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Drastic Public School Cuts in Memphis—The New America

April 7, 2016 By Nancy Bailey 13 Comments

Shelby County Schools in Memphis are cutting programs like special education and teachers and staff and other important positions and resources that help a good school function. They need to make $50 million or maybe even $86 million in cuts to public schools.

The biggest hit to a single department under academics is in special education, which would see a loss of 326 positions, including special education teachers, occupational therapists and nurses. That represents almost a 29 percent cut to the special education staff (Pignolet, April 7).

It is important to note, we aren’t talking bad test scores here. Schools are not failing.

Although it is true they still have several schools at the bottom in regard to test scores. But there will always be schools at the bottom. When those schools move up there will be other schools at the bottom. It doesn’t mean those schools are doing badly.

The gist of it is that administrators claim they have little money left for traditional public schools.

There is a $36 million gap that apparently calls for $50 million in cuts—or something like that. It is easy to be confused when they start throwing figures around. Some $12 million here, or $6 million there out of a $989 million budget, it gets confusing.

What we do know is that the Race to the Top money is over and new U.S. education secretary John King has no obligation to help the states now that the Every Student Succeeds Act is in place. Not that he would have helped anyway. Everyone knows where King stands. Just look at his past in New York.

The Bill and Melinda Gates funding gift to Memphis is dried up too. Did anyone see that coming? How did it help? Didn’t tax dollars flow to his plans for effective teaching too?

And don’t look to the City of Memphis. They showed how they want to withhold school funds a long time ago.

Where’s the state—they are with the charter industry. That’s what’s wrong with the Every Student Succeeds Act. There are cuts galore, unless you include charter schools which will drain an estimated $22 million in state funding.

The charters called the Achievement School District (ASD) will sooner-than-later be the only schooling in Tennessee (not counting wealthy private and parochial schools), if things go as planned, even though they’ve never proven to be better than real public schools.

Check out Gary Rubinstein’s assessment of the ASD schools. Here.

In fact, the ASD will take over four more Memphis schools this fall whether anyone wants them to or not.

So what’s a public school district to do?

It is especially disappointing. Parents were led to believe things were looking up for Shelby County Schools.

Last August Superintendent Dorsey Hopson who, like so many others now running schools, is no educator, still managed to get a $15,000 bonus added to his $269,000 salary.

He said at the time I want to thank the board for showing confidence in me. I want to thank the teachers and our schools for having an extraordinary year. To some extent, I was able to ride their coattails (Skinner, 2015).

No kidding.

Scores were up and iZone schools, schools designated to turnaround student results were doing well. They will see cuts too.

So what happened? Why are all these good teachers and important school support staff, who actually made things happen, now having to sweat to see whether they will have a job in the future?

Here is a list of potential cuts adding up to around $50 million.

  • Special Education Teachers
  • School Guidance Counselors
  • Reading Teachers
  • Librarians
  • Middle School Athletics
  • Reduce Life Insurance Benefits
  • iZone Schools
  • Employee Benefits
  • Textbooks
  • Classroom supplies
  • Equipment
  • Teacher development
  • Business operations
  • School maintenance
  • Transportation
  • Academic Enrichment Programs
  • Substitute teachers
  • Gifted programs

This new wave of cuts in major cities like Memphis is especially troubling. It signals the end of public schooling as we know it.

Is it even legal?

In the meantime, we get to watch little kids who should be home playing or spending time with their families, parading around with signs begging adults to keep their school programs open.

This isn’t just Memphis. It is America. This is what we’ve become.

References

Pignolet, Jennifer. “Hopson Presents School Board with $50 million in Tough Choices.”  The Commercial Appeal. April 7, 2016,

Pignolet, Jennifer. “Academic Staffing Could See Biggest Shelby Cuts.” The Commercial Appeal. April 6, 2016.

Taylor, Eryn and Wayne Carter “SCS Superintenent Gets Bonus While Retirees Could Be Asked to Take Cuts.” WREG News Memphis. August 4, 2015.

Skinner, Kayleigh. “Hopson to Get $15,000 Bonus for Boosting Shelby County Test Scores.” Chalkbeat Tennessee. August 4, 2015.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: Academic Enrichment Programs, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Business Operations, Classroom Supplies, Education Secretary John King, Every Student Succeeds Act, Inservice, iZone Schools, Memphis, Middle School Athletics, New York, Reading Teachers, Reduced Benefits, School Budget Cuts, School Counselors, School Maintenance, Shelby County Schools, special education, Textbooks, Transportation

Comments

  1. Mike says

    April 7, 2016 at 11:08 pm

    Shelby County Schools has made no decision.
    This is a fiscal staff analysis, and recommendation.

    Reply
    • Nancy Bailey says

      April 7, 2016 at 11:28 pm

      Well I hope it amounts to nothing…just getting parents, teachers and even students all upset for the heck of it. Thanks, Mike.

      Reply
      • Mike kernell says

        April 8, 2016 at 11:16 am

        Remember we are suing the state for more money and, we asked the County Commissioners there to see the needs. The Superintendent by law must present a budget.
        The only time SCS presents cuts is when it presents a board voted budget to the County Commission.Then they decide th level of funding. Remember, the people of Memphis voted to give up the Special School District, thereby, cutting the 57 million city contribution, we now lack..

        Reply
        • Nancy Bailey says

          April 8, 2016 at 7:40 pm

          Thank you for the reminder Mike.

          Reply
    • Dan M says

      April 8, 2016 at 4:02 am

      The 15K bonus on a 269K salary (much, much more than most senators) is just a “might happen”?

      Reply
      • Nancy Bailey says

        April 8, 2016 at 7:43 pm

        Didn’t he already get it? In all fairness some teachers got performance bonuses too.

        http://tn.chalkbeat.org/2015/08/04/shelby-county-schools-chief-hopson-to-get-15000-bonus-for-boosting-test-scores/#.VwhP3Hqn9z9

        Reply
  2. Margaret Box says

    April 8, 2016 at 6:51 am

    Very well said! It’s time that teachers & parents, & administration join together to secure proper funding from the state & the County Commission..

    Reply
    • Nancy Bailey says

      April 8, 2016 at 7:44 pm

      Yes! The community too. Thank you, Margaret!

      Reply
  3. Denis Ian says

    April 8, 2016 at 4:45 pm

    How about circling back to the things that mean the most in schools … like reading and writing and computing and thinking and learning how to be a good citizen?

    Why not drop these special programs to venerate the earth and love every ounce of diversity and tolerate everyone’s point of view regardless of how foul? How about leaving drug and booze issues up to parents? Sex, too? These aren’t teacher jobs.

    Why can’t parents makes their kids lunch? And breakfast? What’s the big deal?

    Try that stuff … wait and see.

    Reply
    • Nancy Bailey says

      April 8, 2016 at 8:00 pm

      Not sure of the programs you mention, Denis. Do they still do DARE in schools? I read where it is ineffective.

      My belief is that if a child needs a meal they need a meal. We have a lot of kids living in poverty in this country.

      Reply
    • Jenny says

      April 10, 2016 at 6:56 am

      Special education isn’t special programs. It’s basic education like reading, writing, and math for students with special needs.

      Reply
      • Nancy Bailey says

        April 10, 2016 at 7:52 am

        Absolutely! Thank you, Jenny.

        Reply

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  1. 2016 Medley #11 – Money | Live Long and Prosper says:
    April 24, 2016 at 9:56 am

    […] Drastic Public School Cuts in Memphis—The New America […]

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