Cdog923 Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Welp, as a public educator. I'm very disappointed in this move. I'm curious though as to what will happen, if anything, to rural Nebraska one school districts. If only there was a way you could have tried to prevent this... Thanks for answering my question and continuing your quest on HB making it unbearable. Specifically the P&R forum. Please. The instant you call out bnilhome and/or 84HuskerLaw you'll have some credibility. Where was this complaint when Obama was being called a Kenyan, or Muslim, or any of the other 1,001 complaints we saw about him just during the last election alone? If you didn't complain about "making HB unbearable" then you have zero right to complain now. Knapp, why would I have to contribute to an echo chamber? You guys all blasted them enough. Why pour it on? Not that I would have anyway, but you see the point. Thing is, no one on here blasts you for your incessant complaining and bickering about politics and religion. Why? Because this is a left wing board. There's no doubt about that. Carry on though. The internet is listening intently.... How would demanding factual truth in the face of partisan lies be "contributing to an echo chamber?" You're "blasting" me now. Are you being unfair? Or do you have a differing opinion that you're standing up for? Why do you get to "blast" me but you can't be put on "blast?" Never said you couldn't blast me but go ahead with the usual left wing victimhood culture. Spin, spin, spin.... Oh for ****'s sake. 1 Link to comment
ColoNoCoHusker Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I'm going to ask again, because I would like some info on it because I'm actively trying to know. I wonder what will happen, if anything, to rural nebraska one school districts? I'll add this, because I don't know. Is this something that will affect mostly metro areas? How much would this affect a Grand Island area? North Platte? etc... Everyone is covering your other points so I'll take a stab at your policy question... I don't see how this would be good for rural districts. Typically, those that are proponents of rural education have a background/history/career in education and exposure to the challenges rural districts face. Every model I have seen for school voucher/choice structures ends up hurting rural districts at least indirectly by funneling a higher portion of funds towards areas with more school choices. The lower density an area, the fewer schools to choose from, the less $$ ends up being available. This is not guaranteed but I have yet to see a model proposed that avoids funneling dollars or State/Federal subsidies away from rural districts. If the Sec of Ed has no idea on how Public Ed works, is he/she going to surround themselves with those that do? Will any of those people be advocates to address the challenges unique to rural districts? It doesn't seem likely from what is available so far... 1 Link to comment
NM11046 Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 So, if you're wanting to take an alternative route - you could thank the 2 (yes TWO-both women btw) republicans that voted no on DeVos, we will need them to continue to be brave enough to cross the aisle in the upcoming months and years: Susan Collins 413 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510Main: (202)224-2523Fax: (202)224-2693 Lisa Murkowski 522 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510Phone: (202)-224-6665Fax: (202)-224-5301 I'm assuming everyone who cares about this issue will reach out to their respective folks - although that was done and nobody seemed to listen. We have to show with our votes in 2 and 4 years that these people work for us. Link to comment
Cdog923 Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 I'm going to ask again, because I would like some info on it because I'm actively trying to know. I wonder what will happen, if anything, to rural nebraska one school districts? I'll add this, because I don't know. Is this something that will affect mostly metro areas? How much would this affect a Grand Island area? North Platte? etc... One possible scenario for rural Nebraska: DeVos diverts funds into a voucher program. A charter school sets up in McCook, NE, drawing students away from schools in Benkleman, Trenton, Arapahoe and Cambridge, as well as students in McCook. All of those schools lose funding due to a loss in students, either causing the need for property taxes to increase, or more schools to consolidate, erasing a large number of teaching jobs. Link to comment
knapplc Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Wouldn't a voucher fund necessarily draw funds away from the general education fund, meaning less money for public schools? Who is that going to impact more, rural or urban schools? I have to think rural, since their budgets are necessarily smaller, with less "wiggle" room. Link to comment
ColoNoCoHusker Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 There are State/Federal subsidies that get apportioned as well to help address the cost issues in rural districts. As urban districts lose students and/or as charter schools increase, there will be more competition for those funds. Typically this competition works against rural schools. At the heart of most school voucher/choice programs is the ability to funnel public funds to private schools and decreasing the net total amount given to public schools. Link to comment
Cdog923 Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Wouldn't a voucher fund necessarily draw funds away from the general education fund, meaning less money for public schools? Who is that going to impact more, rural or urban schools? I have to think rural, since their budgets are necessarily smaller, with less "wiggle" room. Well, take my scenario to a (very) possible endgame: schools are the lifeblood of small towns. If rural schools and school districts are forced to consolidate due to students going to charter schools, those small rural towns become smaller and smaller until they disappear. Link to comment
ColoNoCoHusker Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 The biggest Republican state politician in support of vouchers in Co has been pushing it for 20+ years. His vision for rural education is basically turning rural schools into cube farms of online education... His position is laughable that urban schools need more teachers but rural schools need less. So many from the urban areas buy into it tho 2 Link to comment
NM11046 Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Wouldn't a voucher fund necessarily draw funds away from the general education fund, meaning less money for public schools? Who is that going to impact more, rural or urban schools? I have to think rural, since their budgets are necessarily smaller, with less "wiggle" room. Well, take my scenario to a (very) possible endgame: schools are the lifeblood of small towns. If rural schools and school districts are forced to consolidate due to students going to charter schools, those small rural towns become smaller and smaller until they disappear. BUT ... if the small towns disappear into urban areas then everybody becomes liberal snowflakes and we never again see the likes of Trump. Ironic? Link to comment
ColoNoCoHusker Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Wouldn't a voucher fund necessarily draw funds away from the general education fund, meaning less money for public schools? Who is that going to impact more, rural or urban schools? I have to think rural, since their budgets are necessarily smaller, with less "wiggle" room. Well, take my scenario to a (very) possible endgame: schools are the lifeblood of small towns. If rural schools and school districts are forced to consolidate due to students going to charter schools, those small rural towns become smaller and smaller until they disappear. BUT ... if the small towns disappear into urban areas then everybody becomes liberal snowflakes and we never again see the likes of Trump. Ironic? Corporations will be given one vote per share of common stock to offset the imbalance... Link to comment
knapplc Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 His vision for rural education is basically turning rural schools into cube farms of online education... So, he basically wants kids to do school remotely, from home? I'm not sure I understand this. Link to comment
ColoNoCoHusker Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 His vision for rural education is basically turning rural schools into cube farms of online education... So, he basically wants kids to do school remotely, from home? I'm not sure I understand this. Problem is "last mile telecom" in rural areas. But, the schools can have high speed fiber/satellite cost-effectively. So, send the kids school and do video conferencing/online education for all the classes. Have teacher aides in the classrooms instead of teachers, pack as many kids into the room as possible. His latest version is literally using cubicles & chrome books for education delivery for elementary school as if the kids would even sit still... This is the opposite of his approach for urban schools... Link to comment
Danny Bateman Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 There are State/Federal subsidies that get apportioned as well to help address the cost issues in rural districts. As urban districts lose students and/or as charter schools increase, there will be more competition for those funds. Typically this competition works against rural schools. At the heart of most school voucher/choice programs is the ability to funnel public funds to private schools and decreasing the net total amount given to public schools. This is my very simplistic understanding as well. If I am wrong, I'd love to become more educated. I don't know very much about the pros/cons of charter schools or vouchers myself. But I've always thought a shift toward privatization of education is a bad thing for rural schools. DeVos apparently touts her charter influence in Michigan as a big success. OTOH, I've heard a big charter push wrecked Louisiana's school system. But folks often have less resources in rural communicates and there are less schools to choose from. It seems counterintuitive to make a push for towards education that either doesn't exist in their communities (yet) or that they can't afford. As you said, maybe subsidies can help make up the different. Link to comment
Danny Bateman Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 His vision for rural education is basically turning rural schools into cube farms of online education... So, he basically wants kids to do school remotely, from home? I'm not sure I understand this. Problem is "last mile telecom" in rural areas. But, the schools can have high speed fiber/satellite cost-effectively. So, send the kids school and do video conferencing/online education for all the classes. Have teacher aides in the classrooms instead of teachers, pack as many kids into the room as possible. His latest version is literally using cubicles & chrome books for education delivery for elementary school as if the kids would even sit still... This is the opposite of his approach for urban schools... This is pretty much what I do for PT school on UNK's campus. Almost all of our classes are piped in from Omaha. Works pretty well for our purposes, for the most part. Not sure if professional school and elementary school are real good comparisons, though. Link to comment
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