tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post4749511596534823444..comments2024-01-08T03:21:35.616-05:00Comments on DeKalb County School Watch: Why? Here's Why ...Cerebrationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-38098874788372204042011-02-26T23:18:05.884-05:002011-02-26T23:18:05.884-05:00I think some form of vouchers to instill competiti...I think some form of vouchers to instill competition between public schools with partial vounchers (a"ding") for privaate schools is an incentive to improve the public schools and to get them actually working for the kids again. It also puts the money at the school level and would feed it up to the administrative level rather than what we having going now, which has raised at least one or two (if not more) generations of illiterate kids while costing us billions of dollars -- it is not working very well at all and we need a new paradigm.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-88498624495609627842011-02-26T22:39:11.500-05:002011-02-26T22:39:11.500-05:00Public education in America will not recover until...Public education in America will not recover until it is agreed that it is an important factor in the overall health and survival of this nation. Yes, many say it is important but few treat it as such. For those with resources, public education is simply a pitiful option they do not bother to consider. For so many who don't have resources it is something to be tolerated until our children are done. We view teaching as a missionary effort, not as a profession held by regular people with lives and aspirations. Yet, we have struggled to find ways to hold it accountable as a profession. So, until America makes up its mind that public education is important we will continue to get these hit or miss efforts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-4271845651958857422011-02-25T19:18:17.577-05:002011-02-25T19:18:17.577-05:00There are some excellent private schools and there...There are some excellent private schools and there are probably some not so excellent private schools. There are fewere controls on private schools and they get to choose and boot kids. This cuts both good and bad. Teachers have more freedom in private schools than in public schools --if you get a bad teacher -- you're stuck but I think that there's a much greater liklihood that the teacher won't be back the next year. At the Westminsters, Paces, Woodwards, Paideas, etc. the schools have their acts together -- even they aren't perfect for all kids and each have their fans and naysayers because there is definitely a "fit" component to attending the school. The baeuty to me of the voucher plan that has "full" vouchers for public "choice" (with preference for "home" or resident schools) and "half" vouchers for private schools is two fold: (1) competitition is always better than monopolies (anyone remember how expensive and dull it was with only MaBell or when the airlines had a tighter monopoly? I am a fan of capitalism and competition) and (2) the money would have be spread out and then flow up -- 90,000 parents with vounchers spreading the wealth instead of a handful of administrators spreading money down-- that leaves less room for corruption and requires more cooperation to siphon the funds into the wrong hands. If the situation anyone found themselves in with a voucher was a fake or a fruad or a sham, you take your voucher and go somewhere else the next year and the school would be empty. That's the idea. It's not that there aren't good public schools and bad private schools -- it's just that this gives the control to the parents instead of the administrators.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-30651411768539273052011-02-25T16:15:31.471-05:002011-02-25T16:15:31.471-05:00And ANOTHER board member behaving badly. This time...And ANOTHER board member behaving badly. This time it is Paul Womack...<br /><br /><i>State Senator Emanuel Jones (D-Decatur) has accused the DeKalb County school board vice chairman of attacking him and said he plans to file an ethics complaint.<br />Jones and board member H. Paul Womack got into a dispute Thursday night at a DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce banquet over a pending ethics bill. Jones said Womack pointed his finger in the legislator’s face, used profanity and said he was God. </i><br /><br />http://www.ajc.com/news/dekalb/legislator-claims-ethics-violation-853174.htmlPaula Caldarellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05515215184962897541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-2213551580584250412011-02-25T10:09:20.764-05:002011-02-25T10:09:20.764-05:00I'd love to see the data to back up the "...I'd love to see the data to back up the "private schools are better" rhetoric being bandied about by several commenters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-88441214657198652902011-02-24T23:36:35.342-05:002011-02-24T23:36:35.342-05:00On the voucher front - I'm all for vouchers bu...On the voucher front - I'm all for vouchers but I think that they should be usable by everyone akin to a European system -- everyone uses one and applies for their school: full vouchers ($10k) for public schools with first dibs to your local residential disstricted schools with some "guidance" for how to control for capacity and residency but with a way to open it up if there are seats and then with an option to "shop" other public schools for those other open seats by some mechanism -- then the particular school can contribute some sum to the "system" for "common functions" (like buses). Parents could use a "smaller" voucher for private school and the differnce would then go to the "home" school to help improve the home school so you get competition within the public schools, everyone gets to attend a school and they could be used for private. You would "spread" the money out so it would be much harder for anyone to siphon from the top. There could be some "default" in case the parent refuses to actively choose what to do with a voucher. I think the system could work really well but even if there were problems,it would have to be better than what is currently happening. It can't be much worse.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-36729108800574537882011-02-24T23:24:21.960-05:002011-02-24T23:24:21.960-05:00If it turns out that the BOE (or certain members o...If it turns out that the BOE (or certain members of the BOE) are seeking to hide the audit, there may be some "self-preservation" that could be gained by Nancy and Donna figuring out a way to have DCSS comply with the Freedom of Information Request for it while they're both "clean" and "new."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-88197692543115200392011-02-24T23:11:41.150-05:002011-02-24T23:11:41.150-05:00Ella Smith said...
I thought the article was great...Ella Smith said...<br />I thought the article was great. There is a great deal of lip service but no action. The issues are danced around so much of the time.<br /><br />Very well said, Ella. I couldn't agree more!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-37447218291834492842011-02-24T22:58:51.442-05:002011-02-24T22:58:51.442-05:00I'm now ready for our 3rd math curriculum in 5...I'm now ready for our 3rd math curriculum in 5 years. I think folks have previously posted that the elementary teachers haven't gone 3 years without the math curriculum changing. The state teacher training budget has been cut in half over the past 3-6 years and the AJC has just reported that DCSS spent significantly less training teachers on Math 1-2-3 than the other counties. The teacher turnover rate is very high and retention rate is very low in DCSS and the certification standards in Georgia are miserable. Any wonder that Georgia is lagging behind the rest of the country in public ed? <br /><br />My solution: The state legislature needs to restrict the state board of ed. Curriculum must only be adopted (in toto) from a state that is doing it well (top 5 ranking -- already working -- not alreay failing -- not take bits and pieces -- truly succeeding somewhere else) -- take math from Mass., English from Iowa -- take from somewhere in the top 5 -- in toto -- K-12 no tinkering! (maybe even take the trained teachers....). Take the tests. Take the textbooks. Take the curriculum. Take it all. No tax dollars spent on Research & Development of curriculum and testing. No Tax dollars wasted shifting curriculum every 3 years. Take something that works already. No tinkering. State Board of Ed can modify a top 5 US History program from somewhere to add in component parts of Georgia History -- which is unique to Georgia (although as an original 13 colony, other states would study Georgia history). Stop using our children as guinea pigs and using tax dollars to do so -- this is lunacy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-74645335425898720762011-02-24T22:52:40.532-05:002011-02-24T22:52:40.532-05:00The BOE may be less inclined to want the audit rel...The BOE may be less inclined to want the audit released than Ms. Tyson and they may be the ones holding back -- maybe someone should get Nancy and Donna interested in figuring out why it's not being released.... could be that it's sheltering BOE members in addition to others.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-40259298390260112442011-02-24T22:34:07.960-05:002011-02-24T22:34:07.960-05:00@949 -- if DCSS won't ask for a copy, the boar...@949 -- if DCSS won't ask for a copy, the board should.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-17385432917934162412011-02-24T21:55:39.190-05:002011-02-24T21:55:39.190-05:00@ themommy - great chart and thanks for sharing th...@ themommy - great chart and thanks for sharing the link.<br /><br />i'm not so fussed about the salaries for the principals or even vice principals, so long as they're doing well by an objective metric.<br /><br />a few that do look odd, though, are the very high amounts for an elementary school counselor and the head custodian in the HS and MS. also, i'm hoping kittredge has multiple staff being counted for music and art or those numbers are egregiously high (and i'm in the wrong profession).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-73470045606443747952011-02-24T21:49:22.724-05:002011-02-24T21:49:22.724-05:00E&Y would be obligated to provide a copy of th...E&Y would be obligated to provide a copy of the audit if it were requested by DCSS. My brother-in-law is an auditor for one of the Big 4 firms and feels that DCSS has not followed through on requesting a copy of the audit. I suspect they haven't put in the request because it's unnecessary. I'd bet my house they have a copy in their possession that likely exposes some ugly truths that need to be closely guarded or heads will roll. This is a horror movie in the making.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-51093451218109245262011-02-24T21:26:22.679-05:002011-02-24T21:26:22.679-05:00http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/redistri...http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/redistricting/financial-analysis-individual-schools.pdfthemommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01829171693817032539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-72864136767857665812011-02-24T21:22:31.738-05:002011-02-24T21:22:31.738-05:00Anon 6:15 PM
While I didn't see the exact rep...Anon 6:15 PM<br /><br />While I didn't see the exact report, remember that DCSS has very small schools and more schools that any other system in the state.<br /><br />This is why. In addition, the fact that the principals at Livsey, Kittridge, Peachcrest, etc all make over 100,000 dollars with less than 500 students. Heck, the Wadsworth prinicpal makes 100,000+ for less than 200 students.<br /><br />Who are we kidding here? How does this make sense to anyone?themommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01829171693817032539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-38719120987440781342011-02-24T20:59:51.823-05:002011-02-24T20:59:51.823-05:00The Open Records Act is a Georgia law. Why can...The Open Records Act is a Georgia law. Why can't the state of Georgia compel them to turn this over? <br />http://www.gfaf.org/open_records.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-39791857775447364342011-02-24T20:51:29.258-05:002011-02-24T20:51:29.258-05:00@6:15: "Still doesn't explain why they c...@6:15: "Still doesn't explain why they can't ask for another copy..."<br /><br />...especially after spending >$300K for the first one not so long ago. Surely E&Y would be happy to provide a duplicate if asked. Otherwise I can't imagine other government entities soliciting their expertise in the future.<br /><br />The shame is that if the board spent this amount of money on something so important, wouldn't they have as much interest as we do in obtaining a duplicate copy?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-17355610153439246932011-02-24T20:09:08.969-05:002011-02-24T20:09:08.969-05:00Regarding the hundreds of DCSS administrators and ...Regarding the hundreds of DCSS administrators and staff making over $100k per year, and the hundreds more making over $90k per year: So many of them are New Birth Church members, and it's not by coincidence.<br /><br />Wondering if Eddie Long wil keep his hold on DCSS after his mess sorts out;<br />http://www.wsbtv.com/news/25394921/detail.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-66593704435819316682011-02-24T20:03:26.226-05:002011-02-24T20:03:26.226-05:00Anon 9:22, did you perhaps mean that we use this b...Anon 9:22, did you perhaps mean that we use this blog as a bully pulpit akin to Roosevelt?<br /><br /><i>From the Rogers Institute's blog, Bully Pulpit: The term "bully pulpit" stems from President Theodore Roosevelt's reference to the White House as a "bully pulpit," meaning a terrific platform from which to persuasively advocate an agenda. Roosevelt often used the word "bully" as an adjective meaning superb/wonderful.</i><br /><br />IF that's the case, then perhaps I have no argument with you. We do, in fact, use this blog to try to present a perspective, backed up with facts and data as best we can, in order to help persuade opinions. You are correct.Cerebrationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11161868015604029471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-79367274388448835002011-02-24T18:25:48.619-05:002011-02-24T18:25:48.619-05:00@6:15 pm
"I think the audit was commissioned ...@6:15 pm<br />"I think the audit was commissioned in the Johnny Brown days. To be fair to the district there's a chance he took it with him to Texas. "<br /><br />Crawford Lewis used this audit as the reason to give a raise to Zepora Roberts daughter in 2006 long after Brown was gone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-79764745579122327822011-02-24T18:15:50.019-05:002011-02-24T18:15:50.019-05:00i just heard some pretty disturbing news on wsbtv ...i just heard some pretty disturbing news on wsbtv 6pm news broadcast...why are DCSS BOE paying principals $87.14 per student. There needs to be some adjustments made here. This throwing money around like it's growing on trees around the palace is just crazy. <br />Are we dealing with an educated BOE...just how much should principals be making...Channel 2 news broke it down by the counties how much principals are paid per pupil so let's figure this out<br />Cobb $50.48, Gwinnett $55.06, Fulton $63.39, DeKalb $87.14 and Atlanta $221.29.<br />Now both Atlanta and DCSS have fewer students than Cobb and Gwinnett so what gives....why so much in DCSS...They have no more education than other principals in neighboring counties...so riddle me this BOE and I agree with Richard Belcher something's not right here.<br />These local school systems need to get their act together..have they forgotten wht they are paid to do...educate the future not rob them of a future...jmoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-82264509422000630332011-02-24T18:15:33.492-05:002011-02-24T18:15:33.492-05:00I think the audit was commissioned in the Johnny B...I think the audit was commissioned in the Johnny Brown days. To be fair to the district there's a chance he took it with him to Texas. This doesn't explain why E&Y can't produce another copy though. Another thought is that it may be in the stuff the DA took from Crawford's house. Still doesn't explain why they can't ask for another copy...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-8245975949501300172011-02-24T18:10:40.545-05:002011-02-24T18:10:40.545-05:00Sandy,
You're right about the leadership tryin...Sandy,<br />You're right about the leadership trying to hide something in that audit. Just think if we ever see the "real audit". The one that E&Y actually handed over to DCSS.<br /><br />Something tells me if it ever did see the light of day, like it should, that we would have to fire the entire Palace guard. To me that should have been done over the past summer. <br /><br />Everyone must go or it will be the same forever. DCSS can no longer be a jobs program. Audria Berry, you and your entire army should be shown the door. The office of "improvement" has done nothing to improve the DCSS schools. Since being implemented schools have only declined and continued to slide. more schools are failing now then when we did not have an office of improvement. Ms. Berry your gravy train has run out of gravy. I'm sure you can find work in another system. Please start looking today!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-84381493577344085892011-02-24T17:39:24.582-05:002011-02-24T17:39:24.582-05:00Sandy
Maybe the audit was included by accident in...Sandy<br /><br />Maybe the audit was included by accident in the 2,500 pages of material that Ramona gave to SACS. Why not call and ask them?<br /><br />How about asking your BOE member to ask Ramona to get you the E&Y copy?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151096942903989101.post-21451805285627292552011-02-24T17:32:07.228-05:002011-02-24T17:32:07.228-05:00@ Anonymous 1:16 PM
"Where did you get with ...@ Anonymous 1:16 PM<br /><br /><b><i>"Where did you get with your request of the [Salary] audit?"</i></b><br /><br />Still in pursuit with a lot of help from Jim Walls. Be sure to stay current with Jim's Atlanta Unfiltered blog (link to it from this blog) and read his column in the AJC. <br /><br />DCSS's reluctance to simply hand over the study, as required by law, indicates that there is something they are desperate to hide in that study -- probably something huge and incredibly damning.<br /><br />Stay tuned ...Sandy Spruillnoreply@blogger.com