The Observation Deck

Bill, you've got a tiger by the tale with this one. You can't compare public and private education - they're not the same. Even if LCA had to deliver on the unfunded mandates of public education I'm not sure that would level the playing field. Until then, the public schools will continue to do what no charter or private school does - educate EVERY child. Unlike private schools and academies, public schools are there to provide EVERY child with the opportunity to receive an education. Whether they take advantage of that opportunity is their decision, but at least it exists.

In Lakewood, the public and private schools have been very respectful of each other's role in helping to provide the community with a rich quality of life. I think they both would be sorry to see the other go. Each entity serves a purpose and Lakewood is blessed to have both.

Mr. Call.

Again, the flaw in your thinking is that Lakewood (or any public school district) is made up of these little self-contained universes called "classrooms".
You mention Lakewood Catholic Academy, a K-8 facility, but you conveniently forget St. Edward's, which I guarantee you is spending more than $4,500 per student. Likewise, I don't doubt that LHS is far more expensive to operate than Taft Elementary school but you want to lump them all together in the same average. Add a few special needs kids, and your premise is blown.
Also, remember that just because a child goes to LCA or any other private school the public schools are not totally relieved of the responsibility for that child. If an LCA child needs speech therapy of psychological counseling, guess who pays? And what if LCA hadn't happened? What if St. Lukes, St, James, and St. Clements would have just shut their doors? What would have happened to those 400-odd kids? Yup. Lakewood Public Schools would have had to have found a place for them. Same budget, too. And they WOULDN'T have been able to say "no".
Mr. Endress has gotten much closer to the truth with his analysis.
My point: Look at what's REALLY wrong with public education, and focus on that. Hint: The answer is not going to fit on a bumper sticker.

I think we have a winner!

Chef, lawyer, musician, columnist, library board member, school finance expert!

Jeff, you are truly a Renaissance man!

If you don't win this $30, I'll buy. It would be my privilege.

Steve

Well, as a darkhorse contender for the $30.00 I would spend $20,000 of it on paying Jeff Endress a one-time fee to give me HIS plan. And then submit that plan, minus $20,000. I would take this from the Special Needs Coordinator and roll those services into the Curriculum Specialist position (one of them), who will take a special interest in special needs programming.

There. I think I can get boxty and a shot of Oban for this certificate, I think.

On Lakewood Catholic Academy: While a good move fiscally for the dwindling local Catholic schools, it wasn't some amazing "out of the blue" or "from the ground up" building. They took a now-empty Catholic School and combined the dwindling resources from I think 3 of the local Catholic and Middle schools to create one school. They had a base of staff already and let a bunch of people go in the process. We ducked out of that when our daughter left St. James after Kindergarten. While a good idea, it is hardly a completely new program.

Catholic schools across the country are struggling on these small amounts. Tuition is rising faster and the schools are leaning more and more on diocese support as well as support from local congregations (and yes, assistance from Public schools as well). As a parent at St. James we helped out at a lot of fundraising events that were needed for just the basics.



Phil

Unfortunately it looks like the winning entry will be something like this:

"Schools will get different results if they spend more money doing the same things they are doing now."

I was hoping for some creative ideas. There is still time. The winning entry won't necessarily be something I agree with.

If you are submitting an idea for consideration please preface your comments with the statement: "My entry for the contest is:"

That way I will know if you are submitting an idea or just a general comment. Don't worry, one way or the other I intend to award the gift
certificate.

Mr. Call.

Let me try to explain the problems with the premise of your "contest".
Imagine two kids.
"Jim" is in every way a "normal", maybe precocious, child. His parents have a steady income (not necessarily a big one) and are home when they're supposed to be. Jim is healthy and has no disabilities. His parents make sure he does his homework, gets to school on time and fed. They buy him books and let him use the computer, rather than plunking him in front of the TV. They go to his parent-teacher conferences. They ground him when he gets 'C"s. They call his teacher when things go awry. They pay for different activities. They monitor his friends.
"Jane" is dyslexic and maybe has ADHD. Her mother barely got through high school herself and never liked school. Mom works nights at Arby's, so Jane is pretty much on her own at night, so homework takes a back seat to hours of TV. No money for extracurricular activities. No time for parent teacher conferences. Jane's mother may not even be native-born, so English may be a problem for her and Jane. The educational system is a mystery to Jane's mom, her own mother had no use for it, and she doesn't quite like it.
The problem with your premise is that state and federal (and maybe moral) imperatives demand that we spend more time and resources on Jane than Jim. To put it horridly, Jim is "low cost-high yield" Jane is exactly the opposite. You have to work twice as hard with Jane to get her to perform half as good as Jim.
Here's the central truth:
What you need to spend as a school district, and how well you perform, depends almost entirely on the percentage of Janes you have in your student body compared with the percentage of Jims. That, along with the federal and state demands regarding the "Janes" of the world, are out of the local district's hands.
I know it's hard to shake preconceived views, but this is the reality. When you understand that, it leads you to what the real problems are,and if you can focus your energy on those, some of the solutions become clearer, if not necessarily easier.
Sorry this was long. Its important though.

Joan:

You are right on target with your example; however, I would point out that you dint even need to go to the extremes to highlights the complexities here.

For example - take your 'Jim' and bless him with ADHD but leave everything else the same. Now take 'Jane' and make her a straight A student but leave everything else the same.

Now we not only have the same concern about the 'low-maintenance' to 'high-maintenance' ratio - but we also have no realistic ways to predict or plan for what those ratios may be. AND we have to fight parent/teacher/student biases and preconceived notions...

No, I wont be trying to solve the problems of school funding in 200 words or less, thanks anyway...

Peace,
~Charyn

PS - That being said, I am VERY impressed with Jeff's thoughtful analysis and for Mr. Call to insinuate afterward that no-one leaped to his expectations leaves me scratching my head....

Here's my LATEST entry.....(when is the deadline, anyway?!)

The following is an edit insert as a result of the nest post by Mr. Davis

My entry for the contest is:
I guess my reality exercise in Public School budgeting wasn’t what the Judges wanted.

Okay, if it’s novel you want, how’s this:

My 25 hypothetical classroom is made up 25 individually home schooled children.
There are no teacher salaries as the teachers are all volunteer parents.
There are no maintenance, facility, transportation, insurance or utility costs as those are a part of the household budget.
Each parent receives $14,754.00 to underwrite whatever needs they have for textbooks and enrichment materials.
Including enrichment trips (Disney World, Canadian canoe trips, museums, concerts, Williamsburg, etc.) each parent is able to save $10,000.00 per year over 12 years of school, when compounded, yields roughly $180,000.00 to be spent on college.

Is that out of the box enough?

Jeff

Jeff,

You didn't say, "My entry for the contest is:".

You have been disqualified.

Try again. Remember, the answer is a moving target, and changing rules are made to run interference between you and the answer that Bill wants you to craft. It's better than a video game.

Don't give up. You'll have months of opportunity to try while this advertisement for Sullivan's remains on the forum.

What's your hourly rate? Every minute you work on this is a subsidy for Sullivan's advertising budget. How much have you spent already?

Don't worry, it's all part of the game.

Fun, huh?

Steve

My Second (or First official) Entry for the Contest is:

If we assume a roughly 180 day (or is it exactly that amount?) school year and divide the $14754.00 over those days we get about $82/day (I know, 481 and change but who wants to carry change around?). I say we give each child that amount each day that they head out to school. They can choose to use those dollars that day any way they wish. They can simply go out into the world and pocket the cash. They could call and pay for a taxi to take them to the school of their choice or walk to the closest one and save some green. They can then register for classes that day and hope that it isn't full (as all the other kids will be doing the same). They can pay for each class as they go and pocket the savings or invest it in some larger educational experience (like hiring an entire regiment of Civil War Reenactors for a weekend to learn about that era). Or if they are behind on rent or heating bills, they could simply stay home and watch PBS while paying off their debts.

Because this is public monies, though, they will have to turn in whatever they don't spend at the end of the year so spend early and spend often.

There. I will have a shot of Glen Levitt 15 and some Shepherd's Pie.

Phil

Mr. Davis stated

Try again. Remember, the answer is a moving target, and changing rules are made to run interference between you and the answer that Bill wants you to craft. It's better than a video game.

Don't give up. You'll have months of opportunity to try while this advertisement for Sullivan's remains on the forum.

What's your hourly rate? Every minute you work on this is a subsidy for Sullivan's advertising budget. How much have you spent already

Steve. you know me well enough to know that I never give up. This reminds me of Calvin Ball (remember Calvin and Hobbs?) It is JUST like a video game (Myst, to be exact)...its a puzzle better than the Sunday N.Y. Times. IF I can come up with the answer Bill wants to see, I win!

Hourly rate....Hmmm. If you have to ask, too steep for you. Anyway, I doing this on my lunch hour and instead of playing Super Mario Cart at night.

Well, of to work on option number 4!

Jeff

My (next) entry for the contest is:

Assume the following:

1) A stand alone, elementary school. 1-5 (Kindergarten is not mandatory in Ohio). There is no linkage to any other school, system and this hypothetical school consists solely of 10 rooms of 25 kids, 2 for each grade.
2) This school, is owned by a for profit corporation, expecting to make money for its shareholders (Edutron, Inc.)
3) Because Ken Blackwell has been elected governor, whatever funds that would have been available for each child’s education in the now defunct public school system, are simply turned over to Edutron, Inc. to the tune of $14754.00 per student. 368850, per class, 3,688,500 for the school.
4) The school occupies an abandoned public school facility (or perhaps a vacant church)which is leased for a minimal amount due to its deteriorating condition, lead paint, asbestos, antiquated electrical and mechanical systems.

My budget for the entire school would look like this :
One on-site manager
75,000.00
Ten persons to serve as teachers. No degree, certification or experience necessary.
500,000.00
Psychological testing firm to assure that all admitted students have no emotional, psychological problems
100,000.00
Physician consultant to assure no admitted student has any physical disability
100,000.00
Admissions testing service to assure all admitted students are of average “teachabilityâ€Â￾
100,000
Utilities, heat water, electrical, phone, etc.
50,000.00
Books and materials:
100,000.00
Advertising/promotional budget
250,000.00
Building and furnishing rental
50,000.00
Yearly “givebackâ€Â￾ allowance, $2000.00 per child, to use for their choice of enrichment activity (music lessons, horseback riding, soccer…whatever)
500,000.00
Shareholder profit 1,862,500….This also gives enough cushion to lower the per student cost about in half to meet any “market competition (that deep a cut will eliminate profit unless something above is curtailed).

Jeff

Jeff,

I'm afraid that you will have to adjust your numbers one more time. The shareholders' profit has to be reduced by the amount of the political contributions made to put your system in place. I don't know the amount, but I assume it's pretty high. You can't possibly get all that for nothing. Maybe you can enlighten us with option #5.

Steve

Jeff,

My brother is concerned that Tina might not like all the time you're spending on this project. He said to just call him he'llbuy you a beer. He didn't mention 30 dollars though. You'll have to take that up with him.

Suzanne

It's not the beer...its the CONTEST!

Jeff