#caedchat is for California educators, by California educators. All are welcome as moderators and participants discuss issues that emerge in California education, which are generally applicable to other regions of the United States.
For the next hour, I’m tweeting as moderator of #CAedchat - since it’s tax day, we’re talking about school finance tonight - questions can be previewed here: https://t.co/gtCXqk0x9H
It’s 8pm! Welcome to #caedchat, where educators gather to share and collaborate! Tonight’s Tax Day topic: Show Me the Money: Dollars and Sense in School Finance - moderated by @CohenD
Interested to see how this #caedchat goes - money and politics not everyone’s cup o’ tea, but as they say, if you don’t take an interest in politics they still take an interest in you
Hello friends of #caedchat! Jo-Ann here. Instructional Coach in Escondido. I'll be in and out tonight as I'm cooking up a late dinner of stuffed mushrooms and spaghetti.
Q1: It’s Tax Day! (actual filing deadline 4/17) so we’re talking about school funding. Any idea what percentage of CA ed. budgets come from fed., state, local tax revenues? Answer coming very soon! #caedchat
Hi #caedchat A1 Less than 10% of school funding comes from the Feds, but thank goodness we get another 1% from the CA lottery. That was a real boon to public schools.
Also, representing Placentia Yorba Linda! Middle school Social Science. There is always more to learn when it comes to $$$ & schools and how we deal with the rise and falls. #caedchat
Q2: Here’s the breakdown of CA education funding sources (statewide; districts vary quite a bit). Is it close to what you thought? Any surprises? #caedchat
A1) Very little from Fed. funding! Not sure on rest. Fun timing with the tax deadline. While I chat my husband is putting our daughter to sleep & then finishing our taxes. Nothing like working those last few calendar days. #caedchat
A1: I know that we get funding from the state but I thought with adopting common core that we got more from the feds now, but this is a total guess! #caedchat
A2: really important to note however that the figures are state level. Some districts get much more from state, some much more from local sources - more info coming
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A2) Little surprised that more doesn't come from local tax payers. Need to use this diagram with my 8th grade students when we learn about the Articles of Confederation- early years of funding public ed. #caedchat
A2: It is note close to what I thought at all. For some reason I really thought the federal government funded more, because they have so many different laws for education. #caedchat
A1- Not sure; I believe neighborhood property taxes factor into public school funding...hoping to learn a lot from in-service teachers here on this topic #caedchat
Q2: Here’s the breakdown of CA education funding sources (statewide; districts vary quite a bit). Is it close to what you thought? Any surprises? #caedchat
Federal funding may not be much but it can have high impact for kids, and under Obama esp., they leveraged it as much as poss. to affect state policies #caedchat
Q3: Most federal dollars reaching K-12 schools come from Title I funds supporting high poverty schools. Why do we need more money to support students dealing with poverty? #caedchat
A3 CA’s LCCF policy is working for poor kids. https://t.co/sfZLIjI3P8 Researchers found every $1,000 a district received resulted in an increase of 7 months of learning #caedchat
A3: I feel like there are a lot of different reasons why Title 1 schools need more funding. I work for a Title 1 school and with the lower tax bracket, less parental contributions, etc. I think our students need more because they may be coming from less. #caedchat
A3: We need more money for facilities, maintenance (may be run down in high poverty districts); texts and technology; teacher training; supplementary services #caedchat
A3: The intent of Title I federal dollars is to allow children in poverty equal educational experiences. To bridge the gap between the privileged and the underprivileged #caedchat
A3: Kids impacted by poverty come to school often times less prepared, less background knowledge, etc. Need funds to provide scaffolding..training, tech, programs #caedchat
A3: parental contributions can be in the form of voting for parcel taxes and bonds, and also donations. In my district, donations add up to extra hundreds of dollars per pupil #caedchat
This is so true! The one thing that I thought was pretty awesome about my district is that they gave the new technology to the low income schools first. May not be fair to all schools but this isn't usually the case. #caedchat
A3: I work in a Title 1 District and we use the $$ to give our students skills to help them match or exceed other non-Title 1 students. Ex: 1:1 chromebooks & now looking at ways to get WiFi to all students #caedchat
Q3: Most federal dollars reaching K-12 schools come from Title I funds supporting high poverty schools. Why do we need more money to support students dealing with poverty? #caedchat
A3: I work in a Title 1 District and we use the $$ to give our students skills to help them match or exceed other non-Title 1 students. Ex: 1:1 chromebooks & now looking at ways to get WiFi to all students #caedchat
Yes, with the schools that have a little more parent contributions they are able to do a lot more. My school does a lot of extra fundraising just so we can go on the field trips we need. #caedchat
Title 1 schools deserve equitable funding. Giving equal funding to all public schools might be what's fair, but it isn't equitable, and that's an issue #caedchat
A3: Not sure how this works but I’ve only taught at Title One schools. There’s need everywhere, at my school we don’t have students coming to school ready. Lots to make up to “even the field” that may never be even.#caedchat
A3: What’s fascinating in many of your responses about facilities & such is that Title 1 is supposed to SUPPLEMENT, not SUPPLANT other funding. Tax bracket shouldn’t matter. #caedchat
A3: I love that Title 1 funds help us serve our disadvantaged students, but we are a targeted Title 1 District and it’s always a struggle to reach only our Title 1 students, especially since our classes are diverse and many serve all of our student populations #caedchat
A3: What’s fascinating in many of your responses about facilities & such is that Title 1 is supposed to SUPPLEMENT, not SUPPLANT other funding. Tax bracket shouldn’t matter. #caedchat
I also work at a Title 1 HS. My cooperating teacher just got a Chromebook cart for her classroom after months of red tape and delineation of why she and her students deserved the CBs #caedchat
It is super important. Schools get in trouble for misappropriating Title dollars. Also supposed to be targeted for the Title I Ss & not blanket purchases for all Ss, like bldg maintenance #CAEdChat
A3: we also hold various parent nights and recently started offering free English classes for our parents, not sure if that’s through Title 1 monies but it has been well received in the community #caedchat
Q3: Title 1 funds are meant to supplement programs not supplant. Provide increased personnel to support learning, provide additional materials and experiences that are needed to support closing the opportunity gaps #caedchat
Q4: Federal money under Title II supports teacher training and professional learning. What do you consider the best way to spend those funds? #caedchat
A3: We use our extra funding for psychiatric social worker hours, Attendance officer, extended school-intervention classes/Saturday school and for extra classes to help our English learners who are close to reclassifying an extra push. #caedchat
A3: Also learned recently in a talk w/my supe that a big chunk of fed edu funding goes toward SpEd... unfortunately, still typically not enough for districts to cover needs of SpEd Ss #caedchat
A4: I like learning about new teaching strategies and viewpoints. I feel like some PD can be repetitive. I think there should be more voice and choice in PD because a first year teacher may need different PD then a tenth year teacher. #caedchat
I hate Red Tape!!!! We are 1:1 3-12 and 6-12 take their CBs home with them, K-2 are currently 2:1 but going 1:1 next year. I’m in a very small district and I think that helps sometimes with the Red Tale issue #caedchat
Parent engagement is so key - and for anyone interested in developing similar strength-based projects, you might like to know CTA can offer large grants through @CTAIFT - check them out!
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A3: we also hold various parent nights and recently started offering free English classes for our parents, not sure if that’s through Title 1 monies but it has been well received in the community #caedchat
A4 I think $ should be spent on long term professional development, not in traditional one time PD. Coaching is a great form of long term PD that lasts a period of time. #caedchat
Q4: Federal money under Title II supports teacher training and professional learning. What do you consider the best way to spend those funds? #caedchat
A4 Over 80% of professional development experiences fail to meet the four out of the six of the ESSA criteria for professional learning. https://t.co/HUoAORWkU2#caedchat
A4: I wish I knew more myself. There are some mandated 1-size-fits-all trainings (e.g., mandated reporter) but otherwise I much prefer differentiated learning for teachers! Choice matters!
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Probably best to ask our teachers for input on what they need in the way of training and professional development. Vs. something that is just pushed out to all teachers because someone felt this was the best new "thing" #caedchat
Q4: Federal money under Title II supports teacher training and professional learning. What do you consider the best way to spend those funds? #caedchat
A4: we have an academic coach and I wish we would hire more, this form of continuous PD and cycles of learning are so much better than sit and get, having someone come and co-teach with you and plan lessons with you goes so much deeper #caedchat
A4) THIS and articulation time. As a middle school teacher the opportunity to work closely with the Elementary teachers and High School departments is rare but has been meaningful when we can make it happen! #caedchat
Q4: Federal money under Title II supports teacher training and professional learning. What do you consider the best way to spend those funds? #caedchat
A4: Training and PD should focus on effective teaching and addressing the needs of the community you teach, looks different in every school because each is unique.#caedchat
@caEdChat -- Another great parent engagement program that is verycost effective and locally driven is School Smarts, through California State PTA -- https://t.co/erkyZsPg2f#CaEdChat
Parent engagement is so key - and for anyone interested in developing similar strength-based projects, you might like to know CTA can offer large grants through @CTAIFT - check them out!
#caedchat
A3: we also hold various parent nights and recently started offering free English classes for our parents, not sure if that’s through Title 1 monies but it has been well received in the community #caedchat
A4: I’d like to see Title II money for professional learning spent on coaching! The 1 and done workshops don’t tend to do the trick. Long term support & on the job training is money better spent IMO #caedchat
A4: we definitely need some alignment between the resources we pay for the time/structures we embed in calendars and schedules - 1-time exposure to new info won’t stick. #caedchat
Title II funds, in my opinion, should be spent on supporting teachers with less than 5 years of in-service experience. The turnover and attrition rate in the teaching profession is very high and part of the reason is because beginning teachers need more help #caedchat
Q5: In budgeting/finance terms, CA has two types of districts - “revenue limit” (mostly funded by the state) and “basic aid” (mostly local funds). Do you know your district’s categorization? Why does it matter? #caedchat
A4: Spend PD $ on building personalized opportunities for Ts to choose an area of growth that will positively impact student learning. Ongoing, collaborative, providing resources, time, and opportunities for peer observations and feedback #caedchat
A5: We are Basic Aid. Huge diff in where funds originate, and what funds we are eligible for. And it doesn’t mean dist is “rich” like many think. #CAEdChat
Q5: In budgeting/finance terms, CA has two types of districts - “revenue limit” (mostly funded by the state) and “basic aid” (mostly local funds). Do you know your district’s categorization? Why does it matter? #caedchat
A5: Revenue funded tend to be underfunded in my opinion. We are revenue and always looking to stretch the $. Basic Aid tend to be wealthier districts that bring in more $ locally than the fed gives. #caedchat
A5: many years ago CA schools were mostly/only funded locally. The obvious equity issues led to state providing most funding for most districts. Most districts in this “revenue limit” category #caedchat
A5: I didn’t know that and have no idea which category my district falls in to. I know we evaluate very carefully where we spend our money, our Supt is very much about benefiting both the schools and the community at large #caedchat
Q5: In budgeting/finance terms, CA has two types of districts - “revenue limit” (mostly funded by the state) and “basic aid” (mostly local funds). Do you know your district’s categorization? Why does it matter? #caedchat
We need more money for high poverty schools because they have the highest need. They typically do not have large foundations, aulmni or parent boosters that can rasie major $. #CAedChat
A5: about 10% (maybe a bit more) of CA districts are “basic aid” districts. They raise more money locally than the state would be willing to provide, so they use mostly local $ and get only “basic aid” from state #caedchat
A5- From what I've gathered as a student teacher, Oakland Unified SD in CA, one of the most diverse districts in the state/country, is "basic aid" in regards to budgeting/finance #caedchat
A5) Revenue limit district but from my understanding my district is always working to stretch the money. Diverse and high needs in the district but we get much less $ in comparison to some neighboring districts. #caedchat
Basic Aid struggle, too. Don’t get unduplicated pupil funds from LCFF, but we have English Learners, Spec Ed, some free/reduced lunch kiddos, but no extra $$ for them, ie Title I #caedchat
A4: I’d like to see PD funds dedicated to long-term coaching programs that provide growth opportunities for teachers & coaches alike. Coaches should not be expected to take on admin duties so they can focus on building relationships and empowering instructional change #caedchat
A6: If I were still in the classroom, I think I would invite them in. Pretty sure people judge education based on their own experience instead of what is currently happening. Share specific student stories/journeys...not speak in generalizations. #caedchat
.@LSpencerEdD it's another book that we can add to our stack that we're going to go read out in the desert with no service. ;) @cohend is it on Amazon?#caedchat
I know... our community has wealth, but doesn’t mean we are swimming in $$ at District. We depend on Foundation raising $ to help bridge gaps. #CAEdChat
A6: If these people are basing it on test scores then they do not understand what true learning is. I think all educators do amazing things in their classrooms! #caedchat
A6: If I were still in the classroom, I think I would invite them in. Pretty sure people judge education based on their own experience instead of what is currently happening. Share specific student stories/journeys...not speak in generalizations. #caedchat
A6: invite them to our Portfolio Day (it’s this Wed) come see what our students are doing, see what the money is going to, watch these kids get excited about subjects that maybe didn’t exist before #caedchat
A6: essential for people to know impact of poverty. America’s low poverty schools do quite well in comparisons. Schools also doing much good for students dealing w/ poverty, but schools aren’t enough to address those issues #caedchat
Q6:We spend more money funding the prison pipeline than we do on the Services needs to ensure that people never end up there. Education, mental health and healthcare are areas I am happy to support through my tax $s#caedchat
A6: I would say we don't spend enough on public education. Our students are our most precious resource. There is not simple test of value for an developing an educated citizenry. #caedchat
A6- Anyone who says we spend too much on public education doesn't fully grasp the nuance of the challenge of teaching the future of California. Public schools need more funding, not what we have now, and definitely not less. #caedchat
A6: We need to do better on sharing our stories w/larger community (beyond parents). Invite news crews to see. Invite politicians. Have community open houses. #caedchat
A6: I would say we don't spend enough on public education. Our students are our most precious resource. There is not simple test of value for an developing an educated citizenry. #caedchat
A6) I love when we can actually respond by showing evidence of change (which typically takes 3-5 yes) but I like even more to be able to give people who say such things research-based evidence or hard data to show them why we need to the spend money! #caedchat
I did exactly this last time I was up at the State Capitol. Invited our legislators to visit our classrooms. When's the last time you saw an elected official other then a board member in your classroom? #CAedchat
A6: We need to do better on sharing our stories w/larger community (beyond parents). Invite news crews to see. Invite politicians. Have community open houses. #caedchat
A6: people need to keep in mind that increases in overall ed. spending include sharp increases in SPED spending and employee healthcare too - cost of “education” includes expenses that have increased dramatically over the years #caedchat
I've heard we are on the bottom of the list when it comes to state spending on Ed and near to top for prisons. What does that mean in cost per Ss. Can someone clarify what this means exactly or does it mean what it looks like it means? thx. #caedchat
Q7: Magic wand time: if you could magically come up with the money for a few positions, programs, or other improvements to your school, what would you prioritize?
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Yes just look at what the Santa Monica Malibu school district brings in: https://t.co/yyk46louaG Wow! You cannot compare that to what working class and poor rural districts can bring in. #CAedChat
Q6: Schools are asked to take on too many of societies issues. The more we take on the more people expect of us. We need more help to deal with the social and emotional@needs of our kids. We can’t do it all #caedchat
A7 I would like to see a new division of labor. Less expensive employees than Ts correcting student work. I don't need to read 220 papers. https://t.co/Ulk0koGvxC#caedchat
Californians spend a smaller % of their per capital income on public ed than most other states. Yet, a bigger investment is the most effective and cost efficient pathway to a more thriving economy and a just society. #CaEdChat
A7: well, since it’s magic, I’m covering more teacher pay and health care, sharp increases in school counseling, nurses, libraries, and arts. #caedchat
A7: First I would raise all teachers' salaries to reflect their importance to society. That means at least 10%. Then add add 10 paid teacher training and collaboration days per year. #caedchat
A6: I don’t see the spending in public education reaching the facilities and students. Budget proposals in #LAUSD for facilities at schools like #venicehighschool after decades of disrepair. #caedchat#showmethemoney
Californians spend a smaller % of their per capital income on public ed than most other states. Yet, a bigger investment is the most effective and cost efficient pathway to a more thriving economy and a just society. #CaEdChat
Q6/Q7) I can't speak for all, but my door is always open. Always open! Magic wand time...I would prioritize smaller class size. 213 students through my doors every day! More Social/Emotional support for Ss. #caedchat
Q7: Magic wand time: if you could magically come up with the money for a few positions, programs, or other improvements to your school, what would you prioritize?
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Q6/Q7) I can't speak for all, but my door is always open. Always open! Magic wand time...I would prioritize smaller class size. 213 students through my doors every day! More Social/Emotional support for Ss. #caedchat
Q7: Magic wand time: if you could magically come up with the money for a few positions, programs, or other improvements to your school, what would you prioritize?
#caedchat
Q8: How does education funding figure into the career planning of teachers? Think low pay keep some people from becoming teachers? Have you, or others you know, considered leaving (or already gone) for higher pay?
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A8 Teaching is my passion, but passion doesn't pay the bills. I think the negative image/disrespect education/teachers receive is a big contributor to teacher shortage #caedchat
#caedchat what is the worth of a child? What price can we place on our future? Future scientists analyze Carbon levels & pollution at school site using Air Quality Tech.
A7- If my site had a sudden influx of considerable funds...oh, where do I begin? A true, highly effective, ELD program; a 1:1 technology program; accessible and strong WiFi connectivity on campus for all devices, increase teacher pay, AC units for all classrooms #caedchat
A7: Schoolwide equity and diversity training that includes families and students as well as staff. Intentional conversations and practices that promote community integration and engagement. #caedchat
Q3: Most federal dollars reaching K-12 schools come from Title I funds supporting high poverty schools. Why do we need more money to support students dealing with poverty? #caedchat
Q8:Money has never been a deciding factor for me. I have always lived what I believe is my purpose. For 30 years now I have done what I believe I was placed on this earth to do. Public service #caedchat
A8: 2 co-workers have left to be online teachers, they teach from home and save on daycare (cuz that’s a whole other $$ issue), they make the same as me and have way less students #caedchat
A7: We are goingto have a teacher shortage, pay and benefits yes, but I am not sure I support a blanket raise for everyone. It’s complicated. There are educators in classrooms that shouldn’t be and maybe be at the top of pay just based on years. #caedchat
I cringe when asked how many students are on my roster. Our middle school teachers teach 6 classes, 38 desks occupied. Not complaining, I am happy with the work we do but ya it's a grotesque problem. #caedchat
A8: and it’s not just pay. As @NickIsReddy noted, the conditions aren’t really fit for professional work. No A/C? No wifi? We could go on and on
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A8: I'm not sure. Pay has been low historically and yet the profession is still a calling for us. More $ would not hurt! I think $ moves T's into certain postions and districts but I've not heard of T's bailing on the profession because of $. #caedchat
Q8:Money has never been a deciding factor for me. I have always lived what I believe is my purpose. For 30 years now I have done what I believe I was placed on this earth to do. Public service #caedchat
Q9: Lack of investment in public education has led to recent labor unrest and protests in WV, OK, NV, AZ, and CO. Why do you think CA isn’t having this experience? #caedchat
We’re just about out of time. Thank you to everyone who joined the chat tonight and shared your thoughts. You are what makes #caedchat great! See you next Sunday!
A8) No, because I truly believe that the number one factor for student success is the relationships Ts build with students... or in my case as coach... relationships with other educators... that doesn’t cost anything. #caedchat
