School cuts hit parents' pockets: Teachers, too, spending more of own money as districts face tight budgets

[one...two...tree 2,762]

by Pat Kossan - Jul. 26, 2009 12:00 AM

The Arizona Republic

Arizona parents and teachers are spending more out of their own pockets to help keep public schools running smoothly as schools hike fees and scrimp on basic supplies to meet tighter budgets.

Fees for band, athletics and other activities are going up at many schools. The amount of paper, markers, tissues, crayons and paper towels that schools supply for classes is falling, forcing teachers or parents to make up the difference.

The shifting of more costs onto parents and staff comes even as they suffer their own financial hit in a down economy. Many parents are struggling with job losses or pay cuts, and some teachers face frozen or reduced salaries.

Yet schools view the cost-shifting as necessary. Districts already are raising class sizes and slicing payrolls. Among school districts making such moves:

• The Paradise Valley Unified District is nearly doubling parking fees to $180 a year, up from $100, and athletic fees jumped to $200 per sport, up $50 over last year. Middle-school athletic fees also rose. Teachers and staff are taking a 2.6 percent pay cut, and each school must cut 16.7 percent in operating expenses, including supplies.

• Activity fees will remain the same at the Tempe Union High School District, but teacher pay is frozen and schools will make 6.3 percent cuts in operating budgets.

• Deer Valley Unified's school-supply budgets were cut by 5 percent.

• Mesa Unified is cutting classroom supplies by 15 percent. The district doesn't charge athletic fees, and other student fees, such as parking, will not rise.

• The Glendale Union High School District is considering charging its first athletic fees in nearly 20 years. It cut classroom supplies by 20 percent.

• Each Peoria Unified school must cut its operating budget, which includes supplies, by 10 percent.

Many schools also want more volunteer time from parents, and parent-teacher groups are trying new ways to raise funds.

Coyote Trail Elementary School in Tucson faced a supplies crunch last spring with months left in the semester.

"I open the closet, and there's nothing there," said Mark DeWeerdt, associate principal at the Marana Unified District school. Already-strapped teachers and parents had donated all they could, he said.

Two teaching assistants from the school's kindergarten classes and the school's receptionist began making phone calls to lunch aides, teaching assistants, the school nurse and others. Everyone went shopping out of their own pockets. Within a week, they had filled the closet with enough paper, pens, white-board markers and other supplies to last until the year was over.

"That's a twisted situation. It still makes the hair stand up on my arms," DeWeerdt said. "People forget the human story."

That's not the end of DeWeerdt's story: At the end of the school year, because of district budget cuts, he had to lay off the same teaching assistants who had scrambled to buy supplies.

Fees add up

For years, parents have dug into their wallets to pay for calculators and art supplies, athletic fees and chorus competitions. High-school parents are especially hard hit if their children are active in extra-curricular activities or take advanced courses.

Before this year, parents spent an average of $50 per elementary student and $200 per high-school student, an Arizona PTA official estimated.

With tighter school budgets now, the fees are climbing again.

Peoria High School raised its fees for athletic programs, band, chorus, speech and debate to $75 per student with a $150 maximum per family. Last year, parents paid $60 per student with a $150 maximum.

Peoria mother Rita Adams put two daughters through Peoria High School, and her third is a junior. Adams said the athletic fee has jumped $45 since she paid the fee for her oldest daughter, who graduated in 2003.

Driving class is going up by $100 for her youngest daughter this year, Adams said. Add to those expenditures $20 to $30 she routinely gives her daughter each week for lunch and personal expenses.

"They sit down with their little friends and they see that they're having something to eat, and of course, your kid's going to want to eat like the other kids," Adams said.

Adams has never added up all the expenses of sending her daughters to a public school, but she marvels at how relentlessly school expenses can drain her budget.

"But then you go back and look at it and the schools - they can't make it without . . . the help of parents," Adams said.

Tracey Benson of Tempe has taken time to tally up the money it costs for her daughter to get a public-school education at Marcos de Niza High School.

Benson crossed off her list a $50 parking permit and a new $5 identification card because her daughter will not be driving to school and her old ID will do.

Still on her list: orchestra fee, $30; orchestra activity fee, $50; and the optional $1,000 Benson intends to pay for this year's "orchestra tour" to Washington, D.C.

"That's really one of the reasons my daughter has stuck with orchestra," Benson said. "She enjoys that."

The yearbook will be $55, a pass to the school's home games costs $30 and a dance uniform runs $20.

Benson also plans to spend at least what she did last year to help the teacher of her second-grade son in the Tempe Elementary District: $50 to $100 on glue sticks, markers and tissues.

"Teachers have so many needs, and there are just fewer and fewer things that schools and districts are able to provide," Benson said. "So if you want those kinds of things in your classroom, it falls on the parents to provide them."

Fundraising troubles

Many schools raise big cash to supplement their budgets through PTA fundraisers, using events such as award dinners and silent auctions. But parent leaders are having doubts whether these events will work this year.

Peoria mother Cristina Hite says profits from Santa Fe Elementary School's holiday cookie-dough sale were down by half last school year. As head of the school's PTA, she must find another way to raise money for parent workshops and classroom supplies. She has dedicated herself to learning how to apply for grants and landed her first $800 grant last year; she's applying for more.

"Fundraising doesn't cut it anymore," Hite said. "Everyone's so financially strapped."

The school is losing students, so its budget is uncertain. The Peoria Unified District is even asking elementary schools to collect athletic fees of $1 to $5 per sport. Hite doesn't want to see any child left off the volleyball or football team, so the PTA will pick up the cost.

For other, wealthier schools, the days are over when parents could raise funds for extras, such as substitute teachers and laptop computers. Parents don't have the money, and once-generous small businesses are barely breaking even.

Kyrene del Cielo Elementary School in Chandler often depends on the generosity of parents who work at Intel Corp. But the uncertainty of Intel jobs makes PTO President Rosalie Hirano hesitant to rely on that same level of support this year. There will be no large fundraising dinner and auction to pay for playground shade structures. No raffle at the fall festival. Instead, the school will conduct a "stay at home" fundraiser, a simple letter asking parents to donate what they can. The goal is $10,000, much of which will go to classroom supplies.

"We're going to try and avoid nickel-and-diming our parents with fundraising requests and just do one big one up front," Hirano said. "Hopefully, it will be easier on their budgets."

Teacher commitment

Teachers spend an average of $477 a year for supplies that schools can't afford, according to a 2006 survey by the National Education Association. They can deduct up to $250 of those expenses from their federal taxable income.

People who go into the profession know this personal subsidy is part of the job, but they also know it's not required in many other professions. The amounts teachers pay for supplies often reflect not only a shortage of funding by the district or state; they reflect teachers' commitment to reach for higher-quality instruction - better materials, teaching aids, even books for their kids.

The Tempe Elementary District will not cut teacher pay or classroom supplies this year, but its teachers will still have to shell out their own money.

Each spring, Tempe teacher Katie Barnes has ordered $100 in supplies from the district warehouse for her class at Fees Middle School.

The supplies would be waiting for her when she set up her classroom for the school year. In May, the order sheet never came. There was no money for supplies at the time. Now, Barnes plans to buy much of what she needs on her own until her school can catch up on classroom supplies.

Barnes will donate her usual $400 to $500, but instead of buying tissues, hand sanitizers and paper towels as she has before, she will buy basics like pencils and lined paper, plus help more students buy uniforms.

Jo Bell, who teaches senior English at Gilbert's Mesquite High School, is trying an additional tactic to find such supplies: She swipes free vendor pens at conferences or businesses to give to her students.

Bell said that last school year she heard students talking about how one or both of their parents had lost their jobs. Some students were ruling out attending even a state university.

"This is very, very new to me," Bell said, adding she won't ask parents this year for markers or colored paper.

"I have students telling me, 'I might not be able to stay in high school because we might lose our house,' " Bell said. "I can't ask parents to bring me more white-board markers. I just can't do that."

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/200...pocket0726.html

[NickD 203]

As far as I am concerned, our schools have turned into a baby sitting service, and not a very good one at that. Had to spend hours with my step daughter, not only on school nights, but weekends of well going through the material they never covered in class. No discipline, if you kid is naughty, the parents are called in. If your kid goes AWOL, parents have to pay the penalty. Law requires all kids have to attend school, that also includes all the misfits, that alone is a major problem dumped on the parents.

We are just inside the radius for no school bus service, so had to drive her in and and pick her up everyday, but that's my fault for not buying a home one block further west. Handiest door for me to use was by the teachers parking lot, wasn't suppose to use that, but screw them. Couldn't help but notice that parking lot was the last go be filled and the first to be emptied, three minutes after the bell rang, watch out, it was empty. She did start driving late in her junior year, but her car was vandalized, back to dropping her off and picking her up with none-deductible mileage, another way we get screwed. And what supplies? If a math class demanded a calculator, was a hundred and fifty bucks, had to buy one they required. And a class teaching math basics with a calculator? What do you do when the batteries run out or a new calculator hits the market? Not teaching sh!t.

But one thing is very common, they always want more money, in practically a union free state, they have a very powerful teachers union, only followed by the state and city workers.

Practically every class is based on using a computer, could easily find the teachers are too lazy to write their own quizzes, could find not only those quizzes on the internet but the answers as well just like the UCS civics test. Was a bit more work, needed more than 60%, a 70% would only get you a D-, had to get at least 98% to get an A+, so work was still required. Kids don't even know how to use a pen or a pencil after graduating, but sure learn how to cheat. With English, could always find the best papers as a guide in this highly subjective subject. Wouldn't permit plagiarizing from a direct copy or paste, but was certainly a good guide for what that brainwashed teacher was looking for. And don't be too lazy not to use a spell or grammar checker if you wanted a good grade.

Teachers are so dumb with computers, had to hire an IT staff to keep these things going, more expense.

Asking for more money is the only thing our schools are good for.

[DeadPoolX 9]

As far as I am concerned, our schools have turned into a baby sitting service, and not a very good one at that. Had to spend hours with my step daughter, not only on school nights, but weekends of well going through the material they never covered in class. No discipline, if you kid is naughty, the parents are called in. If your kid goes AWOL, parents have to pay the penalty. Law requires all kids have to attend school, that also includes all the misfits, that alone is a major problem dumped on the parents.

We are just inside the radius for no school bus service, so had to drive her in and and pick her up everyday, but that's my fault for not buying a home one block further west. Handiest door for me to use was by the teachers parking lot, wasn't suppose to use that, but screw them. Couldn't help but notice that parking lot was the last go be filled and the first to be emptied, three minutes after the bell rang, watch out, it was empty. She did start driving late in her junior year, but her car was vandalized, back to dropping her off and picking her up with none-deductible mileage, another way we get screwed. And what supplies? If a math class demanded a calculator, was a hundred and fifty bucks, had to buy one they required. And a class teaching math basics with a calculator? What do you do when the batteries run out or a new calculator hits the market? Not teaching sh!t.

But one thing is very common, they always want more money, in practically a union free state, they have a very powerful teachers union, only followed by the state and city workers.

Practically every class is based on using a computer, could easily find the teachers are too lazy to write their own quizzes, could find not only those quizzes on the internet but the answers as well just like the UCS civics test. Was a bit more work, needed more than 60%, a 70% would only get you a D-, had to get at least 98% to get an A+, so work was still required. Kids don't even know how to use a pen or a pencil after graduating, but sure learn how to cheat. With English, could always find the best papers as a guide in this highly subjective subject. Wouldn't permit plagiarizing from a direct copy or paste, but was certainly a good guide for what that brainwashed teacher was looking for. And don't be too lazy not to use a spell or grammar checker if you wanted a good grade.

Teachers are so dumb with computers, had to hire an IT staff to keep these things going, more expense.

Asking for more money is the only thing our schools are good for.

Historically speaking, schools were designed as a form of "baby sitting." At the turn of the 20th century, kids suddenly had a lot of free time on their hands. They weren't working on farms and few were required to spend hours with dangerous machines or other forms of backbreaking labor. So kids were getting intro trouble and causing problems.

The public school system was devised as a way to "keep kids busy" and "out of trouble." Along the way the government figured kids might as well learn something, too.

[NickD 203]

The public school system was devised as a way to "keep kids busy" and "out of trouble." Along the way the government figured kids might as well learn something, too.

One definition of conservatism is to stick with traditional values that in this case would be just the baby sitting routine. Seems like that learning bit was thrown out.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The public school system was devised as a way to "keep kids busy" and "out of trouble." Along the way the government figured kids might as well learn something, too.

One definition of conservatism is to stick with traditional values that in this case would be just the baby sitting routine. Seems like that learning bit was thrown out.

There are those who want to see the public school system to fail. It's part and parcel to their belief that all government endeavors end in failure. No matter how many success stories - and there are millions, these ideologues will not acknowledge the benefit of public schools and will not relent until all schools are privatized.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Your article completely fails to address the real issue, which is the cost of illegal immigrants to the Arizona school system!

The school is losing students, so its budget is uncertain. The Peoria Unified District is even asking elementary schools to collect athletic fees of $1 to $5 per sport. Hite doesn't want to see any child left off the volleyball or football team, so the PTA will pick up the cost.

For other, wealthier schools, the days are over when parents could raise funds for extras, such as substitute teachers and laptop computers. Parents don't have the money, and once-generous small businesses are barely breaking even.

Illegals are bloating the Arizona school systems according to this thread:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=209584

Of course lostinblues article is well over 2 years old, yet posted today... And getting rave reviews from the anti-hispanic crowd...

[Heracles 417]

Your article completely fails to address the real issue, which is the cost of illegal immigrants to the Arizona school system!

The school is losing students, so its budget is uncertain. The Peoria Unified District is even asking elementary schools to collect athletic fees of $1 to $5 per sport. Hite doesn't want to see any child left off the volleyball or football team, so the PTA will pick up the cost.

For other, wealthier schools, the days are over when parents could raise funds for extras, such as substitute teachers and laptop computers. Parents don't have the money, and once-generous small businesses are barely breaking even.

Illegals are bloating the Arizona school systems according to this thread:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=209584

Of course lostinblues article is well over 2 years old, yet posted today... And getting rave reviews from the anti-hispanic crowd...

Why is it no one mentions that? Californians are the biggest douches of them all considering the services they now have to cut and suffer yet still refuse to make illegal immigrants, at the very least, pay for themselves. I'm not suggesting they should not have access to services or schools but they should pay for it them themselves. The huge drain of the 15,000,000 illegal immigrants has not been mentioned once. yes even as Americans loose their services and are forced to furlough or do without.

The country is truly going down the toilet yet people are still holding on to their misguided compassion for illegals. Prior to the crisis, in terms of education scores and ranking America was already ranked near last out of 30 developed countries. Where do people think it end up after these billions in cuts?

Edited July 26, 2009 by haza

[NickD 203]

The public school system was devised as a way to "keep kids busy" and "out of trouble." Along the way the government figured kids might as well learn something, too.

One definition of conservatism is to stick with traditional values that in this case would be just the baby sitting routine. Seems like that learning bit was thrown out.

There are those who want to see the public school system to fail. It's part and parcel to their belief that all government endeavors end in failure. No matter how many success stories - and there are millions, these ideologues will not acknowledge the benefit of public schools and will not relent until all schools are privatized.

[NickD 203]

The public school system was devised as a way to "keep kids busy" and "out of trouble." Along the way the government figured kids might as well learn something, too.

One definition of conservatism is to stick with traditional values that in this case would be just the baby sitting routine. Seems like that learning bit was thrown out.

There are those who want to see the public school system to fail. It's part and parcel to their belief that all government endeavors end in failure. No matter how many success stories - and there are millions, these ideologues will not acknowledge the benefit of public schools and will not relent until all schools are privatized.

Had no complaints on our public schools they were even as short as 30 years ago. But would like to see two minor changes. Testing and grading will be done independent of the classroom teacher to assure fairness and impartiality. Pay teachers on their effectiveness in teaching, not on the number of degrees they have. If they can't or won't teach so their students meet the standards, get rid of them just like in the private sector.

[lostinblue 1,989]

The public school system was devised as a way to "keep kids busy" and "out of trouble." Along the way the government figured kids might as well learn something, too.

One definition of conservatism is to stick with traditional values that in this case would be just the baby sitting routine. Seems like that learning bit was thrown out.

There are those who want to see the public school system to fail. It's part and parcel to their belief that all government endeavors end in failure. No matter how many success stories - and there are millions, these ideologues will not acknowledge the benefit of public schools and will not relent until all schools are privatized.

Had no complaints on our public schools they were even as short as 30 years ago. But would like to see two minor changes. Testing and grading will be done independent of the classroom teacher to assure fairness and impartiality. Pay teachers on their effectiveness in teaching, not on the number of degrees they have. If they can't or won't teach so their students meet the standards, get rid of them just like in the private sector.

http://news.aol.com/article/nyc-teachers-p...-nothing/538142

Hundreds of New York City public school teachers accused of offenses ranging from insubordination to sexual misconduct are being paid their full salaries to sit around all day playing Scrabble, surfing the Internet or just staring at the wall, if that's what they want to do.

Because their union contract makes it extremely difficult to fire them, the teachers have been banished by the school system to its "rubber rooms" — off-campus office space where they wait months, even years, for their disciplinary hearings.

The 700 or so teachers can practice yoga, work on their novels, paint portraits of their colleagues — pretty much anything but school work. They have summer vacation just like their classroom colleagues and enjoy weekends and holidays through the school year.

Teachers unions are the strongest in the nation. If you can get rid of tenure .It would be a big step in the right direction.

There was a teacher near me who was CONVICTED of embezzling money from an old woman.She had a bit of a gambling problem. She stll was on paid leave after the conviction and sitting in jail until her case was reviewed by the school.

[Heracles 417]

Had no complaints on our public schools they were even as short as 30 years ago. But would like to see two minor changes. Testing and grading will be done independent of the classroom teacher to assure fairness and impartiality. Pay teachers on their effectiveness in teaching, not on the number of degrees they have. If they can't or won't teach so their students meet the standards, get rid of them just like in the private sector.

So it all falls on the bad teachers but zero on the parents or student hey. We must have been raised quite differently.

The teacher cannot ram information down a child's throat. A teacher cannot force a student to study and focus on school rather than 'extracurricular actives'. Neither can a teacher force a student to behave and not disrupt others. I would like to see you go teach for a few years in 2009 and then come tell me how it's all the teachers fault. You talk about the private sector but I would be on $500K if I had to juggle the number of tasks they handle. In the professional private sector, your managers will not come in and assign new taks on top of everything you are doing, without any feedback from you or compensation for you.

Teachers follow rules and processes they do not set, therefore, blaming the teacher is just a cop-out. Their salary is also a joke. Teachers in Victoria start on $50K. A lot of new teachers here barely make it by. Rather than cut our teachers down in Aus, we show them respect; which strangely enough goes a long way. But anyway what would I know, Australia is only ranked first in the world in terms of the international education index.

I am sure A.J will be around soon to mock another first place prize they have achieved.

Edited July 27, 2009 by haza

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Had no complaints on our public schools they were even as short as 30 years ago. But would like to see two minor changes. Testing and grading will be done independent of the classroom teacher to assure fairness and impartiality. Pay teachers on their effectiveness in teaching, not on the number of degrees they have. If they can't or won't teach so their students meet the standards, get rid of them just like in the private sector.

So it all falls on the bad teachers but zero on the parents or student hey. We must have been raised quite differently.

The teacher cannot ram information down a child's throat. A teacher cannot force a student to study and focus on school rather than 'extracurricular actives'. Neither can a teacher force a student to behave and not disrupt others. I would like to see you go teach for a few years in 2009 and then come tell me how it's all the teachers fault. You talk about the private sector but I would be on $500K if I had to juggle the number of tasks they handle. In the professional private sector, your managers will not come in and assign new taks on top of everything you are doing, without any feedback from you or compensation for you.

Teachers follow rules and processes they do not set, therefore, blaming the teacher is just a cop-out. Their salary is also a joke. Teachers in Victoria start on $50K. A lot of new teachers here barely make it by. Rather than cut our teachers down in Aus, we show them respect; which strangely enough goes a long way. But anyway what would I know, Australia is only ranked first in the world in terms of the international education index.

I am sure A.J will be around soon to mock another first place prize they have achieved.

Thank God you're not a teacher, corrupting those innocent minds with your drivel.

[Danno 1,228]

The public school system was devised as a way to "keep kids busy" and "out of trouble." Along the way the government figured kids might as well learn something, too.

One definition of conservatism is to stick with traditional values that in this case would be just the baby sitting routine. Seems like that learning bit was thrown out.

There are those who want to see the public school system to fail. It's part and parcel to their belief that all government endeavors end in failure. No matter how many success stories - and there are millions, these ideologues will not acknowledge the benefit of public schools and will not relent until all schools are privatized.

Not true, we will not relent until the monopoly is broken.

Vouchers my friend, give us vouchers, let's all be Pro-choice on this issue

[Heracles 417]

Thank God you're not a teacher, corrupting those innocent minds with your drivel.

Coming from a puny little dweeb like you is laughable.

PS I still have a copy of you pics before you took them down.

Edited July 27, 2009 by haza

[GabiandVi 34]

I'm just curious. This is not a judgement or a rant. I'm sincerely curious. How many of you are public school teachers?