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The high cost of parting ways |
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Written by Timothy G. Kremer
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Re "Byram Hills pays $1.1M but can't fire official," Aug. 17 article:
Kudos to The Journal News for shining a much-needed light on public education's arduous disciplinary hearing system. I doubt your readers were pleased to learn, on average, it costs over $216,000 for districts to proceed against teachers who are either incompetent or who pose a danger to students, and that such hearings go on for an average of 502 days.
As you noted, the New York State School Boards Association continues to call on state lawmakers to reform the 3020-a process. Progress, however, has been slow. For example, it took until 2008 for the state to allow school districts to terminate teachers convicted of a sex offense without having to spend taxpayer dollars on a disciplinary hearing.
I'm afraid such changes, while necessary, are too narrow and will do little to help drive down the real cost and time associated with this process. Instead, lawmakers should look to enact these common-sense reforms:
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Continue the Race |
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The Obama administration’s Race to the Top initiative has shown that competitive grant programs can be a powerful spur to innovation in education. Most of the 12 states that were awarded grants this year — and the more than 30 states that changed education policies in hopes of winning grants — would never have attempted reform on this scale without the promise of federal help.
The administration secured $4.35 billion for the program in the stimulus package and has requested $1.35 billion for next year. Congress should find the money.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan made clear that the process would favor bold reform plans from states with proven records of improving student performance. The states were required to create data-driven systems for training and evaluating principals and teachers; encourage the establishment of high-quality charter schools; develop plans for turning around failing schools; and demonstrate a strong political consensus for reform.
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Schools left to wait on jobs aid |
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ALBANY — As the first day of classes draws near, school district officials are waiting for new federal aid promised as a means of saving teachers' jobs that were cut in the spring budget process.
For some local districts, the aid amounts to millions of dollars in one-time revenue. Locally, the aid ranges from $143,044 for Rhinebeck Central School District to $2.8 million for Wappingers Central School District.
Congress this month approved federal aid designed to save education positions cut by districts facing tight budgets. New York's share is nearly $608 million. However, state lawmakers have to return to Albany to appropriate the money before it can be handed out. No date has been set, and they are not expected to return until after the Sept. 14 primary.
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