From the Ohio Department of Education:
http://ilrc.ode.state.oh.us/districts/D ... s.asp?sel=
Enter Lakewood, then choose Lakewood City
Lakewood Schools 2005-2006 Report Card
Moderator: Jim O'Bryan
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Bill Call
- Posts: 3319
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:10 pm
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Dee Martinez
- Posts: 141
- Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 6:47 am
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David Anderson
- Posts: 400
- Joined: Mon Jun 05, 2006 12:41 pm
It comes down to community expectations.
Do we as a community simply want students to graduate from high school or are we willing to invest in above and beyond curriculum and programs at a greater expense? I have and will continue to opt for the latter while understanding that keeping an eye on fiscal efficiency is always needed.
However, hollow unsubstantiated claims of fiscal abuse should not be confused with being a responsible fiscal watchdog.
Do we as a community simply want students to graduate from high school or are we willing to invest in above and beyond curriculum and programs at a greater expense? I have and will continue to opt for the latter while understanding that keeping an eye on fiscal efficiency is always needed.
However, hollow unsubstantiated claims of fiscal abuse should not be confused with being a responsible fiscal watchdog.
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Justine Cooper
- Posts: 775
- Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:12 am
- Location: Lakewood
One other factor just crossed my mind. Lakewood is one of the ONLY school districts that have their own school for the children with severe behavior problems! Most of the other districts, when faced with a student with severe behavior problems, sends the student to an alternative school, like Positive Education Program or other. I don't know which community counts the student then, the Cleveland based school or the original community. When I worked at an alternative school in Maple Hts for a year, there were a few students from Strongsville!
Bill,
If you knew how much communities spent one ONE student per year when sent at an alternative school, you would see how much Lakewood saves by educating their own. Not only is the per day fee much higher than most know, they include a huge transportation fee too! Other than PEP, the alternative schools opening up independently are not monitored by ANYBODY like charter schools are and the owners are making a lot of money!
Bill,
If you knew how much communities spent one ONE student per year when sent at an alternative school, you would see how much Lakewood saves by educating their own. Not only is the per day fee much higher than most know, they include a huge transportation fee too! Other than PEP, the alternative schools opening up independently are not monitored by ANYBODY like charter schools are and the owners are making a lot of money!
"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive" Dalai Lama
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Shawn Juris
I'm struggling to understand this. Maybe someone could clarify (again if it was already done). What do the taxpayers really pay per student? I keep hearing that it's because of economically disadvantaged or special needs students but it's also been said that there are federal subsidies. Furthermore if these special needs students are coming from other cities, I certainly hope that we are charging their home district a tuition. I can't imagine that the schools go through the trouble of tracking down and removing "illegals", while paying more for special needs students that they know about. I doubt that these buses park a block away and a bunch of students sneak into the school.
If these two factors are really accounted for and paid for from other sources then why would we be paying more than other districts on a cost per student basis? Or are we just talking about expenses and overlooking where the income comes from? If the reason really boils down to paying teachers more than other areas, well horray for us. Finally a city with their priorities in line. It would make a terrible case for others to follow us though, if our scores don't justify the higher pay.
Like it or not there has to be someway to measure the profitabilility of schools. Think of how compartmentalized cirriculum has become over the past 30 years or so. Our expectations have already been adjusted to recognize that every student is not the same. Since that has been factored in, differences lose their place as an explanation for poor marks. For example, if we look at three students; one traditional academic, one special needs and one a hands-on craftsman. If they are identified and go on their appropriate path shouldn't all three be able to score well on tests if the schools are doing their job?
If these two factors are really accounted for and paid for from other sources then why would we be paying more than other districts on a cost per student basis? Or are we just talking about expenses and overlooking where the income comes from? If the reason really boils down to paying teachers more than other areas, well horray for us. Finally a city with their priorities in line. It would make a terrible case for others to follow us though, if our scores don't justify the higher pay.
Like it or not there has to be someway to measure the profitabilility of schools. Think of how compartmentalized cirriculum has become over the past 30 years or so. Our expectations have already been adjusted to recognize that every student is not the same. Since that has been factored in, differences lose their place as an explanation for poor marks. For example, if we look at three students; one traditional academic, one special needs and one a hands-on craftsman. If they are identified and go on their appropriate path shouldn't all three be able to score well on tests if the schools are doing their job?