States get millions in federal money for charter schools as school libraries defunded.

[madfloridian]

I can't imagine not having a library in school. I can still remember the one in the huge red brick building where I attended grades 1-5. It had the atmosphere that a library should have, and we were silent and rather in awe of the many books. I still remember the feeling of satisfaction walking home with another book checked out to read. I was a bookworm for sure.

School libraries fulfill a special need now that states are cutting their funds for public libraries. I can not imagine having a school without a library.

But here's what is happening to school libraries in President Obama's education budget for 2011.

From February:

Press Release: President’s FY2011 budget proposals calls for cuts to school library

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Obama’s FY2011 Budget Proposal to Congress released today included a $400 billion investment into education but did not include specific funds for school libraries. Additionally, the budget called for a consolidation of the funds for the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program, which takes the funds out of reach for most school libraries.

“This Administration says it wants to focus on programs that are effective, but it has not only recommended policy that will keep school libraries underfunded, but it will also eliminate funds for a program that the Department of Education has evaluated twice and found to be effective both times,” American Association of School Libraries (AASL) President Cassandra Barnett said. AASL is a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

But there are millions for new charter schools which are the brainchild of Arne Duncan of the DOE. Here are only 3 of the states and the money they are receiving for that purpose.

SC awarded $5.7 million federal grant to boost ranks of charter schools

WASHINGTON – The South Carolina Department of Education has been awarded a $5.7 million federal grant to help create additional high quality charter schools in the Palmetto State.

The $5,670,000 allocation was announced by the Charter School Programs section of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement. It represents two years of funding, with additional dollars anticipated for a third year. The state is seeking funds for up to five years.

The grant is one of 12 totaling $136 million for state education agencies in Arkansas, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Texas in addition to South Carolina. The largest award – $51,769,620 – went to California, while New Hampshire's $1,330,981 was the smallest.

Here's what the grant proposal includes:

The state's grant proposal includes:

* intensive training and technical assistance to help groups develop feasible, ambitious charter schools;
* promoting charters to serve at-risk students in high poverty areas, target closing achievement gaps and serve geographic areas currently without charter schools; and
* creation of a leadership academy to prepare charter principals, plus training for established schools and for charter school board members.

And here is an article Rhode Island's grant for charter school expansion.

R.I. to receive federal money to expand charter schools

PROVIDENCE, R.I. –– Rhode Island will receive several million dollars over the next three years — starting with $2.38 million the first year — from the U.S. Department of Education to expand public charter schools in the state.

The infusion will allow the state to double the number of these alternative schools serving primarily urban students and improve the quality of all charter schools, priorities of Education Commissioner Deborah A. Gist.

..." President Obama and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan support the expansion of charter schools, although national studies show mixed results. Some charter schools show impressive academic gains for their students, but others perform the same as or in some cases worse than regular public schools.

While some charter schools have unionized teachers, including three in Rhode Island, teacher unions are often critical of charters, saying they siphon away badly needed resources from school districts.

And more about the share of charter school money to be received by Arkansas.

State receives charter school funds

LITTLE ROCK - A $3.4 million federal grant will help the state Department of Education promote public charter schools at a time when some officials of traditional public education are challenging the alternative schools' encroachment.

The money from the U.S. Department of Education's public charter schools program is to the used to help start up newly approved charter schools, to help inform other charter and public schools about successful education programs and to support planning efforts for new schools, some members of Arkansas' congressional delegation said Tuesday.

I think about the good that money could do if it were given to replenish resources and keep school libraries at public schools that need funds so badly.

The charter school movement is already giving rise to huge new category of elaborate private real estate investment schemes.

These schemes involve public money and private money mixing too cozily.

In an interview, Brain said the Imagine Schools transaction announced Friday fulfilled Entertainment Properties’ 2007 commitment to make at least $200 million worth of acquisitions from Imagine. It also increases Entertainment Properties’ footprint in what Brain called “a huge new category” for private real estate investment.

“Public charter schools are now a 4 or 5 percent slice of a couple trillion dollar public education real estate market,” Brain said.

..."In Texas and Nevada, concerns have been raised about Imagine Schools' finances and complex real estate deals that have led to the charters spending up to 40% of their entire publicly funded budget on rent to for-profit companies, including Imagine's real estate arm, Schoolhouse Finance, leaving them with tight budgets for necessary materials like textbooks. In the interest of comparison, many other charter schools spend in the neighborhood of 14% of their public funding on building rent. The real estate deals, where the charter run by Imagine leases the building from Schoolhouse Finance, who then sells the property to a real estate investment trust who then leases it back to Schoolhouse at a lower rate than what the charter pays, have proven very lucrative for owners and investors in the two companies. Former Imagine School principals who inquired into the real estate expenditures were subsequently fired. But, naturally, they have also drawn sharp criticism from boards of education.

Fund the public schools, provide school libraries, stop diverting public taxpayer money to private enterprise.

Take those millions and keep the school libraries open.

[DrDan]

1. this is just outrageous

[old mark]

2. I believe they are closing libraries in New Jersey, too - the GOP does not like them...

If too many people read, then think too much, there goes the GOP...
Can't have that.

mark

[msanthrope]

16. There are public libraries scheduled to close in Camden, but they aren't funded by the DOE.

Also, as I linked in post 15 below, the administration isn't defunding, it has proposed consolidation of 6 literacy programs.

Since Congress writes the budget, I think it's a great issue for people to contact their Reps. on.

[Recursion]

41. Yes, but "Obama slashing school library funding" just sounds better...

...than "Obama proposing to Congress consolidation of programs through which many libraries receive much of their funding".

[katandmoon]

3. K&R

[FiveGoodMen]

4. If Americans understood how this affects the underpinnings of our democracy

They would regard this as sabotage and treason.

The people responsible -- no matter who they are -- are America's enemies.

[msanthrope]

17. How is consolidating this grant money affecting democracy?

As I noted in post 15 below, the administration is not suggesting defunding this library program, but consolidating it with 5 other literacy programs, in a grant process.

It's a different method of funding, how is it anti-democratic?

[Starry Messenger]

5. k & r

[Hannah Bell]

6. kr

[Fumesucker]

7. K&R, thanks for posting..

[msongs]

8. change you can believe in from your favorite politician who wants to corporatize schools nt

[SammyWinstonJack]

9. GOBAMA!

:puke:

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. And in NY the schools are being forced to share their libraries with charter schools

[WinkyDink]

11. Better to have a huge electricity/cable bill from computers!

[stray cat]

12. Be fair and honest - states are getting billions to keep teachers employed

in public schools.

[Dappleganger]

13. Our state of FL

has said that they will sit on that money and not hire teachers, from what was reported last week on the local news. I do not know if there is a "use it or lose it" requirement.

[madfloridian]

14. I just read an article that they are sort of hoarding the money.

It was in the NYT, will look. They can use it until 2012.

Do you begrudge that?

[madfloridian]

18. Here's the article from the NYT.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/18/business/economy/18teachers.html?_r=1

And a very interesting one from Chicago..

http://www.substancenews.net./articles.php?page=1590§ion=Article

[msanthrope]

15. The Obama budget calls for 'consolidation,' not 'defunding' of these library programs.

School Libraries
In his FY2011 budget, President Obama consolidated Improving Literacy Through School Libraries with five other literacy programs. This would mean that school libraries will have to directly compete with other programs to receive federal dollars under the President’s plan. However, Congress is busy drafting up their own budget for FY2011 right now, and there is no word yet if they will go along with President Obama’s recommendation of consolidation. Congress needs to hear from their constituents NOW about the important role that school libraries play in today’s schools.


http://wlaweb.blogspot.com/2010/03/lstaimproving-literacy-through-school.html


What you seem to be advocating is dedicated funding per program.

That the President is going for a consolidated budget approach doesn't mean he's looking to defund, or, that anything nefarious is going on. It seems the money's there, but will be administered through a competetive grant process.

It's a difference on how the money is going to be allocated.


Is it possible to debate the pros and cons of each method without accusing the President of the United States of something untoward???

[Catshrink]

19. Has it ever occurred to you that St. Obama might be making a mistake

with his priorities? Or do you believe he is infallible?

[msanthrope]

25. How is this a mistake? Specifically?

It seems to be two different ways of allocating funding. Consolidating literacy programs might save money in administration costs.

While I understand the pull of resorting to taunts such as "St. Obama," do you think using that terminology, as opposed to engaging in substantive discussion, really furthers your cause?

[AC_Mem]

33. Better Education is Not A Mistake

Our public education system is currently in bad shape and it should be a PRIORITY to do what it takes to get our kids, who are our future, a better education if we want to be able to compete with other countries who are currently kicking our butts.

People are quick to jump and blame - school hasn't even started in many states and the money is still coming in. We are rolling out massive change in education and it will HELP OUR CHILDREN. I don't personally believe that there is some mass conspiracy to both give our children better education and take away their school library, but I will contact my congressman for clarification.

Education is on the President's agenda for change and upgrade. We are going through some of the growing pains here in Tennessee where school has been in session for two weeks. My 2 elementary school children are in a brand new optional city school that was fortunate enough to be one of the new "change" schools. The kids LOVE it. They are teaching in a completely different way and the theme of all study and behavior surrounds environmental science and community service. It's tough - parental involvement is going to be critical for this to be successful and its a new way of learning for my little grandchildren, who live with me. But they love it! It is motivating, it is individualized and more feelings oriented. The teachers are excited and engaged, which is refreshing.

In past years, my little ones were literally numbers on a board. This year they are treated with respect and as little people, who have a classroom where they make goals, dreams, and form community. They are learning about the earth, ALLOT of math, and science where they are learning about our planet. They are also offering after school childcare where they have homework tutoring, yoga and Taekwondo for a VERY affordable price. And lastly - all children receive a free balanced, healthy breakfast and snack - ALL OF THEM.

I have to say, I'm very , very impressed. And this is Memphis TN, where we have had some of the worst schools you can imagine. If you want to be part of this change, join the PTA and be a voice and force to facilitate an upgrade to our children's education. We need to be more than a blog post, we need to BE THE CHANGE.

[Hannah Bell]

21. consolidation = bureaucratese for defunding.

[readmoreoften]

22. Yeah. It's a euphemism for DEFUNDING.

[Diane R]

27. To answer your last question, it seems that accusing the Pres of something untoward IS the purpose.

[Jax]

62. Oh bullshit

You want 24/7 worship.

madfloridian kills with the facts and the worshippers can't take it.

[Catshrink]

20. Our HS lost its librarian....

they made the job part time - who can live on a part time salary? They can't find someone qualified that will work only part time now so we're without.

[readmoreoften]

23. It's a national tragedy. Money for war but none for education and infrastructure.

And the privatization of the pieces that are left. If this is the Democratic plan, what's the use?

[havocmom]

24. Change isn't working out the way we were led to believe

when the machine asked us to work hard to get a DEM in the White House.

When they call again, I am letting the dog take the call.

[BrklynLiberal]

26. Thank you for all you do to keep us up to date on the attempts to ruin our public schoool system.

[Diane R]

28. Unfortunately, many of these threads are just negative spin.

[saracat]

29. Not to the schooils who have lost libraries or the teachers who have lost their jobs

students that have had their schools closed! It is way more than "spin".

[BrklynLiberal]

36. +1000

Negative "spin" is when the situation is not TRULY negative. The imminent demise of our public school system is TRULY negative.

[LostinVA]

47. +1

[LostinVA]

46. No they aren't, they are the truth, and the truth is something bad

[Jax]

63. No that would be your posts.

[cornermouse]

30. I can't imagine a school without a library.

This is insane.

[Recursion]

37. I don't remember ever using my high school's library

All our readings were in textbooks. I think we had one "study hall" every month where our homeroom went to the library. What are they used for nowadays?

[LostinVA]

48. They are used as libraries

We used our school libraries all the time, K-12.

[proud2BlibKansan]

55. Well they have books and computers and media and all kinds of resources

What are libraries used for? :rofl:

[Catshrink]

56. And if you're clever

you can hide in the stacks and make out with your sweetie.

[Recursion]

59. Ours didn't have stacks

The books were on shelves along the wall, with tables in the middle.

[Catshrink]

61. You were deprived.

I think you should sue.

[laurel46]

31. I can imagine a school with out a library

It is all ready happening in universities. The journal articles are being converted to electronic form so that material available in another location or school, can be downloaded in the home, office or lab during research. It is a very good system that saves time and offers more information in the same time period since walks to the library or waiting for an ordered book are gone. I cannot tell you how much more productive research is when information is so fast and easily accessible. One large centrally located library in digital form, can be used by many schools, so why is this bad? Seems cost effective to consolidate library resources. City libraries are also going digital which is great for a lot of reading material. I love books, but I love better selection as well and city libraries, available to all, are a better place to keep hard copies. Why have school and city libraries in a digital age?

[cornermouse]

32. You don't actually love books, do you?

They're just a utilitarian device, right?

The flaw in your argument is the number of homes that cannot afford the computer and/or download device and who can't afford to print everything off either.

[Recursion]

40. Love the feel and smell. Miss the search feature

I find it frustrating to not be able to search the entire document when I'm reading treeware.

[cornermouse]

53. Try the contents page at the front

or the index and sometimes a dictionary of terms at the back. :eyes:

[laurel46]

49. No, I am an avid reader since childhood

Sorry if I sounded negative about books and libraries, I worded the post badly

Why have both school libraries and public libraries carry the same books? I don't think that city libraries should become all digital, just have one, city, with the other, school, relying on digital. Plus, text books are bound to go to ebook tablets in the next few years, which is good because text books are over priced and can be rip offs. My husband and I both teach and do research at the university, so we are using online for research as well as pleasure. I agree that nothing will replace a good old fashioned book, however, school texts are different. Check out your local library for ebooks, ours just loaded 20k titles for at home download. Seriously, you see no advantage to digital books?

I was mostly addressing text book and research materials which are better on line, no single library can carry what the entire UC system has on it's nine campuses. This californian electronic library can and should be available for high schools, everywhere. Also book readers like the kindle are set to replace text books and 20 lb backpacks.

Oh, ebook readers will be provided by the schools, will be less than $100.00 if they cost at all, and can be used for years. Not bad.

[cornermouse]

54. No. I really don't.

I learn better and retain it longer when I've got the book in my hands than I do from a digital book.

[Irishonly]

34. It's Sad

Schools need libraries.

[madfloridian]

35. School libraries will have to "compete" for funds. Just like school compete.

So apparently now education is all about competing and beating some other entity to get the money you used to get just for being there.

Here is more from the Wisc. Library Asso. blog.

http://wlaweb.blogspot.com/2010/03/lstaimproving-literacy-through-school.html

"School Libraries

In his FY2011 budget, President Obama consolidated Improving Literacy Through School Libraries with five other literacy programs. This would mean that school libraries will have to directly compete with other programs to receive federal dollars under the President’s plan. However, Congress is busy drafting up their own budget for FY2011 right now, and there is no word yet if they will go along with President Obama’s recommendation of consolidation. Congress needs to hear from their constituents NOW about the important role that school libraries play in today’s schools."

[madfloridian]

38. Public schools will have to compete with charter schools apparently

for the library funds.


Eligible Applicants

Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)


Additional Information on Eligibility:

Eligible Applicants: LEAs, including charter schools and State-administered schools that are considered LEAs under State law, in which at least 20 percent of the students served by the LEA are from families with incomes below the poverty line based on the most recent satisfactory data available from the U.S. Census Bureau at the time this notice is published. These data are Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates for school districts for income year 2008. A list of LEAs with their family poverty rates (based on these Census Bureau data) is posted on our Web site at http://www.ed.gov/programs/lsl/eligibility.html. Note: Charter schools and State-administered schools must include documentation from their State educational agency (SEA) confirming eligibility for this program.

http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&oppId=51982

[Recursion]

39. Programs compete every time a budget is drawn up

It sounds like they're codifying the rules of that competition rather than leaving everybody in the dark.

[LostinVA]

50. No, they are destroying public education on the back of charter schools

And, i think on purpose.

[Recursion]

52. It's one thing to say that will be the result

It's another (and pretty ridiculous) thing to say that is the purpose. Obama and Duncan have been clear that what they want is to change where money goes so that kids who currently can only go to very bad schools can have some other option.

You (or someone else) may point out that on average charters are as good as or marginally worse than public schools. This is true in general, but the parents pushing for them are stuck sending their kids to schools that are much worse than most public schools, which is part of why this is so popular among a lot of parents (the same or marginally worse is better than much worse).

You (or someone else) may suggest that we simply need to fund "bad" schools more. I have seen no national numbers, but DC spends twice as much per student as Montgomery county and half again as much per student as Fairfax county (yes, yes, there are a million ways that index can be manipulated). And they've been getting more and more every year. This is why people think throwing more money at the schools isn't going to help. Maybe we're wrong. But it's just not true that the purpose here is to destroy public schools.

[Jax]

64. Pretty ridiculous to say they are not destroying public schools

There are right wing ostriches everywhere saying charter corporation schools are the answer.

You say that is not the purpose, to destroy public education.

You are wrong. Nothing new here.

madfloridian has the credibility.

[Desertrose]

42. America is going backwards!

We don't need charter schools...we need to keep & improve our public schools.

Is this all so they can have the narrow curriculum they want taught?

Holy sh*t! This is just ridiculous.

[Dragonfli]

43. Yes DR the narrow curriculum is "a product" to the corporatized education proponents

Understanding ones nature one can see the tree in the seed...

The evolution will be a student "product" designed and shaped for corporate consumption.
The lower classes will be trained as "morlocks" for lack of a better term at the moment.

Expect also specialized products for the military, guard, and service industry markets.

Do not expect in the future of this seed (if it is to be allowed to grow) a well rounded education that enables thinking, unless of course one is privileged to afford non-product education for one's children.

When you make of education a product to produce profits, expect the usual corporate paradigm to shape the system, it is axiomatic.

[LWolf]

44. Message control starts young.

:grr:

[Skidmore]

45. Our school, built on a revenue increase still in place for the next few years,

decreased the librarian's hours significantly and still found dollars to install $5M of astroturf on the football field. This is a rural school and is surrounded by corn fields.

[madfloridian]

51. I am not surprised, but it is sad.

It is a picture of a nation turning on education as a vital part of our culture.

[defendandprotect]

57. Shocking . . . . obviously the intention to destroy public education is thriving ....!!

[inna]

58. "stop diverting public taxpayer money to private enterprise" - +1,000,000

How do we stop this? Is it already too late? Where's public outrage?


K&R, anyway, as always.

[Panaconda]

60. Very informative

and helpful thread.

Thanks.