The Madison School Board held a public hearing last night on the Distirct’s proposed 332.9M+ 06/07 budget last night. Maggie Rossiter Peterman:
Sean Storch pleaded with members of the Madison School Board on Tuesday night not to cut teachers in the district’s four high school alternative education programs.
Storch, 28, and another teacher work with about 20 “at- risk” ninth-graders in the Connect program at La Follette High School.
Channel3000 has more.
I think there are a number of questions the school board needs to be asking: a) how does the community’s recommendations in the $100 budget compare to the Superintendent’s proposed budget, b) how will extracurricular activities be funded next year – what portion is in the operating budget and what portion is paid for through fees and gate receipts for sports, c) re alternative programs/services – is the cut at the high school due to budget cuts or a reorganization of services to these children.
Ms. Carstensen does not know where she will get the money to restore this program. I would like to see the School Board a) focus on where the money is being spent and make that clear/transparent to the public, b) discuss paying debt for a building addition through a referendum vs operating budget, which takes money away from courses and services that serve all children across the district, c) focus on pairing back fund 80 in preparation for a referendum that would permanently raise the revenue cap while quality instruction and services in the classroom are kept without necessarily raising taxes.
I hope the School Board asks from the administration – what are the differences in how courses/services will be provided to students from this year to next year and how has this affected costs. Also, what new initiatives are being planned, other changes in operations, etc.
other thoughts?