Comments on: Da budget

By: also obsessed

also obsessed — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 14:32:03 +0000

thank god, read this:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paras-bhayani/chicago-public-schools-do_b_512538.html

By: Mayfair Dad

Mayfair Dad — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:33:40 +0000

Public Sector Budgeting (PSB) for FY11 will not go live on Monday, March 29, 2010 as previously announced. However, this is good news because the budget office is making (positive) adjustments in the budget right now. It looks like the earliest that schools will receive their budget is late next week.

By: not so hopeful anymore

not so hopeful anymore — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 21:44:03 +0000

I think there is an assumption that after this school year, we will be through “the worst of it”. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are predicted to be in the same or worse position financially for at least the next two years, probably more. So, I wouldn’t plan on nice small class sizes in 2011.
Also, I have a good friend who teaches AP classes at Lane. She already has nearly 40 in some of her classes and describes it as extremely difficult to grade. Multiply 40 by the total number of students/periods a hs teacher has and we are talking hundreds of papers to grade every night. High school cannot be compared to college.

By: Ys Parents

Ys Parents — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:30:59 +0000

I think 37 kids a class could be ok in some classes, like AP High School classes or upper level (junior/senior) High School classes. Older kids can handle bigger classes, as we did in college. However, I can’t imagine any class K-8 with 37 kids. That is way too many. Those middle of the road kids will be ignored.

By: not so hopeful anymore

not so hopeful anymore — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:33:01 +0000

cpsobsessed….maybe you should do a thing about school fundraisers? I just came from our school’s fundraiser. I spent most of the night trying to remind myself to pick my jaw up off the floor. It was, um, nicer than my wedding. I couldn’t believe how much money people were bidding. I’d love to hear what schools across the city are doing to fundraise in order to make up some of the difference in the funding that is going to disappear. I was also surprised to hear that Disney Magnet (the original) doesn’t do parent fundraising. Could the person I talked to have misinformation?

By: 2ndtimearound

2ndtimearound — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 02:18:20 +0000

I was just thinking about the 37 in a class. Two things come to mind: 1.in a neighborhood school, if more children come in during the year without others leaving, classes could actually end up larger than 37. 2. what happens if the budget situation changes for the better for school year 2011/2012 and now there is more money, what happens with all of the extra kids and ratios? split classes, low class size. I know you have to take into account mobility rates, which vary from neighborhood to neighborhood. But has CPS thought through what they will do after they get through this crisis and possible staff cuts and increased class size? Probably not, as they tend to be more of a band-aid type institution versus a plan ahead and be prepared type.

By: CPSnewbie

CPSnewbie — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:33:44 +0000

Just a thought – how can they legally put 37 kids in each class? For example, when I toured Decateur they could barely fit the kids in each classroom, let alone more desks. Also, what about fire code? Can it possibly be legal to stuff that many people into one room? The 37 kids sounds horrifying from an educational perspective, but I just don’t understand how they can physically achieve it either?

By: cpsobsessed

cpsobsessed — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 02:20:38 +0000

@Another mommy – You’re correct. They can’t force anyone to pay so those who won’t/can’t get a free ride. I’m OK with the “can’t payers” but there are also people who are morally opposed to paying for “free” education since they pay their taxes, so they refuse to pay. But get the free ride.
However, that school was pretty much all about “you raise the money and you get it, you don’t and you don’t. period.”
So you really need a lot of families kicking in $1500 to make it work.

By: Another mommy

Another mommy — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:02:25 +0000

I have friends whose children attend Ogden. They had to raise money to fund a full day of kindergarten this year. They got it. But, from the looks of it, this might become commonplace for all/some CPS kindergarten classes.

My question is, what about people who can’t afford to put up that kind of money? I believe it was about $1500 per family. From what I understand, the people that could pay did, and the ones that couldn’t just got a free ride.

By: not so hopeful anymore

not so hopeful anymore — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:52:17 +0000

One of the items to be axed was a portion of discretionary funding. Presumably, they’d cut the portion that historically funded full day kinder even in neighborhood schools. (and others)