What About Rural Schools?

[Dinger]

Or is duncan'ts plan for city schools only? That asswipe doesn't have a clue.

[underpants]

1. Actually a lot of mountain west school budgets are directly tied to logging revenue

no kidding. Look it up.

[leftyclimber]

2. Declining PILTs have demolished schools in counties with a lot of public land.

I don't have ANY problem with reducing logging. It was going on at a completely unsustainable rate, and it's been a real fight to get a lot of the timber companies to get their practices up to what's currently considered scientifically appropriate.

What I DO have a problem with is counties with low populations, large percentages of public land (and therefore a smaller property tax base) being punished for having less of an ability to pay for their schools. IIRC there's a county in Nevada that's over 90% federal land. How are they supposed to fund their schools if they're supposed to rely on property taxes only on that 10% that's private?

If payments in lieu of taxes are going to go away, as they have been for some time now, we need to find alternate federal funding to make up for the fact that these counties can't collect property tax monies on public land. Certainly there's some way to do this without tying the funds to timber money.

I'd prefer it if school funding weren't tied to property taxes at all, but I don't know how you legislate that state-by-state. Federal legislation on how to fund schools, which is probably the optimal solution, would probably give rise to all sorts of lawsuits and tie up the funding even further. But there's got to be SOME way to make this better. I just wish I knew what it was.

[Dinger]

4. That's A Big Problem Here In Wisconsin

And I bet we're not alone.

[LWolf]

3. I don't know if my school qualifies,

although we are relatively rural and have lots of public land.

Still, the growth of housing developments has skyrocketed in the last decade, replacing pasture with parasitic tracts at an astounding rate. While those of us still fortunate to be further out still consider ourselves "rural," and our "city" is still quite small, relatively speaking, with the latest numbers falling at 17,000 or so (more than doubled in the last decade,) I don't know if our district can be considered "rural."

My school is on the furthest outskirts of the district, in a little town with a population of about 1500. Most of our students don't live in town, but in the farming and ranching areas beyond town.

What about Duncan's plan, specifically, are you asking about?

[Dinger]

5. What Has duncan Said About His Plan For Rural Schools?

His emphasis seems to be city schools, which I can agree with, to a point, but both rural and urban schools have problems that require unique solutions, not a "one-size-fits-all" approach.

[LWolf]

6. We have our own issues, it's true.

Some of the issues, of course, are the same.

Poor attendance, with a few kids (per class) yanked out periodically to be "home schooled," then re-enrolled, then removed again...wash, rinse, repeat.

Very low adult education levels, and an entrenched anti-intellectual bent. Reading is an unpleasant chore to be endured.

Low income, families in financial crises, a large number of kids without baths, supplies, winter clothing, etc., and many kids that have to be taught personal hygiene at school.

Many broken families, constantly breaking and being reformed.

Many families that we don't discuss behavior problems with, because we aren't sure what will happen to the kid if we do.

More homeless families at one time than I've experienced elsewhere.

And rabid religious fundamentalism constantly rearing it's head in terms of what students are allowed to hear, read, or write about.

Oh, and a heavy duty concentration of meth production, distribution, and use.

And a homogeneous population that views anyone from "outside" with deep suspicion and distrust.

And a building about 70 years old, in serious need of repairs and renovations.

I'm not sure what Duncan is saying about rural schools. So far, our district has been focused on trying to stay open until the end of the school year. We've cut days and salary, more than my entire winter fuel bill, and are now looking at what we will be cutting NEXT year.

[Dinger]

7. Sounds Like My School

I teach in a small PreK-12 school, about 50% Native American. I absolutely love it here! However, we have almost 80% of our students on free and reduced lunch, our high school has cut almost all electives, some of which are required to get into a decent college. Several families who move in and out of the district all year long. We have members on the school board who don't think computers are necessary for a student to get an education. We actually had a school board members say we have a "mental school", meaning we have "too many" students in special education. He's still on the board. Oh cripes, I better quit while I'm behind. Oh yeah, declining enrollment disproportionally affects poor, rural schools, as does school choice. God, it's a mess.

[LWolf]

9. Yes.

Our district based the budget on enrollment growth, which was TOO rapid during the last decade. When the housing bubble burst, enrollment slowed down. This year, it's declining.

Meanwhile, the school board is cutting everywhere possible to try to balance the budget. EVERYTHING is on the table.

Oops. Everything except sports programs, which they are afraid to touch. Sports programs are another local religion, and valued much more highly than academics.

[madrchsod]

8. more charter schools , money, teachers, testing,and days in school

more testing in science,math,and reading. if your child likes the arts and social studies you better home school or find people who can. he`s a one shoe fits all guy..test ,test ,test cause we have to catch up to the Asians.

i`m so glad i went to school in the 50`s and 60`s. if our kids were of school age my wife and i would home school.with 200 hrs of college credit between us we could do i just fine.

[endersdragon]

10. Obama knows where his votes come from

He is a politician just like anyone else who has come around in the past 100 years. Beyond that both he and Duncan have almost all of their experience in major city schools, they don't have a clue what to do about rural schools. I don't think McCain would have had any more knowledge, but lets face, who cares about smaller rural schools (except for those of us living there) and in particular how many people who voted for Obama care about rural schools. FYI, I am just a cynic.