Federal funding accounts for <10% in most cases. Many public schools are critically underfunded so 10% of not enough is still a lot of leverage but it's still fair to say that public schools are locally funded.

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"Are you sure we're going fast enough?" - Emil Zatopek

Federal funding accounts for <10% in most cases. Many public schools are critically underfunded so 10% of not enough is still a lot of leverage but it's still fair to say that public schools are locally funded. //

From what I'm hearing and seeing is that it is going to cost a lot more money to implement anti Covid strategies. And the governors are saying that the states are not only broke right now, but operating at severe deficits in some states. SO they are asking the federal govt, to finance this, since they are federal guidelines after all that have to be met. SO I would imagine that the normal 10% they provide is going to be a lot more in the coming semesters. The difference between being able to open safely(when case load permits) or not.

Likely the underfunded ones are the ones with the kids least equipped to do virtual learning. That is one of my beefs with virtual learning. Works okay with those that have the resources. I often wonder if it is better just to cancel school altogether vs exacerbate differences in outcomes. If at all possible I'd like to see kids go back to school. Not a great situation, obviously not helped by Trump. Sigh.

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They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

I'm with you and I agree completely. 40% of the kids in my kids classes have not logged on to the school's attempted distance learning programs since this started. These are ESL kids without home internet, they're not riding in out in St. Barts. If reopening schools was a priority the Federal Government should put 80% of the debate about bailing out states on the shelf and bail out school systems specifically. You'd have to avoid gamesmanship by local authorities but it could be done. Basically:

"when you, appropriate local government (we're Republicans after all), determine that it's safe to reopen schools you will have the funds to take the measures you deem necessary to do that safely, capped at the difference between your budget last year + X% and your budget this year accounting for the impact of COIVD."

As always, this administration wants all of the positive outcomes without doing any of the work.

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"Are you sure we're going fast enough?" - Emil Zatopek

I was talking to my boss about this one day for the Denver area. They do give distance learning stuff I think they got everyone a computer or something. But what if you don’t have internet, or a place to even sit and work because you live in an apartment with no room. It would seem crazy for the vast majority of us to not have internet, but I’m sure there is a large percentage of people in low income Homes that don’t.

The distance learning is so variable for students. For a motivated focussed kid over the age of 7 it can work, but een our 7 year old just disengaged from it.

The 6 year old just hated it and wouldn't do it.

We bought a tutor 3 days a week. Online is an issue. That was us with two parents working, internet 4 computers. Can't imagine that it works too well in other house holds.

Agree that they should fund the delta required to make physical socially distant school work. If that means running school at 50 % capacity in two shifts, then get more teachers.

Don't want Windy to fall behind in his High School Learning, so get this done In Illinois first

And without owning the risk if the action results in failure. If schools open as the President demands, and then COVID cases increase, or kids get sick, or whatever, it will be the fault of the mayor, or governor, or teachers, or school boards, or Democrats, anyone other than the people who demanded the schools open.

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Slowguy

(insert pithy phrase here...)

with how things are playing out due to states reopening so quickly, I'm finding it very difficult to imagine how cases wouldn't increase and kids wouldn't get sick. How would a school setting have different outcomes from a bar, church, choir, restaurant, etc? If anything, I'd argue it is worse.

Masks

i like your positive thinking

Basically if I'm wearing a mask my chance of catching it drops to 50% if we both are something like 90%. Throw in desks 3 to 6 feet away and I think it in theory should be fine. Kids want to be assholes and not wear masks detention then expulsion. Kid has dildo parents that don't believe in masks, homeschooling it is. This is not hard and discipline can enforce it.

For older students I agree. The problem is younger kids. My wife teaches 7th grade and half the kids can't walk and chew gum at the same time. Expecting students to be as vigilant with their masks and proper protocol while also trying to stay focused on work is going to be a herculean task. I don't see it working. To say nothing of students with special needs.

And currently their solution is HS students transition to complete distance learning while middle school and elementary schools spread out through the larger buildings. So the ones who can (should) be trusted more are the ones who will be home.

Basically if I'm wearing a mask my chance of catching it drops to 50% if we both are something like 90%. Throw in desks 3 to 6 feet away and I think it in theory should be fine.
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From the things I've read, the function of a mask is to slow the spread, not stop it. So if you have a group of people confined to a small space for several hours a day for mnny days in a row, and one of them is a spreader, your chances of catching the covid is going to be quite high, mask or not.


Kids want to be assholes and not wear masks detention then expulsion.
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This is nice to think about. It clearly won't happen in a school setting at any level. A school's ability to discipline students has been declining for years as legislation and policy continue to erode the power of the teachers and administrators. But still nice to think about nonetheless.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/

First background, Mom was a Teacher ( grades 4-6 mostly) inlaws both teachers, 2 nieces who are teachers, daughter just grad with teaching degree. I have seen the transition of public schools. But I never give up hope.

I will leave special needs out of this cause well there special. But to your bold statement above. What would you wife do if a kid walked into class without pants on? or even without a shirt on? I believe / hope schools have not gotten so week that even that low expectation would be met with indifference. I would expect the student would be sent to the office to get the proper clothing on. I would expect no less of a mask. Detention or what ever form of punishment the school uses, would / should be triggered quickly for non-compliance to the mask policy. First offense trip the office, and a call home. 2nd office detention for a week, 3rd office 1 week expulsion. This should not be some wishy washy policy, it should be treated like it is a serious heath issue. If a kid starts pissing on everyone in the class, I am sure it would be dealt with swiftly and so should this. Kids love to push the envelope. On this teachers / staff / parents have to agree and the slight sign of pushing the edge, needs to be shutdown immediately. Those who's parents don't support the mask policy, well they will be the lucky ones to have to home school the kid.

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

Poor reading skills - 500,000 points ( i would bold NEW but it already was and you still missed it)

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

I call BS on this, at least how Michigan schools work. Because of the Union's you don't full credit for year of service if you transfer districts. (most give you up to 6yrs). What happens is teachers don't move. A co-workers wife was a teacher in a shitty district that had moderate pay. If she took a job in a better district with better pay, she would have taken a pay cut cause she would have lost many years of seniority. Its one of the hidden handcuff's the unions provide that actually helps the shitty schools and hurts teachers. If this ever gets changed, look out as you will then have mostly the good teachers at the better districts. But today that is not the case.

But yes, those who will retire are mostly going to be your older workers, who have more experience. But the new fresh out, will also be more flexible with technology and might do a better job with the online portions.

And Michigan has attempted to stop what you describe about wealthy districts and provide even funding for all. What has been discovered, big shocker, the money is one aspect, but parent involvement both directly and indirectly (supporting clubs / fund raisers etc) is probably the bigger factor in the "wealthier" schools doing better, than the money.

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Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

In an ideal world, yes. I remember 7th grade, and I cant fathom how/why kids act the way she and her coworkers tells me they do.

She had a kid who didnt want to be there. Didnt care about school, just wanted to disrupt everything. Would walk around during tests or class assignments and annoy other kids. You can only send a kid to the office so many times. You cant yell at them, and “punishments” dont work. The districts have some really fucked up protections for kids with respect to punishments. It just doesnt happen much anymore. I used to fear what my parents would do to me if I got in trouble. If the parents dont care, the kids wont.

One problem is that we have a large population of adults who wont even wear a mask bc of “their rights.” A store has a policy “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service” and its not an issue. No rights violated. But a mask is too much to ask. So yea, I really do think its going to be difficult to get kids to keep masks on when she cant even trust some classes to get their pencils out or bring their books to class. Even with repeated asking and hand holding.

Her accelerated classes are great. Inclusion classes, a lot to be desired. She has kids that walk around with piss stains and erections and are completely oblivious. She teaches 7th grade and has had more than a handful of students who still read at a 3rd grade level.

A lot of these issues are with the system and district. But the argument isnt about that now, its about can we realistically expect younger kids to wear masks and practice common sense when they cant even keep track of a pencil. It will vary district to district, but man they are not alone.

after a year of working in the education system i went back to school to get my teaching certificate. it was a complete waste of time. i'd put it on par with police academy education. everything they taught was as if the classroom and school settings were a vacuum. So much that should work in theory but wasn't applicable to the real world. Teaching isn't the hardest job in the world, but it's one I feel is most difficult to give advice on if you haven't done it. It's why, hands down, Trump's worst appointment has been DeVos.

In PA the pension is through the state and teachers can move to any district under the same contract without losing seniority in the union. Now, they will be giving up seniority to whatever school they move to but their years of service does not go away.

A perfect example would be my wife. As she has moved from one school to another she did not lose her years of service in regards to how her pension was affected but she did lose seniority within a specific district.

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TEAM HD
Each day is what you make of it so make it the best day possible.

Here's a little tale of what's to come. 3 teachers teaching summer school, using all precautions (masks, distancing, etc). All 3 get COVID and one of them dies.

https://www.usatoday.com/...teachers/5411122002/

Virtually teaching aka online....bit misleading OP, no?

That's a one-data point strong argument for not having three middle aged people spend all day in the same indoor space in Arizona. It's tragic, but it's not very useful beyond that.

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"Are you sure we're going fast enough?" - Emil Zatopek

One of many to come.

Here are a few more data points, for the outdoors and kids:




https://people.com/...V3PVKry0yVGihABs4FfM

That's a one-data point strong argument for not having three middle aged people spend all day in the same indoor space in Arizona. It's tragic, but it's not very useful beyond that
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How many data points is gonna take to be useful?

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/