Cuts v. Spending

Cutting Kids:

The trend in education has been to build bigger accountability systems to monitor teachers and students through test scores while simultaneously cutting programs, services, and people. The result of this misappropriation of funding is that bureaucracies have more ways to complain about the problems they are NOT solving. It is a trap for educators and an unending bleeding of our children.

In this newsletter:
1. While more than 2,000 education jobs have been impacted by cuts, the Colorado Department of Education, CDE, is growing their department
2. Cutting and spending
3. No gains for kids
4. Real accountability
5. The Dorsey Family
6. Sources

 

1. While more than 2,000 education jobs have been impacted by cuts, the Colorado Department of Education, CDE, is growing their department:[1]

Figure A:

Colorado Department of Education Expands While Education Opportunities Shrink:[2]

The number of CDE full time employees has risen 41%. From 395 employees in 2001 to 553 in 2011.

2. Cutting and spending

Per pupil operating revenues have been reduced by 10% over the last two years. See figure B.

Districts made a total of $297.3 million in budget cuts for the school year ending in 2010. See figure C

Yet, from FY 2007-08 to FY 2010-11, total appropriations to CDE increased by nearly 10 percent ($382 million)[3]

 

Figure B – Highlighted portion indicates the decrease in per pupil revenues [4]

 

Figure C – Denotes reductions in district funding[5]

3. No gains for kids:

Measuring growth according to CSAP scores remains widely stagnant[6] despite the fact that other measures indicate Colorado’s children are in crisis:

Since 2000 the number of Colorado children in poverty has more than doubled and the number of children living in extreme poverty has increased by 150%[7] The painful irony is that since No Child Left Behind was first enacted, twice as many children as before are now living in poverty.

More children at risk:

In 2000 163,052 children were identified as at risk

In 2010 267,941 children are at risk

 

Figure D – Growing number of children At Risk[8]

 

Drop outs:

In 2002 the Colorado drop-out rate was 2.6[9]

In 2009 the Colorado drop-out rate had risen to 3.6

 

4. Real accountability:

Real accountability is when something isn’t right and people speak up. This is happening on our watch and it’s up to us to make it better.

1) Contact your legislative representative: http://www.votesmart.org/

2) Share this with others including media outlets – radio, newspaper, television

3) E-mail, write and phone our Colorado Capitol leaders:

Governor Hickenlooper: (303)866-2471; http://www.colorado.gov/

Lieutenant Governor Joe Garcia at:

Mail:

130 State Capitol
Denver, CO 80203

Phone: 303-866-2087

ltgovernor.garcia@state.co.us

 

5. The Dorsey Family, Photos by Craig F. Walker – Denver Post

Full photo journal here

Denver’s Sun Valley, the poorest neighborhood in Colorado, is a welcome shelter for Shawnette Dorsey, 32, and her three children, ages 13 months, 8 and 13. The family, who had bounced from apartment to shelter to friends’ homes, finally landed an apartment at Decatur Place for single parents willing to enter a two-year program to get back on their feet. She and the kids say grace and go to church on Sunday. Still, life isn’t easy. Both of her sons have been in and out of trouble at school. In September, she lost her job, so now the family lives off unemployment checks, food stamps and Medicaid.

 

Shawnwunz’a Smith, 8, lies under his bed. He said that’s where he goes when he’s in trouble. Shawnwunz’a was home from school after being given a three-day suspension for having hit another student. He was spending the majority of the day in his room. Earlier he ventured into the living room and went unnoticed for a few minutes. But then his mother yelled, “I told you to get out of my living room.” He bowed his head and returned to his room, where he retreated

 

 

Cutting Kids:

The trend in education has been to build bigger accountability systems to monitor teachers and students through test scores while simultaneously cutting programs, services, and people. The result of this misappropriation of funding is that bureaucracies have more ways to complain about the problems they are NOT solving. It is a trap for educators and an unending bleeding of our children.

---

In this newsletter:
1. While more than 2,000 education jobs have been impacted by cuts, the Colorado Department of Education, CDE, is growing their department
2. Cutting and spending
3. No gains for kids
4. Real accountability
5. The Dorsey Family
6. Sources

 

1. While more than 2,000 education jobs have been impacted by cuts, the Colorado Department of Education, CDE, is growing their department:[1]

Figure A:

Colorado Department of Education Expands While Education Opportunities Shrink:[2]

The number of CDE full time employees has risen 41%. From 395 employees in 2001 to 553 in 2011.

2. Cutting and spending

Per pupil operating revenues have been reduced by 10% over the last two years. See figure B.

Districts made a total of $297.3 million in budget cuts for the school year ending in 2010. See figure C

Yet, from FY 2007-08 to FY 2010-11, total appropriations to CDE increased by nearly 10 percent ($382 million)[3]

 

Figure B – Highlighted portion indicates the decrease in per pupil revenues [4]

 

Figure C – Denotes reductions in district funding[5]

3. No gains for kids:

Measuring growth according to CSAP scores remains widely stagnant[6] despite the fact that other measures indicate Colorado’s children are in crisis:

Since 2000 the number of Colorado children in poverty has more than doubled and the number of children living in extreme poverty has increased by 150%[7] The painful irony is that since No Child Left Behind was first enacted, twice as many children as before are now living in poverty.

More children at risk:

In 2000 163,052 children were identified as at risk

In 2010 267,941 children are at risk

 

Figure D – Growing number of children At Risk[8]

 

Drop outs:

In 2002 the Colorado drop-out rate was 2.6[9]

In 2009 the Colorado drop-out rate had risen to 3.6

 

4. Real accountability:

Real accountability is when something isn’t right and people speak up. This is happening on our watch and it’s up to us to make it better.

1) Contact your legislative representative: http://www.votesmart.org/

2) Share this with others including media outlets – radio, newspaper, television

3) E-mail, write and phone our Colorado Capitol leaders:

Governor Hickenlooper: (303)866-2471; http://www.colorado.gov/

Lieutenant Governor Joe Garcia at:

Mail:

130 State Capitol
Denver, CO 80203

Phone: 303-866-2087

ltgovernor.garcia@state.co.us

 

5. The Dorsey Family, Photos by Craig F. Walker – Denver Post

Full photo journal here

Denver’s Sun Valley, the poorest neighborhood in Colorado, is a welcome shelter for Shawnette Dorsey, 32, and her three children, ages 13 months, 8 and 13. The family, who had bounced from apartment to shelter to friends’ homes, finally landed an apartment at Decatur Place for single parents willing to enter a two-year program to get back on their feet. She and the kids say grace and go to church on Sunday. Still, life isn’t easy. Both of her sons have been in and out of trouble at school. In September, she lost her job, so now the family lives off unemployment checks, food stamps and Medicaid.

 

Shawnwunz’a Smith, 8, lies under his bed. He said that’s where he goes when he’s in trouble. Shawnwunz’a was home from school after being given a three-day suspension for having hit another student. He was spending the majority of the day in his room. Earlier he ventured into the living room and went unnoticed for a few minutes. But then his mother yelled, “I told you to get out of my living room.” He bowed his head and returned to his room, where he retreated