Comments on: Lessons for Congress about Education Spending http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/ Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:16:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Educational value add :: Hong Kong http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-210663 Educational value add :: Hong Kong Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:37:30 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-210663 [...] NationMaster If you insist on quoting RAND, then I guess you should also take a look at Foundry: Lessons for Congress about Education Spending | The Foundry: Conservative Policy News. Your arguments are rather pathetic to be honest. Who's blaming the unions solely for the current [...] [...] NationMaster If you insist on quoting RAND, then I guess you should also take a look at Foundry: Lessons for Congress about Education Spending | The Foundry: Conservative Policy News. Your arguments are rather pathetic to be honest. Who's blaming the unions solely for the current [...]

]]> By: Stuck on Stupid http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-143546 Stuck on Stupid Sun, 18 Jul 2010 17:46:41 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-143546 [...] The irrefutable case for the abolishment of the Department of Education. [...] [...] The irrefutable case for the abolishment of the Department of Education. [...]

]]> By: Marilyn, PA http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-26497 Marilyn, PA Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:46:45 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-26497 In my area parents the choice between public and religious schools that are somewhat equal in their ability to educate our children. There are so many factors that affect education that a simply solution just won't work. Obama has said that merit pay for teachers will improve education but I feel that it would cause all sorts of problems. (Part of my job is to get teachers to work together to devise strategies to help students that are having significant difficulties.) What will happen when teachers must compete for pay? Obama thinks that will improve education but I think that it will actually cause the reverse since teachers will not be as willing to help each other. I don't understand how merit pay for teachers will improve student attendance which is a major problem or improve the quality of life of students. We deal every day with students that aren't fed or nutured at home. I wish most people could see how much teachers do care and work to help their students. They are often working under difficult situations and long hours. Spouses of teachers know that a teacher's day is not done when they have put the last student on the bus. Students do not come to school equally prepared but teachers often have to work with a program that assumes students learn at the same pace. A one size fits all cure won't be the solution. The needs of an inner city school is far different than the rural schools in my area but we all have the same rules. Kind of silly isn't it. Finding effective solutions will not come from a slogan but it will take real effect to recognize what is wrong in education and what to do to fix it. In my area parents the choice between public and religious schools that are somewhat equal in their ability to educate our children. There are so many factors that affect education that a simply solution just won't work. Obama has said that merit pay for teachers will improve education but I feel that it would cause all sorts of problems. (Part of my job is to get teachers to work together to devise strategies to help students that are having significant difficulties.) What will happen when teachers must compete for pay? Obama thinks that will improve education but I think that it will actually cause the reverse since teachers will not be as willing to help each other. I don't understand how merit pay for teachers will improve student attendance which is a major problem or improve the quality of life of students. We deal every day with students that aren't fed or nutured at home. I wish most people could see how much teachers do care and work to help their students. They are often working under difficult situations and long hours. Spouses of teachers know that a teacher's day is not done when they have put the last student on the bus.

Students do not come to school equally prepared but teachers often have to work with a program that assumes students learn at the same pace. A one size fits all cure won't be the solution. The needs of an inner city school is far different than the rural schools in my area but we all have the same rules. Kind of silly isn't it. Finding effective solutions will not come from a slogan but it will take real effect to recognize what is wrong in education and what to do to fix it.

]]> By: Phillip Texas http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-24600 Phillip Texas Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:35:38 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-24600 Over the years I have noticed a very disturbing thing happening in our education system,children are no longer required to take math,science,history the basic fundamental classes that make up the back bone of our great country, its heritage ,the foundation of freedom and, what the constituion is all about. In todays schools you can get credit for going to study hall,taking a class in kite making etc.It's sadly become more about the money and less about the education, when a child is lazy they send that child to special ed class because there's always more money there and its easier for the scol to let the child slide thru the system,check out how much each school superintendant makes and how much each principle and asst. principle make , and how many there are in each district it does not make sense,how much time is actually spent teaching (indoctrinating). How much time do the teachers actually spend at there job each year verus the private sector.And also why is a teacher who is a public employee paid with our tax money allowed to be represented by a union isn't that conflict of interest. Just follow the money who gets the biggest contributions from the NEA ,onc again just follow the money and who suffers the children and the future of America these will be our future leaders and what will they KNOW. Over the years I have noticed a very disturbing thing happening in our education system,children are no longer required to take math,science,history the basic fundamental classes that make up the back bone of our great country, its heritage ,the foundation of freedom and, what the constituion is all about. In todays schools you can get credit for going to study hall,taking a class in kite making etc.It's sadly become more about the money and less about the education, when a child is lazy they send that child to special ed class because there's always more money there and its easier for the scol to let the child slide thru the system,check out how much each school superintendant makes and how much each principle and asst. principle make , and how many there are in each district it does not make sense,how much time is actually spent teaching (indoctrinating). How much time do the teachers actually spend at there job each year verus the private sector.And also why is a teacher who is a public employee paid with our tax money allowed to be represented by a union isn't that conflict of interest. Just follow the money who gets the biggest contributions from the NEA ,onc again just follow the money and who suffers the children and the future of America these will be our future leaders and what will they KNOW.

]]> By: ANDREW, OHIO http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-18402 ANDREW, OHIO Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:47:24 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-18402 THIS SO CALLED STIMULUS BILL IS AND WAS PAY BACK TO THE DEMOCRATES. PURE AND SIMPLE. THE BIG UNIONS BACK THE DEMOCRATES. THE NEA (NATIONAL TEACHERS UNION). IT ALWAYS SOUNDS GOOD WHEN YOU RUN FOR OFFICE. ( I WILL GIVE MORE TOWARD EDUCATION.) OUR UNION EDUCATION SYSTEM GETS THE MONEY. WE SPEND MORE ON EDUCATION THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY AND GET LESS THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY. OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE TO BUY NEW BOOKS EACH YEAR. WHICH IS BILLIONS IN BOOKS THAT NEVER CHANGE. A TOTAL RIP OFF. THE UNIONS NEA A TOTAL WASTE. THIS SO CALLED STIMULUS BILL IS AND WAS PAY BACK TO THE DEMOCRATES. PURE AND SIMPLE. THE BIG UNIONS BACK THE DEMOCRATES. THE NEA (NATIONAL TEACHERS UNION). IT ALWAYS SOUNDS GOOD WHEN YOU RUN FOR OFFICE. ( I WILL GIVE MORE TOWARD EDUCATION.) OUR UNION EDUCATION SYSTEM GETS THE MONEY. WE SPEND MORE ON EDUCATION THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY AND GET LESS THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY. OUR COLLEGE STUDENTS HAVE TO BUY NEW BOOKS EACH YEAR. WHICH IS BILLIONS IN BOOKS THAT NEVER CHANGE. A TOTAL RIP OFF. THE UNIONS NEA A TOTAL WASTE.

]]> By: Lisa http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-17948 Lisa Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:01:22 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-17948 Money is not the answer. The whole system needs to be scrapped. If I were in charge I would privatize education. Give parents the money and let them choose what school they send their children to. Let the schools compete for your business. If I were given the per child dollars to educate my homeschooled child, I would be able to give her a world class education (to include museums, road trips, art, dance classes and so on) and save enough money to send her to any college she wanted to attend. I have spent a whopping 100.00 to teach my daughter to read, thanks of course to the library and my (ahem) library fines. I recently had a 17 year old foster child who was special ed. he has an IQ of about 6 years old. He is completely illeterate, yet he got an "A" in reading. I was blown away, how could this be? Then I looked at his IEP.... his reading curriculum was learning to read signs. wow. And yet our school district screams and yells that they don't have enough money for special ed. They aren't even trying to teach as it is. Not to mention that the quality of teachers is degrading at an alarming rate. Just last week a teacher was arrested for drug possession, after they searched his computer they found child porn. Remember who is teaching the teachers, Education Experts like Bill Ayers. Money is not the answer. The whole system needs to be scrapped. If I were in charge I would privatize education. Give parents the money and let them choose what school they send their children to. Let the schools compete for your business. If I were given the per child dollars to educate my homeschooled child, I would be able to give her a world class education (to include museums, road trips, art, dance classes and so on) and save enough money to send her to any college she wanted to attend. I have spent a whopping 100.00 to teach my daughter to read, thanks of course to the library and my (ahem) library fines.

I recently had a 17 year old foster child who was special ed. he has an IQ of about 6 years old. He is completely illeterate, yet he got an "A" in reading. I was blown away, how could this be? Then I looked at his IEP…. his reading curriculum was learning to read signs. wow. And yet our school district screams and yells that they don't have enough money for special ed. They aren't even trying to teach as it is.

Not to mention that the quality of teachers is degrading at an alarming rate. Just last week a teacher was arrested for drug possession, after they searched his computer they found child porn.

Remember who is teaching the teachers, Education Experts like Bill Ayers.

]]> By: Barb -mn http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-17583 Barb -mn Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:47:39 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-17583 Good one to you also, Ruth. This ugly state claims $11000.00 per student! Some students cost more then others. It's a deceiving average. Eleven thousand dollars of hard earned income indoctrinating our children. We deserve receipts per child if they are going to report it as "$11000 per student." We do spend time to teach our child FACTS. Unfortunately government has our child for 7 hours while we may have 1 hour of quality time. This is outrageous that public schools cost more then private. Since we're forced to pay for government schools we are unable to afford private school. Private schools teach VALUES. unlike government schools that takes them away. Good one to you also, Ruth. This ugly state claims $11000.00 per student! Some students cost more then others. It's a deceiving average. Eleven thousand dollars of hard earned income indoctrinating our children. We deserve receipts per child if they are going to report it as "$11000 per student." We do spend time to teach our child FACTS. Unfortunately government has our child for 7 hours while we may have 1 hour of quality time. This is outrageous that public schools cost more then private. Since we're forced to pay for government schools we are unable to afford private school. Private schools teach VALUES. unlike government schools that takes them away.

]]> By: Ruth, Big Rapids, MI http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-17427 Ruth, Big Rapids, MI Thu, 12 Feb 2009 12:45:40 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-17427 Amen, Ozzy! My son graduated in 1994, and I had to take a hand in supplementing his general knowledge or he would have been severely lacking. I taught him some history, i.e. the Civil War, Spanish American War, WWI and WWII. When he brought home corrected English papers, I sometimes sent them back with more corrections. I'm a product of 1950s public school education and can see that as less was taught in the public schools every year, the deficit snowballed. Teachers who were taught less as students taught even less as teachers. It's no wonder that our local newspaper is illiterate and that history is repeating itself to our detriment. If you don't know history, how can you avoid making the same mistakes? Amen, Ozzy! My son graduated in 1994, and I had to take a hand in supplementing his general knowledge or he would have been severely lacking. I taught him some history, i.e. the Civil War, Spanish American War, WWI and WWII. When he brought home corrected English papers, I sometimes sent them back with more corrections. I'm a product of 1950s public school education and can see that as less was taught in the public schools every year, the deficit snowballed. Teachers who were taught less as students taught even less as teachers. It's no wonder that our local newspaper is illiterate and that history is repeating itself to our detriment. If you don't know history, how can you avoid making the same mistakes?

]]> By: richard voinov, cali http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-17391 richard voinov, cali Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:42:48 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-17391 I am a retired teacher /counselor with 32 years of experience. Th one missing component in the mix has always been the parent that is not educationally motivated. I could write a book about what I saw during home visits_ drinking parents or worse yet drug use, grown men playing computer games while a student is trying to study, keeping childen home (out of school) for no apparent reason or frequent tardies an showing up after reading or math had already taken place I can recall the many times I saw a child walking to school eating a bag of chitos and drinking a coke because some parent did not provide a proper breakfast. Now I ask you, if you were a classroom teacher how would you fix the problem? I am a retired teacher /counselor with 32 years of experience.

Th one missing component in the mix has always been

the parent that is not educationally motivated. I could write a book about what I saw during home visits_ drinking parents or worse yet drug use, grown men playing computer games while a student is trying to study, keeping childen home (out of school) for no apparent reason or frequent tardies an showing up after reading or math had already taken place I can recall the many times I saw a child walking to school eating a bag of chitos and drinking a coke because some parent did not provide a proper breakfast. Now I ask you, if you were a classroom teacher how would you fix the problem?

]]> By: Frustrated Parent/Ed http://blog.heritage.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-17390 Frustrated Parent/Ed Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:30:03 +0000 http://www.foundry.org/2009/02/10/lessons-for-congress-about-education-spending/#comment-17390 Students who do their homework (and don't copy it) and are attentive and respectful in class rarely fail. Unfortunately, this type of student is increasingly rare. Perhaps we need to motivate students and parents by linking these easy to achieve behaviors with public entitlements like welfare and tax credits. (If bankers' salaries can be affected if they get bailouts, it would be hypocritical not to be able to tie student behavior to public funding as well.) I suspect we will get a nation of learners with lower per student funding with this one easy motivator. It is tragic that we no longer have many parents who value education or understand "tough love" without external motivation today. Students who do their homework (and don't copy it) and are attentive and respectful in class rarely fail. Unfortunately, this type of student is increasingly rare. Perhaps we need to motivate students and parents by linking these easy to achieve behaviors with public entitlements like welfare and tax credits. (If bankers' salaries can be affected if they get bailouts, it would be hypocritical not to be able to tie student behavior to public funding as well.) I suspect we will get a nation of learners with lower per student funding with this one easy motivator. It is tragic that we no longer have many parents who value education or understand "tough love" without external motivation today.

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