Monday, March 7, 2011
Guv'ment Today in Education: Pre-K about-face, DeKalb's big decision and extra credit
Posted by Emma Harger on Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 4:04 PM
It may seem like just any other Monday, but for area education wonks, it is actually a pretty interesting day.
First, Gov. Nathan Deal announced that he's changing the way he'll cut the state's lottery-funded pre-K program. Instead of cutting pre-K school days from six-and-a-half to four hours, a move that was met with much dissent, he will reduce the pre-K school year from 180 to 160 days. Pre-K teachers will also see a pay cut of 10 percent due to the shortened school year, but Deal's spokesperson Brian Robinson says this is down from the 30-percent cut that came with the original plan. This move will reportedly save $21 million, according to the AJC, and 2,000 new students will join the program next year.
Pre-K extra credit: An independent study shows that Georgia's pre-K program results in fewer students being held back, dropping out or needing special ed classes. Other studies reveal that states see a $7 return for every $1 they invest in pre-K because those kids tend to graduate from high school, graduate from college and get higher-paying jobs that produce more tax revenue.
Second, the DeKalb County School Board has a big decision to make tonight. Following a redistricting proposal process that at one point included 14 schools slated to close (which was then whittled down to eight), tonight the board must vote on whether to approve or deny the proposed changes.
Redistricting extra credit: School districts in the area redistrict for different reasons. Jaime Sarrio and Kristina Torres explain that districts like Cobb and Cherokee redistrict to address growth, while DeKalb and Atlanta redistrict to consolidate. DeKalb school board chairman Tom Bowen also says that other systems (like Gwinnett, where six new schools opened last year) tend to do smaller-scale redistricting every three to five years, whereas DeKalb is at this time doing bigger changes every ten to 15 years.
But how does redistricting even work? There are not too many hard and fast guidelines from the state for how to do it. Most systems tend to use factors like these in deciding:
-using major roads as attendance zone boundaries
-considering travel time to each school
-trying to keep neighborhoods intact
-presence of new buildings, when applicable
-growth or contraction of the area
Fresh Loaf will have an update on the school board's decision when it happens.
Comments (3)
Showing 1-3 of 3
Sweet!
This is a very good development to me as the parent of a 4 year old starting pre-K in the Fall. Less days is certainly preferable to shorter days. Hopefully my daughter can pick up some Spanish since the local elementary school is 70% Hispanic.
But all this to save $21M? Seems like chump change when the lottery is raising $3.5B/year in revenue.
like
dislike
Georgia one of a small fistful of states still rolling with this program as much as we are. Most states had to axe this program a while ago.
I am sure Pre-k teachers do not mind in the least to add 2 more chilren, portfolios: collecting antecdotle notes and taking pictures, matrixes, and 2-5 page lesson plans and implementing small group activities to fit the needs of individual students, the $120 dollar monthly supply budget to now cover 22 kids when a ream of paint paper from the supply company is extortion, as well find a place for 2 extra kids to take a rest and wipe tables after eating, sweeping, mopping, and cleaning bathrooms with 10% less pay. Of course teachers did not get into education for the money and at least they still have jobs, right?!
Latest in Fresh Loaf
-
Time and Place: Read between the lines
To me this photo is about doing your own thing and following your own path in life.
-
Vernon Jones wants to return to the Gold Dome and other interesting qualification tidbits 1
Qualifying period ends, dust settles, campaigns begin
-
Suspects in Pittsburgh gay bashing slated to go to trial Tuesday
The men accused of beating Brandon White in Southwest Atlanta already headed to court
- More »
