Minimum Wage

[Accumulator]

Noting that there sure arent any Easy Answers, a whole lotta discretionary income gets spent on stuff *other* than educating children. Spent by *everybody* from the State/Govt., to people who support [other causes that might not matter as much], to the parents (who often appear to have not considered how much it costs to raise kids properly), to even the kids (and yeah I mean children) themselves.

I (personally, IRL) know parents *and their kids* who willingly make considerable sacrifices to ensure those kids get a proper education. Not buying a [pick the "everybody has one!" indulgence of your choice] because something related to Education takes priority, not wasting time on unproductive endeavors for hours on end. E.g., waitress at Dennys who is putting her kids through private school, and buys them Educational Materials that the school cant afford instead of frivolous stuff; her kids are on-track to really amount to something and she says how "they wont be working here when theyre my age." Those (really impressive- articulate/polite/etc.) kids of hers dont know from a Smart Phone but they do know grammar, math and so on.

[JustJesus]

Money per student

Bay Area, CA (inner city)- 4,765

Laguna Hills, CA - 13,920

I believe CA schools average are lower than the national average (Except schools in Laguna Hills!)

[JustJesus]

.... Those (really impressive- articulate/polite/etc.) kids of hers dont know from a Smart Phone but they do know grammar, math and so on.

I liked the entire post, but have to applaud that part. Thats so good to hear.

[4u2nvinmtl]

Heres my challenge to everyone who doesnt know what they spend each month on what or where their money goes:
Keep track of very penny you spend on a PC spreadsheet or bookkeeping column paper or download free budgeting software from your financial institution, if they have it. At the end of the month tally (add) up everything. You will probably be surprised what that daily latte or vending machine snack actually costs in a months time. Once you know where your money is going, you can make better decisions on how to spend it and maybe how to save it for the future. You might even be able to buy that Rupes 15 polisher youve wanted for detailing if you give up your coffee shop lattes and drink coffee you make at home and take to work.

I actually do track every penny and I would say 75% of my income is spent purely by obligation (loans, insurances, taxes, school fees, health care, etc.). Honestly, when I sold my small office networking company and started working 9-5 my debt went up compared to being self-employed not because of additional spending but because nothing is a tax write off anymore (not my lunches, not my suits, not my car, etc.). So even though I make a bit more on paper the quality of my life is slipping. If I ask for a raise at work it will bump me to the %50 tax bracket and I would actually make less money.

Im strongly considering quitting my 9-5 job and starting another company again.

[allenk4]

Money per student

Bay Area, CA (inner city)- 4,765

Laguna Hills, CA - 13,920

I believe CA schools average are lower than the national average (Except schools in Laguna Hills!)

What at is an appropriate amount of money to spend per Student?

If you have a classroom of 15 kids x $4,765 = $71,475

Should be able to hire a teacher, provide books etceteras, for that amount.


Oops! Forgot about the Extravagant Pensions....nevermind.

Public sector employees should not be afforded Collective Bargaining in a Monopoly business that is maintained by the Government, by harshly limiting competition.

[Ronkh]

What at is an appropriate amount of money to spend per Student?

If you have a classroom of 15 kids x $4,765 = $71,475

Should be able to hire a teacher, provide books etceteras, for that amount.


Oops! Forgot about the Extravagant Pensions....nevermind.

Public sector employees should not be afforded Collective Bargaining in a Monopoly business that is maintained by the Government, by harshly limiting competition.

While I partially (mostly) agree. Youre missing some big expenses. Building, maintenance, electric, water, phone, insurance, grounds keeping.... The list goes on and on. But yeah, you do have a valid point ..

[Accumulator]

Funny how a lot of Public School Systems have plenty of money for Athletic Dept.s yet no money for Educational Supplies or to pay teachers (who arent also coaches).

Funny also how some of the less-affluent Private Schools have virtually zero Athletics yet turn out kids who are well educated.

[Lonnie]

Oops! Forgot about the Extravagant Pensions....nevermind.

Public sector employees should not be afforded Collective Bargaining in a Monopoly business that is maintained by the Government, by harshly limiting competition.

Thats EXACTLY what the Republican Governor, Scott Walker, and the Republican-controlled State Senate did in the state of Wisconsin under Act 10 in 2011. You can imagine the reaction from the Wisconsin Education Association (WEA) and Trade Unions state-wide. The 17 Democrat Senators (including MY representative) fled the state boarders to prevent a vote, thinking the Senate no longer had a quorum (enough legislators to hold government business), but it was passed anyway, withstood State Supreme court lawsuits, and the state recall election of the governor (the ONLY state governor to win a recall in the history of the USA).

Its passage did some BIG things in Wisconsin education:
1) Teachers where no long forced to join the WEA and pay association dues (the right-to-work in currently on hold state-wide by declaring it unconstitutional in Wisconsin by a liberal district judge in Madison)
2) Local teacher associations must re-certify each year, meaning the rank-and-file members MUST hold an election about keeping the Association active and representative of the members. If there are not enough votes, the association is disbanded, and no association dues are collected.
3) School boards (and the tax-payer whom they represent) now control teacher fringe benefits, class sizes, and length of the school day. These are no long negotiable items for teachers. The only thing they can negotiate is pay scales and length of time (contract length).
4) There is no longer binding arbitration, which means if the school board and the local teachers association could not agree on pay scale, it went to a third-party (independent) arbitrator, who decision was final (binding) for BOTH parties. If the teachers wanted a 3%/per year raise, but the school board wants 1%, and they could not reach an agreement, the arbitrator decided, usually in the middle. So 2% MAY have been the decision, but it is 1% more than the school board and property tax payers were willing to pay. Now, teachers can ONLY negotiate their pay scale with local school boards and if it cannot be agreed on, an arbitrator can decide, BUT the decision in not binding.
5) The school board can determine pay based on performance, not on tenure (length of time served as an teacher). This issue is VERY controversial, as what determines "performance" (usually student state test score results) . Also, discipline and dismissals for lack of performance are now determined by school boards, not contract language.
6) Teachers are now forced to pay a certain percentage set by the school board for their insurance and retirement . Before it was almost 100% by the school district (almost free to the teachers) and insurance came through the WEA, not free-market providers.
7) School districts cannot raise property taxes more than 3% per year which is how school districts are funded locally in Wisconsin, so it limits competition between districts of haves and have-nots. This can be over-ridden by local referendums, but is limited to 5%.

As you can see, it has a HUGE economic impact on teachers and the "quality" of education. What it really did is put the power of economic education decisions back in the hands of school boards and the local property taxpayers and severely limited the power of the WEA that had hamstrung the taxpaying public for so long, which is why the legislation was passed during the Great Recession. Teachers needed to be brought back into the economic realities of the day, just like other private-sector business workers have come to know. Another BIG effect is that WEA-funded lobbying on state legislation has been reduced by almost 2/3!!

Good teachers have left, seeking better pay and conditions in the private sector. Many older teachers took advantage of early retirement built into contracts negotiated before the law took effect after its passage. However, teachers are now free to move between school districts which offer better fringe benefits or pay scales.

We will NOT get into the voucher program (also know a Parent Choice in Wisconsin) for private and parochial schools (which I believe is hypocritical for church groups that have parochial schools that accept this money and advocate "Separation of church and state", yet still want religious liberty or freedom.)

[Ronkh]

KFC opens futuristic restaurant run by ROBOTS called Dumi in Shanghai

[oyepresidente]

Don`t worry, I predict these fast food workers will be replaced by automation robots. Maybe an operator with some technical skills will earn the $15/hour pay rate.

Here in the Bay Area you can expect to pay close to $40 for a deli sandwich, salad, soup and craft beer ($15 for beer)

Talk about the Silicon Valley tax


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rlmccarty2000]

The school system here spends months preparing students for and giving standardized tests. The teachers and administrators are given raises based on the kids scores. Georgia has been full of cheating scandals where the teachers and administrators have colluded to change low test scores to high scores in order to get their performance bonuses. It is a huge waste of the kids time and detrimental to their "learning" experience. My son is in the 9th grade and he is exhausted from the pressure and anxiety these "educators" put on him. Children need to be led and taught how to learn. They should not memorizing answers that they will probably only ever need unless they become a contestant on Jeopardy.

[Ronkh]

The school system here spends months preparing students for and giving standardized tests. The teachers and administrators are given raises based on the kids scores. Georgia has been full of cheating scandals where the teachers and administrators have colluded to change low test scores to high scores in order to get their performance bonuses. It is a huge waste of the kids time and detrimental to their "learning" experience. My son is in the 9th grade and he is exhausted from the pressure and anxiety these "educators" put on him. Children need to be led and taught how to learn. They should not memorizing answers that they will probably only ever need unless they become a contestant on Jeopardy.

Here too. Jen`s kids, 3rd grade and 4th grade 6 weeks total testing. Jen "opted em out" that in itself has the school system threating them.

[RaysWay]

The school system here spends months preparing students for and giving standardized tests. The teachers and administrators are given raises based on the kids scores. Georgia has been full of cheating scandals where the teachers and administrators have colluded to change low test scores to high scores in order to get their performance bonuses. It is a huge waste of the kids time and detrimental to their "learning" experience. My son is in the 9th grade and he is exhausted from the pressure and anxiety these "educators" put on him. Children need to be led and taught how to learn. They should not memorizing answers that they will probably only ever need unless they become a contestant on Jeopardy.

I have a very good friend who`s in her second year of teaching and she is planning on going back to school to get out of teaching because of things like this. She can`t stand it. It`s very sad to hear stories or scenarios from someone working in the system.

[Accumulator]

I find it odd that the Standardized Tests are such a big deal (though I agree that they`re sure taking up a lot of time). They`re not considered a big issue my area and the students in our system score very well without any specialized "teach to the test"-prep.

I`ve seen portions of the tests my local public school system uses and they were so easy that I`d fully expect any remotely diligent student could score well just by having received a normal education. And that`s what the experience with them *is* in my neck of the woods.

[allenk4]

If you are affraid of or opposed to the current testing system to evaluate the performance of our schools and students...what do you suggest?

Have you reviewed the standardized tests? They include everything the students should be learning, so I would expect that the teachers are "Teaching to the Test".


If you you don`t like this system for evaluating the progress and future potential of students...you are in for a big surprise when Free College comes along and there is an entrance exam, like in Japan and other countries. Only the smartest kids will get in and yours might not be one of them.