Good luck with that!

The East Montgomery News Observer just posted an article: Education committee sends resolution to Texas lawmakers.

In an effort to provide better funding for schools, the Community Chamber of Commerce of East Montgomery County Education Committee passed two resolutions urging Texas lawmakers to review the current public school funding laws.

The resolutions, which passed unanimously at the committee hearing Nov. 10, called on the Texas Legislature to establish a statewide task force including elected officials and school districts.

I say, good luck with that. We all know what needs to be done, we all know how the schools are hurting financially. But, the bottom line is, the Legislature refuses to put forth anything that will help the schools. Schools are closing their doors, and you would think somebody would wake up, but alas, still no. The same leadership, for the most part, is still in place in Austin, so there probably won’t be any changes for us to look forward to. In fact, I know from an excellent source, that they (the Legislature) does not have anything “educational” on the agenda come January. So, all this rhetoric, wishing, wanting, etc, IMHO, is for naught.

We are cutting out programs, (band, art, day time sports) we are laying off personnel, (janitors, aids, teachers) Now, we will be laying off librarians, nurses and more teachers, so the teachers that are left will have more students in their classes, too many. They have too many NOW. You can only make so many parent phone calls in a day. The stacks of papers to grade, endless. (I sure hope from this day forward, I never hear someone complain about how good teachers have it, with summers off and all. I think I will haul off and slap the yahoo.)

I may not always agree with how the districts are spending their money, I may not agree with what needs to be done, but what I do see is the inequalities between districts. There are serious funding issues in this state that need to be addressed.

“It’s to provide the funding and support that we need to provide quality education,” Committee Chair Nadine Jenkins said. “If there is no money, how do you ensure good education?”

You go girl!!!

University presidents’ pay through the roof

The Dallas Morning News is reporting on something that we all should wake up and pay attention to: Texas college presidents’ pay rises with tuition.

As college tuition has risen and financial aid has lagged, paychecks for higher-education leaders in Texas and the rest of the country have continued to grow, according to a new national survey.

I believe in people getting paid for what they do, I won’t argue with that, but…and the article has some comments like:

The leaders of nine public universities and systems in Texas earned more than half a million dollars in 2007-08, the most recent year available, according to the survey by The Chronicle of Higher Education, released this week. And most of them received generous raises from the year before – as much as 30 percent.

Heads of private Texas colleges were well compensated, too, with four receiving more than a half-million dollars in 2006-07, also the most recent year available.

I can’t argue with this:

“Whatever happened to public service? The president of the United States makes less money than the president of the University of Texas,” said Zack Hall, a UT-Austin senior from Frisco who has lobbied for lower student costs.

Bringing in donations, hosting fundraisers, etc., well, heck, isn’t that their job? Does the money they bring in (the amount) have to be in direct correlation to their salaries?

And don’t get me started on coaches pay!! Just shaking my head here, just shaking my head.

The good news is, if you can call it that:

State Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, who heads a special committee on education finance, said he believes the current economy will affect future contract negotiations. “I would predict you would not see as healthy a compensation package,” he said.