Americans With No Abilities Act (AWNAA)

[KarenCee 3]

The education system in the US is long overdue an overhaul and improvement. The only obstacle is that I can't see many US tax payers willing to increase their taxes to fund it. First things first, get rid of the county based school system and change it to a state based system. This way you eliminate bureaucracy and start paying the people who actually teach and directly work with the kids. The second benefit of a state based system is that it makes sure all schools are equally and appropriately funded. This way schools in poor counties can still receive adequate funding and attention.

If only this would happen! We would finally have the schools that dreams are made of.

To the poster who said this: I guess that teaching them other stuff like arts,socal science and other courses is more important to Reading writing, and Math. Educators do not have the liberty to teach what they want...we are bound by a curriculum that is set by the State. We teach what they tell us to teach, unless of course one teaches for a private school. Private schools aren't regulated by the state. Take a look at any state's curriculum...the list of things that a child should know by the end of the school year (for that particular grade) is listed, usually on each state's department of education website.

Reading is ALL important as far as I'm concerned. If one cannot read, one cannot do anything in this world. So you see, not all of us educators feel that way.

[yogib37 3]

The education system in the US is long overdue an overhaul and improvement. The only obstacle is that I can't see many US tax payers willing to increase their taxes to fund it. First things first, get rid of the county based school system and change it to a state based system. This way you eliminate bureaucracy and start paying the people who actually teach and directly work with the kids. The second benefit of a state based system is that it makes sure all schools are equally and appropriately funded. This way schools in poor counties can still receive adequate funding and attention.

If only this would happen! We would finally have the schools that dreams are made of.

To the poster who said this: I guess that teaching them other stuff like arts,socal science and other courses is more important to Reading writing, and Math. Educators do not have the liberty to teach what they want...we are bound by a curriculum that is set by the State. We teach what they tell us to teach, unless of course one teaches for a private school. Private schools aren't regulated by the state. Take a look at any state's curriculum...the list of things that a child should know by the end of the school year (for that particular grade) is listed, usually on each state's department of education website.

Reading is ALL important as far as I'm concerned. If one cannot read, one cannot do anything in this world. So you see, not all of us educators feel that way.

That would be me that you are refering too.. I am not disagreeing with you. Yes I know that state mandates what needs to be set. If your are a teacher, You are very overworked and underpaid. If you dont know how to Read, you cant really function in daily life when your out of school. If you dont know how to write you can't fill forms out and write letters etc.. and if you cant do math, well then you can't figure out problems.

So I think it is important that reading,writing and Math should be a big stress subjects in the grade schools..

Just my opinon..

I am not in a debate with you, I agree what you said about reading.. I just dont think learing social studies and other subject in grades 1-6.. Let that be tought in Middle school and high school..

Yogi

[I'm Gone 60]

The education system in the US is long overdue an overhaul and improvement. The only obstacle is that I can't see many US tax payers willing to increase their taxes to fund it. First things first, get rid of the county based school system and change it to a state based system. This way you eliminate bureaucracy and start paying the people who actually teach and directly work with the kids. The second benefit of a state based system is that it makes sure all schools are equally and appropriately funded. This way schools in poor counties can still receive adequate funding and attention.

If only this would happen! We would finally have the schools that dreams are made of.

Money isn't the answer to better schools. Children learned just fine before computers in one room school houses. Teachers are paid a good salary for a 9 month job, with 2 weeks off at Christmas and a week in the Spring.

You have to make sure kids go to school and have parents that care and get involved in the child's education and no amount of money is going to make that happen.

Edited September 10, 2006 by mdyoung

[Veiled Princess 1]

you're right about that. the county based tax system to pay for schools sucks. i also see people in a small school making 80-100k a year and they are not even teaching! who knew being the principle of a school that teaches 1-6 grade could make so much?

in kansas more than half my taxes go to pay for the schools. if you don't own a home and rent a house or apartment, you're not paying that tax, the owner of the property does. i think they should start hitting up those who rent also for school tax money too, maybe even have a flat tax on every resident for school taxes and drop the property tax. i believe it's unfair to tax people who own and not those who rent when it comes to school taxes. (and yes, before anyone comes in here and jumps on this, renting is way cheaper than owning here).

I'm sure the amount that one pays in rent includes what the property owner has to pay in taxes at the end of the year. Each renter pays his share

Here in SC if you own a car you also have to pay property taxes AND the lottery takes a lot of the burden of tax payers having to provide everything for the schools... Actually that's the ONLY good thing that comes out of the lottery... our schools really rock now! My kids classrooms have at least 5 computers each and all kinds of little nifty supplies.

Not to mention that any one can go to the community college and regardless of your income, the lotter money pays around 75% of your fees. I'm not sure about the universities... will have to look into that I guess.

[Heracles 417]

Money isn't the answer to better schools. Children learned just fine before computers in one room school houses. Teachers are paid a good salary for a 9 month job, with 2 weeks off at Christmas and a week in the Spring. You have to make sure kids go to school and have parents that care and get involved in the child's education and no amount of money is going to make that happen.

Times have changed. Its silly to compare the past to the present. I do agree that its up to the parents. Too many parents take no responsibility for their kids education and future yet expect the government to do all the work for them..

Pay wise I think you will find a lot of teachers struggle to make ends meet. Just because they work 9 months year doesn't justify their low pay. Look at all of the ####### they have to deal with. Kids with no respect, miles of red tape and highly opinionated parents who have no clue.

Edited September 10, 2006 by Infidel

[Ban Hammer 13,716]

I'm sure the amount that one pays in rent includes what the property owner has to pay in taxes at the end of the year. Each renter pays his share

Here in SC if you own a car you also have to pay property taxes AND the lottery takes a lot of the burden of tax payers having to provide everything for the schools... Actually that's the ONLY good thing that comes out of the lottery... our schools really rock now! My kids classrooms have at least 5 computers each and all kinds of little nifty supplies.

Not to mention that any one can go to the community college and regardless of your income, the lotter money pays around 75% of your fees. I'm not sure about the universities... will have to look into that I guess.

i'm sure it's not even close what one pays in rent as compared to what a home owner pays. you can rent an apartment for less than half what i pay monthly for my house. i feel that if they want to improve schools then they need to start spreading the tax around rather than just hit up those who can own a home. currently the way the system works it ignores some within the area. i'm sure an apartment complex has a less per person school tax than a single home.

yes we have personal property taxes too btw. i pay personal property tax on my car, my truck, my flatbed trailer, my outside storage room........

Edited September 10, 2006 by charlesandnessa

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

You have to make sure kids go to school and have parents that care and get involved in the child's education and no amount of money is going to make that happen.

Absolutely!

[I'm Gone 60]

Money isn't the answer to better schools. Children learned just fine before computers in one room school houses. Teachers are paid a good salary for a 9 month job, with 2 weeks off at Christmas and a week in the Spring. You have to make sure kids go to school and have parents that care and get involved in the child's education and no amount of money is going to make that happen.

Times have changed. Its silly to compare the past to the present.

In 1900 2 plus 2 was still 4 and the alphabet still had 26 letters.

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Education/BG1448.cfm

Total federal, state, and local spending for education, both public and private, reached an estimated $389 billion during the 1999-2000 academic year.

Total expenditures by the U.S. Department of Education for all K-12 students have nearly doubled, in constant dollars, just since the 1980s, from $14.8 billion to $27.1 billion;5 but reading and math scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) have changed relatively little over that same period, despite the enormous increases in spending at the federal, state, and local levels. Last year, for example, some 68 percent of 4th graders still could not read at a proficient level.

http://www.educationnext.org/20033/71.html#fig3

The average teacher, according to the AFT, earned $43,250 during the 2000–01 school year.

Neither the AFT nor the NEA makes any adjustments for the fringe benefits associated with teaching in a public school, thus masking an important part of total compensation.

I work for the Federal government and just like teacher's unions the AFGE is always crying that Federal employees are under paid. Federal employees and teachers are paid quite well for what they do.