Budget Cuts Take Toll on Teachers
Posted on February 28th, 2011 by Mary Lord
Teachers nationwide could face sharp reductions in their ranks as state and local governments tackle crippling budget shortfalls. Providence, R.I., sent notices to teachers last week warning all of them could lose their jobs. New York City’s preliminary budget calls for thousands of layoffs. How is your district faring?
Filed under: K-12 Education News | 2 Comments »
Tags: Education Policy, Public Policy, Teachers
Cash-strapped school districts got some welcome news from Washington last week. The Obama administration’s proposed 2012 education budget, if approved, would significantly increase federal spending for public schools and maintain the maximum Pell grant — the cornerstone financial-aid program — at $5,550 per college student.
With tough times forcing schools to do even more with far less, some states are seeking private funds to support public education reforms. For months, Illinois education officials have courted philanthropic foundations and businesses to raise money for initiatives from testing every kindergartner to revamping how teenagers study science.
Teachers marching on the state capital. Legislators ducking out of town to stall a vote rather than let the governor abolish collective bargaining. For more than a week, mass demonstrations by public employees in Madison, Wisc., have given the nation a riveting a lesson in democracy — one that promises to continue now that educators have, at their union leader’s urging, returned to their classrooms.
More public high school students are taking and succeeding at AP exams than 10 years ago, a new report from the College Board reveals. Maryland tops the nation, with 24.8 percent of students passing at least one AP test, compared with a national average of 16.9 percent.
Pinched state coffers are prompting elected officials nationwide to rethink how their states spend money on education. Some, including Idaho, contemplate increases in class size. Indiana has proposed allowing college-ready high school juniors to graduate early.
Participation among high school students in science fairs appears to be declining. Ironically, many science teachers fault the Obama administration. Even as the White House promotes science fairs, the administration’s policies hold schools accountable for math and reading scores at the expense of creative science, they say. 
Congress is finally taking up the Elementary and Secondary Education Act – a.k.a No Child Left Behind – after several years’ delay, and the outcome of this reauthorization will affect every public school district, principal, teacher, and student in the country. Look for regular updates on ESEA Watch.
A bill pending in the Kentucky legislature would pay extra sums to math and science teachers, including bonuses of up to $7,500 a year to those whose students score well on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests. But some teachers have mixed feelings about the proposal.
