tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790809561264810693.post8633838163005505963..comments2023-11-07T06:56:59.563-05:00Comments on Ann Arbor Schools Musings: Reviewing the AAPS Budget DecisionsRuthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531344380743742801noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790809561264810693.post-48029829569021189332013-06-18T12:40:38.469-04:002013-06-18T12:40:38.469-04:00Anon, you make a good point about the special educ...Anon, you make a good point about the special education cuts, and I should have written something about it. It does highlight how many components there are in the budget reductions and the unintended consequences of some/many of them.<br /><br />In my defense, I think I pay a fair amount of attention to special education but the truth is that it is a complicated area that I don't know all that much about. I have offered before, on the AAPAC (special ed.) list that if anyone would like to guest blog occasionally on special education issues, that would be terrific. Maybe that person is you!<br /><br />So for instance, I'm not really that clear about which staff are being cut and whether that will in reality affect services. I did hear SISS Director Elaine Brown say at the board meeting that caseloads would increase but not to what she thought was an unreasonable level. You might disagree with that, and I don't have any expertise around this. <br /><br />Your second point, that 3/4 of the cost is borne by federal/state funds and so you cut $500,000 worth of services to save $125,000 is very salient as well, because it would seem there are more direct ways to get that same $125,000.<br /><br />As I think about these cuts, I generally set them up (in my mind) against the cost of losing general education teachers--which averages about $100,000/teacher. So then the question would be, would it be worth cutting $500,000 in services to special education in order to save 1.25 general education teachers? The answer to me is "probably not," but I don't know that much about special education, as I said before.<br /><br />So if you're asking, "which category would you put this in?" I would put it in Category 3, "I'm not sure this was the right thing to do." <br /><br />But I sure wish you hadn't said that I don't care about those students. I do. Ruthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06830838540410394430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790809561264810693.post-28250709794571434042013-06-18T12:14:55.976-04:002013-06-18T12:14:55.976-04:00I don't even see any comment on the cutting o...I don't even see any comment on the cutting of 7 FTE staff in special eduction for a measly saving of $125,000, for cutting over $500,000 of services to the most needy kids. Also these services are required by federal law, so the filing of due process complaints or a lawsuit could easily wipe out these savings, and cause even more expense. I guess hardly anyone cares about these students, including you. Very, sad....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790809561264810693.post-19853239626531346672013-06-17T12:02:23.544-04:002013-06-17T12:02:23.544-04:00Hi Ruth, and all.
I was browsing fro something el...Hi Ruth, and all.<br /><br />I was browsing fro something else on the Michigan Department of Education web site and found some relevant information. <br /><br />An hour ago I sent the following letter to the BoE, Mr. Comsa, Dr. Green and Alesia Flye. <br /><br />Dear AAPS Staff and Trustees,<br /><br />In spite of the legal advice your spokesperson Ms. Margolis claims the BoE and AAPS has sought, I believe that your recent action to require a charging Huron and Pioneer High School students $100 per semester during which they take a 7th class is not permitted under Michigan law and State Department of Education rules. Please see: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/freetextbooksmaterialsandchargingfees_122776_7.pdf<br /><br />In particular, the following excerpt is relevant to recent changes in AAPS policies:<br /><br />I. General Fees<br />A. School districts may not make charges for any required or elective courses such <br />as for:<br />(a) General or registration fees<br />(b) Course fees or materials ticket charges<br />(c) Textbooks and school supplies<br /><br />B. School districts may charge fees for extracurricular activities when students are <br />not graded or evaluated and academic credit is not given, or for any activity in <br />which participation is not required for obtaining a diploma. Provision should be <br />made on a reasonable basis so that students without financial means are not <br />excluded.<br /><br />Clause A above also seems to prohibit the existing AAPS practice of charging families to enroll a high school student in an on-line class if the student is enrolled in 6 hours of face-to-face classes during the semester. <br /><br />Clause B would seem to prohibit charging pay-to-play fees for sports because academic credit in the form of 0.5 credits of elective PE is offered by AAPS for participation in any HS sport. Clause B also prohibits pay-to-participate fees for choir, band, and drama competitions or performances when participation is graded or otherwise required as part of a credit-granting class. I am not certain if this practice has been implemented anywhere in AAPS, though the recent decision to have the Pioneer Theater Guild fund the cost of the Theater Technician seemed to contemplate a fee to participate in drama class productions as well as membership fees in the PTG. <br /><br />Athletic pay-to-play fees are specifically addressed later in the document. <br /><br />III. Interscholastic Athletics Participation<br />A. Fees for participation in interscholastic athletic activities are legally possible if <br />they are extracurricular in nature, students are not required to take them, <br />and no grade or credit is given.<br /><br />I'm hopeful that you will consider this information and adjust AAPS budget, scheduling and academic credit policies to conform with Michigan law and State Board of Education guidelines before the next school year begins. It would be unfortunate to trade the estimated $160,000 the 7th hour fees would raise for $500,000 or more spent defending these new and existing policies from a lawsuit. <br /><br />Best regards,<br /><br />Ann O'ConnellAnna O'Connellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00338382614017468872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790809561264810693.post-86413637794497804412013-06-17T11:47:37.690-04:002013-06-17T11:47:37.690-04:00You're right - those last two are stupid decis...You're right - those last two are stupid decisions.Triciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10800864673813334725noreply@blogger.com