<p>IP asked for something he could do–just gave an idea. No need to be so sarcastic. BTW I was in NHS and we did fundraising to help the school buy a bunch of graphing calc’s and start a very low cost yearly rental operation. Besides the $ we raised we also had a community member (who had no kids in the district) personally bring in 15 calculators. It was very helpful.</p>
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<p>Maybe true in your state but not CA (where I live). I know for a fact that special ed in CA is a huge drain on the budget. Where does all the extra money come from to pay for those kids your school courted? </p>
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<p>I don’t think it is rich parent’s responsibility, I think it is a communities responsibility to make its public schools the best they can be whether they have children in attendance or not. Maybe it is not with $ but maybe with your time. I personally have no problem with people sending their kids wherever they want. But I don’t think its ok to pull your child out of a crummy local public school and turn your back on it. I have a bleeding heart, I know.</p>
<p>Sewhappy, I think being on the school board is a big service one can provide. Did you feel you were able to make a difference?</p>
<p>There are less than 15 school board members in my school district. What do other parents do? Also, those people are elected. Running an election I suspect is not exactly fun.</p>
<p>I have no disagreements with civil participation. But people have their own busy lives, and this is like a full time job almost. Perhaps people who do not have a job can do this.</p>
<p>It depends on the size of the school district; there’s a huge difference between being on a school board of a major metropolitan city vs. being on the school board of a district in a suburb of 25,000-80,000 residents. Being on a school board is one of the most thankless jobs out there and the majority of them pay nothing. And thank God for those who are willing serve. One unpopular vote made by a board member can create tension for any student they have in that school. I think that is unfortunate, but I’ve seen it happen. </p>
<p>School boards don’t meet all that often, usually a couple of board meetings a month, then individual committee meetings, workshops, etc. scattered throughout the year. Yes, it’s time consuming, but they’re not expected to become the administrative arm of the district and run the schools.</p>
<p>Can school boards fire teachers and set curriculum and standards for grade advancement? If yes, then perhaps school boards can do a lot of good. Otherwise I don’t see what school boards can do if they are not the administrative arm of the school district.</p>
<p>Exactly! Private schools don’t need to spend the resources needed for special programs. Public schools are required to educate everyone.</p>
<p>The hospice and palliative care agency I used to work for had a very strong pediatric program, and I was absolutely flabbergasted at the resources schools provide for the sickest of students. Not flabbergasted in a way that upset me because I think these kids deserve every semblance of normalcy in their lives that they can get, but the resources needed are HUGE! </p>
<p>Also, when my kids were still in school, I used to regularly look at the monthly expenditures/budgets that were posted online. Our district had several students who had mental health problems which required education in a setting that no local district could provide, and the only answer was an alternative school that provides services for students with specific issues. There are very few schools like this in the country, and one of our local students ended up being accepted at a school out in Montana or Idaho or something. So not only did our school district have to cover that expense, but I saw that they also paid for one of the parents to travel out to see their kid, usually once a semester. I’m assuming it was part of the agreement for being accepted into the program. </p>
<p>As long as our society agrees that all children are entitled to an education, public school systems will be required to serve everyone… not just the top 50% who are generally low -maintenance students.</p>
<p>Because they’d be around the undesirables? </p>
<p>What about the top 10% that he’s missing out on?</p>
<p>When I say low-maintenance, I’m referring to those students who would probably do fine in a classrooms that are regularly 30-40 students, and who do not need any special services.</p>
<p>Because all the attention will go to the bottom 50% and the top 50% - the low maintenance kids - will be ignored. Teachers only have so much bandwidth and schools only have so much resources.</p>
Nonsense. If anyone is likely to get the short shrift, its the poor kids in the middle. The resources and services available for the bottom kids and/or special needs kids are entirely different from those for the top kids. Budgets cover the needs of all students. For example, the funding for the assistive technology services is not likely pulling from the funding for the AP teachers. The top kids are NOT ignored in these schools.</p>
<p>Absolutely false. Our middle-class high school offers 20 AP classes as well as many honors classes (which is way more than the closest private high school). When I run into teachers they had while in school when I’m out in the community now, they still remember them and ask me how they’re doing and what they’re up to (D1 graduated in 2004, and D2 in 2007). They know who my kids were and loved having them in their class because they were serious students who wanted to engage in their education and learn.</p>
<p>Our public HS offers more AP classes than the top private schools in the area, and sends many kids to top schools and earning great merit scholarships. The sports teams are incredible and extremely competitive. If they didn’t meet the needs of the top students, the families would not flock to this area in order to avail themselves of the school and its resources. Not everyone can afford private school, and many in this area are surprised that families choose to send their kids to private school when they have this school available to them. </p>
<p>A “low maintenance” kid may be a kid that is a self starter and advocates for what he/she wants/needs. These kids are cherished, guided and nurtured. They are hardly ignored. Thats rubbish.</p>
<p>*** crossposted with teriwtt- and we are talking about the same experiences at schools invery different locations.</p>
<p>There are LOTS of ways to be involved in the schools if you want to be. Most schools have numerous parent organizations and school committees that parents can join. </p>
<p>I’ve served on a community foundation for our high school, chaired the music parents organization for 7 years and was a member for three additional (and then helped out even after my kids graduated), worked on fundraising for things like Project Graduation, was a parent volunteer for the swim team, was on the superintendent’s advisory committee, the cultural arts committee and the guidance department advisory committee. </p>
<p>I also attended the school board meetings as a member of the public quite regularly…so much so that one of the newspaper reporters asked ME what newspaper I worked for.</p>
<p>ANY parent who wishes to volunteer time to work for or in the schools is welcomed where I live and worked. You don’t have to be a member of the school board to express your opinions and contribute. In my capacities above I made NUMEROUS presentations to the board of education…presenting the parent perspective.</p>
<p>I don’t think we were talking about volunteering. I think we were talking about making the school a better place for all kids. For that, I believe you need full time attention and administrative authority.</p>
<p>Perhaps after I retire I will start a school.</p>