budget, and principals will have to make some very difficult decisions. As always, we welcome your comments.
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A few years ago my husband and I searched for and bought an apartment so that we could be zoned for this great school. And is was a great school. The new pricipal has been kind and energetic. The teachers and kids are wonderful. There is a nice warm feeling and community spirit. However, there is a problem that is changing the school for the worse and, unfortunately, we are on the cusp of it.
When my son was in Pre-K they introduced the French program. I went to the meeting, where they described a half day of French, no free choice time, and twice the homework of other kindergarten classes. I thought everyone would walk out thinking it was a joke, but I was dead wrong. Everyone wanted in, and the ones who didn’t get it were so upset that the principal promised them she would add another class if those children regularly attended an after-school French program. They did it, and now there are two French classes per grade.
Now my daughter in in Pre-K. Basically what has happened is that the school seems to have learned that they need to counsel any kids with learning issues or emotional or discipline problems not to apply to the program. Also, none of the minorities, and none of the Italians from the neighborhood go into the program. Some of the Italian moms told me the teachers don’t even ask them at conferences if they are considering going into the French program. It is assumed they will not.
So now you have two kindergarten classes with the academically promising students, and the other three are have all the kids with the learning and discipline issues. In my son’s first grade class, some children who are not making it in the French program are being changed to the mainstream classes for second grade. This will mean that those classes will have more kids, and be over-burdened with children who need more teacher assistance and attention.
The French classes, which are made up of half a class of native French speakers, many of whom are bussed in from out of zone, will now have fewer kids (while children can be counseled out of the program, you cannot transfer into it) and, I am given to understand, two physical classrooms for each group.
The whole thing just seems weird and unfair, and I find it upsetting how it has seperated the Italians and the new families who have moved in over the past few years. I had both my kids tested for GT. Fortunately, they both did really great. Now we are waiting to hear from the DOE to see if we can get into other schools in the area that have GT programs. We are really sorry to be leaving 58. It is in so many ways a wonderful place but, due to the recent changes, it will not work for us.
Comment by A Parent — May 26, 2009 @ 12:25 pm
Basically, my school has not even enough activities or enough prep for the students. Some parents are complaining not having Gym for years.My child doen’t have art class, music and corell speaking. What I beleive that we can cut off is the food that the kis are raising constantly. In addition my daugther is in gifted, astral for district 18 she doesn’t even have the quality work or activities that can motivate her as a gifted student. Instead Mr. Klein, would you like to add to our budget instead of cutting.
Comment by Myriam Charles — May 27, 2009 @ 5:08 pm