Hate this time of the year in my work

ryanjoachim

My school district is facing a shortfall of $6.5 million for the 2011-2012 school year.

As part of the budgeting process, a friend of mine is losing her job. My job is up in the air, and even if I do manage to stay next year, I'll have almost no budget to repair/replace parts...which means plenty of pissed off teachers all year long.

No real point to this post, just felt the need to vent a bit.

Airplay355

How does that much money suddenly disappear?

ryanjoachim

Airplay355 wrote: »

How does that much money suddenly disappear?

Because the State budget for Education went from $6.3 billion (approx) down to $5.7 billion.

nadams

Our state is currently ruling on a $1 billion budget cut to state schools.... The real problem is inefficiencies in the system... cutting funding isn't going to fix those.

cnh

That's always depressing news. But I don't understand what you do? Replace parts? What parts? What does that mean? Do you teach? And if so, do you mean LAB materials?

Just curious. Our Public School budgets are also being slashed but I'm not in the public sector but at one of those snotty L Arts colleges that still have tons of money.

cnh

headrott

Ryan, the budgeting for everything in Oregon is totally screwed up. For example, I have seen people getting EBT (Oregon Trail food stamps) and paying for pizza using this method and then driving away in a 2006 (at the oldest) Mercedes Benz. That is rediculous. If they are cutting funding for schools so they can fund the money going to those types of Oregon Trail users (for example), it's no wonder why Oregon is going bankrupt and has budget shortfalls in all areas. They are giving State money to people who don't really need it! It's gotta change!

Greg

ryanjoachim

I agree with you headrott, I really do.

cnh - I'm the a school tech. I have 200+ desktops and around 150-160 laptops that I mainting/upgrade/repair/replace. I also have 30 or so projectors, document cameras, and Smart Boards that I have to maintain. Plus the usual misc electronics like digital cameras, CPS systems, printers, etc.

exalted512

Sorry to hear that. Its not just OR, its everywhere. My sister-in-law's job is semi-up in the air here in Texas -- she's a teacher as well.
-Cody

Airplay355

That's extremely sad that education sees such large budget cuts. You'd think that would be one of the last places they'd take money from.

maximillian

ryanjoachim wrote: »

I agree with you headrott, I really do.

cnh - I'm the a school tech. I have 200+ desktops and around 150-160 laptops that I mainting/upgrade/repair/replace. I also have 30 or so projectors, document cameras, and Smart Boards that I have to maintain. Plus the usual misc electronics like digital cameras, CPS systems, printers, etc.

And your job is up in the air? Who does the school think is going to maintain this equipment? The teachers? Student computer club?

I can't imagine what instruction disciplines the students will be lacking as well. Short cited bureaucrats.

Airplay355

Maybe it will get outsourced. Our IT department at the University I work for was all let go and tech support is now outsourced. There are only 3 or 4 IT guys actually on campus for the 4000k or so students + faculty. Wireless breaks all the time, most dorms aren't even wireless, their server still crashes during registration time because so many students need to log in at once. It sucks. Hope something like that doesn't happen to you!

seeclear

Airplay355 wrote: »

That's extremely sad that education sees such large budget cuts. You'd think that would be one of the last places they'd take money from.

It is where cuts CAN be made. It is a large part of most states' budgets (here in CO I think they said it is over 50% of the total budget), and it is not part of the (largely unfunded) mandates that are passed down to the states from the feds (like medicaid, unemployment insurance, etc).

ryanjoachim

maximillian wrote: »

And your job is up in the air? Who does the school think is going to maintain this equipment? The teachers? Student computer club?

I can't imagine what instruction disciplines the students will be lacking as well. Short cited bureaucrats.

We have 4 "district techs" who support us and manage the overall framework. If I was cut, "my" district tech would most likely end up taking over part time here. Or, they could let me go and have another school tech split their time 50/50.

Either way sucks for the schools/students.

thuffman03

Sorry to hear you might loose your job. It is sad but the way we run our education system is a large factor on why it is broken and broke.

I don't want to go down the path of a political debate so I will just say again I am sorry to hear you might loose your job.

Tour2ma

Sorry to read that Ryan. My best friend from college is married to a teacher in PA. Last summer when I visited, I heard similar stories.

seeclear wrote: »

It is where cuts CAN be made. It is a large part of most states' budgets (here in CO I think they said it is over 50% of the total budget), and it is not part of the (largely unfunded) mandates that are passed down to the states from the feds (like medicaid, unemployment insurance, etc).

Two excellent examples... EXCEPT for the facts that:

- state participation in Medicaid is voluntary (doesn't make it much of a mandate); and

- extension of unemployment insurance was 100% Federally funded, so if CO has a shortfall, as many states do, maybe it's simply been overwhelmed by circumstance, as many states have been... then again maybe it underfunded its program.