New Haven Independent

posted by: New Havener on May 13, 2010  10:18am

Our tolerance for mediocrity continues to aspire to new heights!

posted by: streever on May 13, 2010  10:53am

jesus christ.

“ready to handle an expansion of funding”: according to the fed, no. Not ready.

I love how we’re crowing about School Change all day but getting slammed on basics (no after-school detentions, political patronage in high-level jobs, unable to receive expanded federal funding because we aren’t meeting the requirements).

Basics come first, that’s it. You need a strong foundation before you can build 30 stories. New Haven seems to always be trying to outreach what we have as a foundation, which is extremely frustrating.

posted by: Townie on May 13, 2010  10:53am

The head start program is a waste of money. It is not the government’s job to raise the city’s (nation’s) children, and it should not be a burden that the taxpayers should be expected to shoulder. Just because someone is poor does not mean that they cannot be active in, and responsible for, their child’s preparation for school. This is just another example of the error of liberal social policy; overspending with little to no result.
Also, why is the Board of Ed hiring a D.C. law firm to refute the charges? Why pay more money for absolutely no reason? Just suck it up, fix the problems and move on. Or refuse the Federal Funding , abandon the Head Start program and tell the city’s parents to grow up and take responsibility for their children.

posted by: Jonathan Hopkins on May 13, 2010  12:16pm

Townie,
I agree that the democratic social solutions have mostly been immense failures, but to just push the burden of responsibility off to the parents is the same mistake we’ve been making for 6 decades, just differently located. I would love it if tomorrow, every parent magically got their high school and college diplomas and all the education that goes along with it, and high-skill jobs flooded their neighborhoods, but we’ve been waiting about 6 decades, and it looks like it ain’t gunna happen that way. These troubled kids parents are mostly likely just bigger troubled kids. It would be great if all people who didn’t want the responsibility of raising a child, didn’t haven children, but that is an entirely separate issue from actually addressing the problems that face kids who have been born into undesirable situations.
This contemporary era of “social degradation” in urban, minority populations has its roots in the migration of southern blacks to the northeast in search of industrial opportunity to bring their families up out of incredible poverty and oppression. Same goes for Puerto Rican immigrants. These opportunities were never realized because of the decentralization and deindustrialization of our countries cities. Families were essentially entrapped in aging city neighborhoods with increasingly fewer jobs, commerce, adequate housing and middle class populations for stability. With the boom of the underground drug market, these went from terrible to apocalyptic but the early 90s. We have mostly recovered from this period and are now at a similar place in terms of crime that we were in the early 70s, which is still too high. Poverty, however, has gotten worse and the prospects of each new generation have actually gotten worse, even as cities have begun to rebuild and show signs of life, which is mostly in the realm of high-skill jobs and high-income housing.
Perhaps it is the responsibility of the poor to change with the times and somehow get themselves an education and get into the new bio-tech fields and such, but to me, it seems that we are going to have to correct historical mistakes if we hope to address these problems. This means bringing manufacturing back, coercing the middle class back into the city, adopting some type of regionalism and regional plan for urban centers (Waterbury, New Haven, Shelton/Derby/Ansonio) and rural agriculture (Orange, North Haven, Upper Hamden) in favor of suburbanism, and some other measures. Fortunately, China is moving towards a service economy and as transportation costs balloon, it will become more and more cost efficient to simply employ Americans to do our manufacturing. And with a good regional plan with transit and walkability the cost of living can be greatly reduced, thus allowing for wages and more in accordance with typical manufacturing demands.

posted by: davec on May 13, 2010  12:37pm

“Forget it Jake, its Chinatown.”

posted by: Doyens on May 13, 2010  12:55pm

We’ve been operating the Head Start program for how many years? Since the 1960s-and we haven’t worked the bugs out yet? Will Clark says he’s confident we’ll continue to be evaluated positively? HELLO…it was an extremely poor evaluation. There is nothing positive about it. This independent evaluation raises new questions about the quality of the BOE’s budgeting process and whether they really know what they’re doing on the fiscal end at all. Hiring a DC law firm to defend poor performance - that really just takes the cake and really inspires confidence.

The BOE’s problem has never been money - it’s always been about competence.

posted by: JB on May 13, 2010  1:09pm

Embarrassing, but in no way surprising.

How hard it is to pull things together enough to at least put on a show for the evaluators?  Come on!

posted by: Townie on May 13, 2010  1:29pm

John Hopkins: There are plenty of poor people in this nation and, in other nations, which have been able to raise healthy, well adjusted children. One might look to my parents as an example, but there is a question if I am, in fact, well-adjusted.
The issue is that some people fail at raising children, not for lack of means but lack of will. However, I do not think I should pay for programs that simply shift the burden of parenthood from the parent to a system of public interest (schools). By doing this we take away from the children who are raised by capable and responsible people and we slowly turn our schools into elaborate day care centers. But, what’s the solution? I’m not sure, but it will never be found by increasing the welfare-state which currently exists.  Self-reliance used to be a virtue in the U.S., I think that has gone the way of the birds though.
And on the micro issue: The Board of Ed should be recalled if they are allowed to spend any money on any law firm in order to refute the reports. Corp. Counsel should be adequate if such a retort is in fact necessary.

posted by: Rightnow on May 13, 2010  2:01pm

Amazing that the city is saying it has no money but is hiring a Washington D.C. lawyer.

Isn’t Will CLark a lawyer? He is already on the town payroll.

More waste of money. How many jobs off the little man be taken away because of this one.

Where is the accountabilty!!! Reggie Mayo & Will Clark should both be terminated!!!

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on May 13, 2010  2:16pm

Townie and Hopkins, good debate.

So why should we put our resources into schools in order to solve poverty as opposed to other solutions,  i.e. asking parents to be better parents, more social services, redistributive tax policies, reparations for slavery, etc.?

#1 Because we are paying for poverty right now.  And its pretty darn expensive.  Everyone bears the social and economic costs that come from having concentrations of poverty.

#2 We know that through schooling, we can get lots more kids ready for college and a productive adulthood for the same money (or less) - and at scale.  We’ve seen great results from parochial schools for decades.  But we have now also seen the results of gap-closing charter school organizations.  KIPP has been around over a decade.  They are an urban college prep program and they deliver phenomenal results for 21,000 kids in 82 schools across 19 states.  Over 80% of their students are poor and 90% are minority.

It’s not a matter of HOW…its a question of do we have the WILL?

posted by: I just love a Greek Salad on May 13, 2010  3:12pm

Jonathon Hopkins,
I have a suggestion.  Learn to use punctuation before the diatribes.  That will make reading them easier.

posted by: Jonathan Hopkins on May 13, 2010  3:39pm

Townie,
I am no proponent of social programs, and “the welfare state”. I think it is quite apparent that these things haven’t worked, but I don’t think it’s because there aren’t real issues that need to be addressed, I just think the way we’ve been trying to address them has been misguided. While in principle, I am not in favor of redistributing wealth in an ideal society, we are far from an ideal society today. So I advocate for a massive investment to be made from the public sector into development projects and policies that once completed or enacted would turn control over to the private sector. Essentially doing the exact opposite of what we did after WW2. So instead of creating massive problems by abandoning cities, and then funneling money into programs to address the resulting problems, we should go to the source which are the neighborhoods that were built around jobs but have since seen those jobs leave (Newhallville, Dixwell, etc).
Unfortunately, in my poor attempts to be brief, I often use vague or overarching phrases that may imply that all poor people are somehow swept up in this “social degradation”. It is not my intention to do so, because if we look at even the “worst” neighborhoods in New Haven, the majority of residents are employed and supporting a family. The population that is “terrorizing” the streets is a very small group of people. As for lack of will in certain people, I would say that is a symptom of this “social degradation” that mostly began as New Haven’s minority population grew in the 50s just as manufacturing was leaving.
However, I do think it is perfectly acceptable to expect that people get over this and just uplift themselves, but are we to ignore that this simply hasn’t happened yet and if history is any indicator, it won’t be happening any time soon? Its entirely possible that we have no moral obligation to the down trodden. For me, the goal of social programs seems to be to help make people productive members of society and I feel that this is a good goal, but one that can be achieved much faster and for much less with a better use of funds that result in productive activity that mentally stabilize individuals, families and communities which can then translate into economic stability and generation of wealth.

posted by: Jonathan Hopkins on May 13, 2010  3:47pm

One other thing.
The most heavily subsidized lifestyle on the planet is the suburban middle class.
I know it seems like the middle class is getting crushed and squeezed across the country, but that is because it is immensely expensive to provide such a high standard of living to so many people, which is why, on the scope of world history, the middle class is something extremely new, and relatively small outside of our country. America took all of its post-WW2 wealth and invested it in a middle class with the enormous projects of the interstate highway system, subdivisions over forests and farms, arterial roads, collectors, driveways, utilities, and all these elaborate infrastructures to service extremely low-density pods that we now have to pay for annually at ever increasing cost. We did not anticipate that access to capital and energy wouldn’t keep up with our desires.

The problems of the suburban middle class, while in many ways, are the same as the problems of the urban middle class, I do not mean to imply by this post that the proposed property tax increases on the city’s middle class is somehow justified-they are two separate issues.

posted by: Thanks for the Link on May 13, 2010  3:59pm

Unlike some of the knee jerk posters, I took the time to read the link to the report posted by Tom (thanks Tom).  Reading the report for myself as well as the BOE response to the report leaves me to question the tone of the article, particularly the title and first sentence.

It would seem to me that the report is not a final report.  Also, it would seem within the report that there was recognition that, in fact, the program is fiscally viable and has in fact performed all applicable health screenings.  If final findings had been made as the article attempts to suggest then you can rest assured the program would be closed down or taken over by the Feds.  Obviously that has not happened.

These are not violations of “federal law” as the article erroneously states.  Rather, they are proposed findings of deficienies in meeting certain program requirements, of which there are thousands.

Reading the rebuttal from the BOE counsel leads me to conclude that it is quite possible that the alleged financial misdeeds are not misdeeds at all.  If the BOE is right and OIG is wrong then there will be no final finding at all and Tom should write a retraction and I would hope that all of the posters will too.

In the mean time I think that more thoughtful and balanced rerpoting and commenting would be appropriate. 

But then again, perhaps it is more entertaining for the NHI to throw out the chum and let the usual sharks circle.

posted by: Jonathan Hopkins on May 13, 2010  4:19pm

I just love a Greek Salad,
Maybe you should learn how to spell my name before responding to me. K Thanks.

As for editing my posts-that would entail me actually having to read my unbearable propaganda.

posted by: Threefifths on May 13, 2010  4:26pm

posted by: Townie on May 13, 2010 2:29pm
John Hopkins: There are plenty of poor people in this nation and, in other nations, which have been able to raise healthy, well adjusted children. One might look to my parents as an example, but there is a question if I am, in fact, well-adjusted.
The issue is that some people fail at raising children, not for lack of means but lack of will. However, I do not think I should pay for programs that simply shift the burden of parenthood from the parent to a system of public interest (schools). By doing this we take away from the children who are raised by capable and responsible people and we slowly turn our schools into elaborate day care centers. But, what’s the solution? I’m not sure, but it will never be found by increasing the welfare-state which currently exists.  Self-reliance used to be a virtue in the U.S., I think that has gone the way of the birds though.

And the reason that most of these nation are able to able to raise healthy, well adjusted children is that our tax dollars are sent over to those nation. Case and point. Look at the Total Direct U.S. Aid to Israel Almost $114 Billion a year,

http://wrmea.org/component/content/article/245-2008-november/3845-congress-watch-a-conservative-estimate-of-total-direct-us-aid-to-israel-almost-114-billion.html

And we can’t forget how the US Funds the Taliban.

http://www.thenation.com/article/how-us-funds-taliban

And in turn they flood this country with there
heroin.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2009/10/americas_favorite_heroin_deale

And by the way we the taxpayers pay more for Corporate welfare they the school programs that you talk about.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989508,00.html

Townie would you agree that the charter schools should open up there books to see if there is taxpayer waste. How about a elected school board to oversee this sysetm.

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on May 13, 2010 3:16pm
Townie and Hopkins, good debate.

So why should we put our resources into schools in order to solve Institution. as opposed to other solutions,  i.e. asking parents to be better parents, more social services, redistributive tax policies, reparations for slavery, etc.?

My man fix where have you been.Any way Why should we put our money and resources into to these crooked corporate vampire Institution like the vampire banks that have put the middle class into poverty.Look at the social services that these vampire banks have got from our tax dollars and in turn what did we get.Check out how the banks are making money off of the charter schools.

Albany charter cash cow: Big banks making a bundle on new construction as schools bear the cost
Juan Gonzalez - News

Friday, May 7th 2010, 4:00 AM

Wealthy investors and major banks have been making windfall profits by using a little-known federal tax break to finance new charter-school construction.

The program, the New Markets Tax Credit, is so lucrative that a lender who uses it can almost double his money in seven years.

In Albany, which boasts the state’s highest percentage of charter school enrollments, a nonprofit called the Brighter Choice Foundation has employed the New Markets Tax Credit to arrange private financing for five of the city’s nine charter schools.

But many of those same schools are now straining to pay escalating rents, which are going toward the debt service that Brighter Choice incurred during construction.

The Henry Johnson Charter School, for example, saw the rent for its 31,000-square-foot building skyrocket from $170,000 in 2008 to $560,000 last year.

The Albany Community School’s rent jumped from $195,000 to $350,000.

Green Tech High Charter School rents went from $443,000 to $487,000.

Meanwhile, all the Albany charter schools haven’t achieved the enrollment levels their founders expected, even after recruiting hundreds of students from suburban school districts to fill their seats.

The result has been less money in per-pupil state aid to pay operating costs, including those big rent bills.

Several charters have fallen into additional debt to the Brighter Choice Foundation.

You’d think these financial problems would raise eyebrows among state regulators - or at least worry those charter school boards.

But the powerful charter lobby has so far successfully battled to prevent independent government audits of how its schools spend their state aid.

And key officers of Albany’s charter school boards are themselves board members, employees or former employees of the Brighter Choice Foundation or its affiliates.

Christian Bender, for example, executive director of the foundation, is chairman or vice chairman of four of the Albany charters.

Tom Carroll, the foundation’s vice chairman and one of the authors of the state’s charter law when he was in the Pataki administration, was a founding board member of Albany Community Charter School and is currently chairman of two other charters, Brighter Choice School for Boys and Brighter Choice School for Girls.

Carroll also sits on the board of directors of NCB Capital Impact, a Virginia organization that used New Market Credits to pull together investors for all the Albany building loans.

A Brighter Choice official confirmed Thursday that the Virginia organization gets “a 3% originating and management fee” for all school construction deals that Brighter Choice arranges.

Under the New Markets program, a bank or private equity firm that lends money to a nonprofit to build a charter school can receive a 39% federal tax credit over seven years.

The credit can even be piggybacked on other tax breaks for historic preservation or job creation.

By combining the various credits with the interest from the loan itself, a lender can almost double his investment over the seven-year period.

No wonder JPMorgan Chase announced this week it was creating a new $325 million pool to invest in charter schools and take advantage of the New Markets Tax Credit.

So does Carroll see any problem with being simultaneously part of the landlord, tenant and lending bodies for Albany charter-school construction?

“I sit on the nonprofit NCB Capital Impact board as a volunteer,” he said this week. “On that board, I have never voted on any of the deals that Brighter Choice Foundation has been a party to.”

Albany is exhibit A in the web of potential conflicts that keep popping up in the charter school movement. It’s one reason the state Legislature should refuse to lift the current cap on charter schools unless it also adopts stringent new government auditing rules.

If wealthy investors and banks can double their money simply by building charter schools, taxpayers deserve to know exactly who arranged those deals, who will benefit and what they will ultimately cost each school.
I bet this is happing here in this school system.

The banks are the reason for the american middle class to be in poverty.

Take a look at how Webster Bank is being Sued For Overdraft Fee Policy.

http://ctwatchdog.com/2010/04/29/webster-bank-sued-for-overdraft-fee-policy

The banks are the reason for the american middle class to be in poverty.

1 Because we are paying for poverty right now.  And its pretty darn expensive.  Everyone bears the social and economic costs that come from having concentrations of poverty.

Not everyone fix. How about people like this guy.

http://www.ndtv.com/news/world/raj_rajaratnam_complex_charming_billionaire.php

Fix I know you like charter schools. Did you know that this corporate vampire is on Harlem Children’s Zone board.

Among Rajaratnam’s strongest supporters is Geoffrey Canada, the chief executive of the Harlem Children’s Zone, a charity that runs after-school programs and workshops for poor children and their families. After Rajaratnam’s arrest, Canada appeared in court to vouch for him and volunteered to be one of five co-signers of his $100 million bail. Prosecutors initially asked for Rajaratnam to be held without bond, calling him a flight risk.

If Rajaratnam did flee, Canada could lose everything he owned, including his house and his pension. But Canada said he was comfortable with the arrangement. “I have not had a moment’s doubt, knowing Raj and his character,” he said. “I’m not worried about it at all.”

Tha right fix Geoffrey Canadais his good friend.

2 We know that through schooling, we can get lots more kids ready for college and a productive adulthood for the same money (or less) - and at scale.  We’ve seen great results from parochial schools for decades.  But we have now also seen the results of gap-closing charter school organizations.  KIPP has been around over a decade.  They are an urban college prep program and they deliver phenomenal results for 21,000 kids in 82 schools across 19 states.  Over 80% of their students are poor and 90% are minority.

Urban college prep programs. Are they any thing like this.God helps us if it is.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/collegeinc/view/

It’s not a matter of HOW…its a question of do we have the WILL?

As long as the people allow the corporate plutocracy and keep the mind set of Proletarians they will never have the will to do anything.

posted by: bill Saunders on May 13, 2010  5:55pm

This is the tip of the iceberg.

Start looking into the school reconstruction program next.

posted by: kids first on May 13, 2010  7:02pm

I believe in Head Start they helped me become an involved parent and gave me support as I better my own education. The problem always was administration. They layed off the people who truly helped parents and children. They layed off saying lack of money, now we know where the money really went. I hope they can bring back those who really cared about the children and families of Head Start. This is another example of people in high places messing up a good thing for the new haven community.

posted by: Morris Cove Islander on May 13, 2010  9:05pm

Sadly enough - now news in this article when it comes to the BOE and its “accomplishments”. It takes outsiders with the power and right to come in, check and criticize what we know all along:

1. Messy finances at Meadow Str.
Money gets channeled from A to B, misallocated and used for other purposes. Well, without proper budget oversight and transparency that is exactly what you get. And what do we read in the report:
“the Grantee did not have adequate procedures for properly allocating costs to ensure that it complied with Federal requirements”.

2. Lousy transparency from Meadow Str.
The BOE is a big black box. Ever dealt with them and received quick answers or replies? Nope. You have to remind them and stand on their toes otherwise you will be forgotten. Forgotten as the Annual Report to the Public.

3. Missing parental involvement - no shared governance
When it comes to a system to let all parents - and not only the chosen, handpicked cheerleaders - participate and be represented - the BOE has a very negative track-record. That was found also at Head Start and that is the status quo for the schools.
Thank you ACF for clearly stating the lack of proper parent involvement. Maybe one day we will have TRUE parental representation (chosen by ALL parents and not by the administration) and involvement in decision-making. Here the whole quote from the report:
“The Grantee did not comply with Federal requirements to establish and maintain a formal structure of shared governance through which parents can participate in policy making or other decisions about the Head Start program.”

4. Logistically challenged
How can this be a big logistical challenge, as Clark stated, when the program is running for about 50 years in New Haven? You do NOT have to reinvent the wheel - it is already around or learn from functioning systems in other cities. In nearly 50 years one would assume the New Haven administration would have gathered so much experience in implementing the proper health screenings that even increased numbers of kids should be no challenge.

5. No adequate procedures ...
Non-adequate procedures are everywhere. Ups, are there even any written procedures in New Haven or are the NHPS not rather run arbitrarily?

posted by: Watchful Eyes on May 13, 2010  10:27pm

This is what happens when you lay off long term unionized employees.  The Board of Education laid off the best Parent Involvement Coordinator we ever had.  Previously the Program was always in compliance.  Someone decide to hire a part-time (19 hour a week) contractual employee for $35.oo per hour and now they are in trouble. I’m not surprise.

posted by: Tom Burns on May 13, 2010  10:50pm

Three-Fifths—-keep doing what you are doing——you are well read and so well informed on the real issues—please keep us informed——I hope people are taking notice of your insightfulness and not being fooled by the corporate “vampires” as you say——-The tide will turn back eventually to what is just and fair for all———-presently we are losing the battle to big business and phony charters and I hope that our children do not get short-changed while this charade is happening———I personally thank you immensely for your work—Tom

posted by: V on May 14, 2010  7:06am

I am thankful to the NHI for publicizing this. 

I question the need to hire a law firm.  What’s their hourly rate?  How about firing some administrators who screwed this up, instead?  That would save us a pretty penny, instead of throwing more taxpayer money away.
—-

J Hopkins: manufacturing will not be cheaper in the US in our lifetimes.  Get used to it.

posted by: Just some thoughts on May 14, 2010  8:07am

We live near a headstart center.  I see some truly needy parents coming in and out and getting into dilapidated cars.  However, I also see some very nice cars, nicer than mine dropping kids off such as range rovers, BMW, etc.  I know I paid every cent to send my children to nursery school and that school was only very part-time and I drove around in an old, beat up station wagon.  So now my tax dollars go to a program that has been proven not to work and I am still driving a worse car than some head start parents or grandparents (there must be money somewhere to afford these nice cars).

Also, I think there is some emphasis on reading readiness in these programs but in a way I also resent this huge expenditure of tax money because most kids are not DEVELOPMENTAL able to read until they reach 6 years old so trying to make them read earlier and spending money on it is a waste of time and money.  The best reading readiness is to READ to your children.

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on May 14, 2010  8:18am

What do you mean “our children” Tom?  Do you send your children to public school in New Haven?  Mauro? Hill Central? Barnard? Urban Youth?  Lincoln Bassett? How many unionized teachers send their own children to these schools? Or for that matter how many of your members even live in New Haven?

posted by: Thanks for the Link on May 14, 2010  8:27am

It is really too bad that you posters seem to have failed to read the actual report.  In fact, the report notes financial viability for the program and concludes with a favorable view ultimately.  The program has continued to be funded and is eligible for further funding, including stimulus funding.

This review was for the 2008-09 fiscal year so to the extent people want to blame the current leadership of the program that claim is factually wrong.  In fact, from actually reading the report and the rebuttal if anything the issues were more historic, i.e. when this laid off staff (who appear to have a bit of an axe to grind) would have been working and have been corrected since (after that staff had been gone) as the report specifically concludes.

This remains a rush to judgment over an initial report that clearly has some holes in it and awaits a final report.

I know everyone will now jump on me as an apologist as that is the next step in the usual progression for anyone who dares think or read about these things for themselves, but if Clark and the BOE rebuttal is correct I beleive a retraction and apology is owed, although I will not hold my breath.

From where I sit so far there is more accuracy in the BOE rebuttal and Clark’s statments than the intentionally inflammatory headline and factually inaccurate conclusion of “violations of federal law.”

Again, thanks to Tom for providing the context allbeit in a link.  I for one appreciate getting the facts as opposed to the rhetoric that appears designed not to elicit factual debate and civil discourse but rather ill informed sound bites and rushes to potentially inaccurate judgments.

posted by: JB on May 14, 2010  10:00am

If the report is basically favorable and the negatives are from the past and funding isn’t in jeopardy, why would the city hire a DC attorney to rebut the claims?

posted by: Townie on May 14, 2010  10:51am

Three Fifths: I would not only agree to an audit of the charter schools, I would demand one be made mandatory on an annual basis. Also, I do not think that the Board of Education needs to exist at all. Let the Principals and teachers run the schools without a Board. To me a Board is wasteful and redundant.
And to the point about foreign aid, I don’t agree with sending money to Israel or any nation for that matter. What I was trying to communicate is that no amount of money is going to correct systemic problems with individuals’ ethos and behaviour. Some of the poor in this city (and other cities) have become dependent on the government for their well-being; this in turn creates an attitude of apathy and irresponsibility. Their children inherit this attitude. It should not be my responsibility to finance the perpetual infancy of the poor.

posted by: Threefifths on May 14, 2010  11:25am

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on May 14, 2010 9:18am
What do you mean “our children” Tom?  Do you send your children to public school in New Haven?  Mauro? Hill Central? Barnard? Urban Youth?  Lincoln Bassett? How many unionized teachers send their own children to these schools? Or for that matter how many of your members even live in New Haven?

And how many police officers and firefighters leave in new haven Duh.How many Yale University professor that live in these schools zone you are talikng about. But send there children to Choate and Hopkins. Were does will clark and garth harries send there childern. I bet there
childern don’t go to Mauro? Hill Central? Barnard? Urban Youth?  Lincoln Bassett. In fact
fix find out were they children go to school at.

P.S. Where does you man Alex Johnson who sits on the school board send his children to school at?

posted by: Jonathan Hopkins on May 14, 2010  12:03pm

Townie,
Again I agree with you. The government was aware of the problems created from de-industrialization, unfortunately, their response was to simply arbitrarily through money at poor people, thus creating dependence. This “solution” has arguably made things worse than if there had been no welfare, federal aid, etc because it may have encouraged people to lift themselves up out of poverty. I personally, think it would have been worse had there never been federal intervention, but that’s arguable but for all intensive purposes that’s all irrelevant now.
I see two issues here:
1. The psychological degradation of living in neighborhoods that have vacant lots where working family’s homes, businesses and shops used to be is enormously soul-crushing. As is the lack of purpose that is often experienced when people don’t have a career that they feel contributes to the progression of human society, which is exactly what manufacturing goods for the world did for European immigrants for nearly a century.
2. The dependence on hand-outs is another layer that contributes to a feeling of a lack of purpose, and a kind of numbing of the brain.
This is where I think the contradicting sense of entitlement and unwillingness to uplift one’s self comes from. The government check may provide the ability to buy food, purchase shelter, and get clothing, but the elemental sense that you have worked hard to provide these things is missing, which is perhaps the most important part.
I think that if the “hand outs” were taken away things would be much worse. Especially from my perspective since I love the old buildings in city neighborhoods, those would rot quickly and neighborhoods would just fall apart. This is mostly why I would advocate for continued redistribution of wealth, but in ways that benefit everyone, not just the poor. So investing in home buyers programs (among many other measures) that would attract the middle class to city neighborhoods where there is affordable housing close to work, which also helps to rejuvenate these neighborhoods and opens the possibility of middle class families opening businesses and stores in these neighborhoods to provide employment, goods and services.

As for manufacturing. It is only worthwhile to discuss how we can bring it back, because if we don’t talk about it at all, then of course we will just continue to exploit poor nations with unimaginable cruelty and industrial slavery, which will only get worse once transportation costs sky rocket. If we even want to think about getting manufacturing back we’ll have to be proactive-that’s the only way.
The US is still a manufacturing economy, we just don’t employ our citizens to make stuff anymore. The main things preventing us from doing profitable manufacturing here on a large, and non-specialized scale are greed and expensive labor costs. I think we will begin to see greed as being so 2007 and just not a viable business model any longer.
Labor costs are high here because of 1) high living wages and 2) high health care costs. Living wages are so high because our standard of living is so high-1 car per adult driver ($8,000-$10,000 per year per car), day car costs for kids since usually both parents have to work to afford 2+ cars, a large house and a lifestyle of driving everywhere for everything; private school costs and university costs, which are so high partially because professors need such high incomes to afford their lifestyles; large square footage homes to create a place of refuge since the public realm is so unbearable; etc. Healthcare costs are so high because we subsidize food so idiotically, which produces cheap food that makes us sick and its very expensive to be sick. We also live in a habitat that is unhealthy in terms of pollution and there are very few opportunities for exercise except in expensive gyms.
We change out pattern of development to walkable, transit-connected communities that have daily needs within walking distance of housing, shops, jobs, civic and recreation space and surrounded by local agriculture. This greatly reduces the cost of living, and the taxation required to stupidly subsidize things. This also creates healthy environments that don’t make people sick, thereby cutting health care costs to a fraction of what they are now.
As global transpiration costs rise our corporations are going to become more and more cruel to poor nation’s populations unless we can adopt a smart development model that reduces the cost of living and increases individual health, which would make manufacturing in the US more economical and realizable.

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on May 14, 2010  12:03pm

Townie, 

All charter schools in this state are already required to provide an independent CPA audited financial statement on an annual basis to the State Dept. of Education.

The charter school audits also happen to be done in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)which require an accurate representation of all assets and liabilities. 

When compared to the relatively rigorous standards required by GAAP, the governmental accounting standards utilized by both the state and municipalities are a joke. 

3/5 points to irrelevant stories about real estate robber-barrons getting rich off of charter schools.  Most of the stories that you link us to are sheer nonsense.  But for the sake of argument, lets say that some unscrupulous landlord is somehow stealing money off of a private deal.  Through their foul deeds, they could become the richest person in the state of CT. and still their rip-off would pale in comparison to the $40 Billion rip-off that is occurring in our state alone due to public sector pensions and health benefits, most of which go to members of the teachers unions.  These off-balance sheet liabilities are not even listed on the city’s or state’s balance sheets. 

So just who is ripping off who?

posted by: Townie on May 14, 2010  1:25pm

To Fix the Schools: I figured there was already a regulation in place, thanks for the clarification.
To Johnathan Hopkins: I simply don’t buy the argument that the psychological impacts of inner-city blight impair individual growth. If anything, that environment should compel people to work harder so that they can either change it or leave. Also, being poor does not give one an excuse for keeping their homes and neighborhoods in disrepair. This is an argument for another forum so I will end here.

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on May 14, 2010  2:08pm

3/5,

Whether cops or firemen live in town, or whether Yale Profs send their kids to private school is besides the point.  Please bring that up in another diatribe.

The point I am making is that the Tom Burns and some of his union comrades through their relentless attacks on charter schools, stand between poor children and a great education.  So why do they take that stance? Because professional accountability runs counter to their goals and objectives.  You can’t have an effective union if you allow differentiation between good teachers and bad ones.  Seniority rules the day and merit has no place in the teachers’ union.  This has a devastating impact on children’s lives.

Thank goodness we are beginning to see changes to that law - although not nearly as fast as we need. 

So I ask again, if they wouldn’t put their own children in failing schools why would do they stand in the way of parents who want a better education for their kids by trying to crush high performing charters?

posted by: Morris Cove Islander on May 14, 2010  3:20pm

>>> Thanks for the Link - I read the report (and quoted from it) and cannot find whatever you are telling us.
Of course New Haven Head Start will get money. Why should the federal agency have an interest in punishing children for the mismanagement of well-paid adults? And those well-paid adults in management positions should have known on August 6th and latest on September 1st where and in what areas they failed on the audit. But instead of listening to the auditors, reading their report and then reacting right away and fixing the non-compliance list the BOE and their Head Starters twiddled their thumbs and pushed paper to lawyers in Washington.
And in pushing paper the BOE is great! Three administrators for every teacher! Of course you must keep yourself somehow busy.

posted by: NH Teacher on May 14, 2010  4:05pm

Just to set the record straight, teachers pensions are funded by deductions from their pay, not the city.

posted by: NH Teacher on May 14, 2010  4:15pm

A quick note to Just a Thought.  I teach first grade and children are ready to as early as 4.  There are some children entering first grade (5 going on 6) already reading at a second grade level.  Parent to child interaction at an early age is a HUGE component of readiness and early success.

posted by: Threefifths on May 14, 2010  4:54pm

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on May 14, 2010 1:03pm
Townie, 

All charter schools in this state are already required to provide an independent CPA audited financial statement on an annual basis to the State Dept. of Education

Hey Townie,  don’t fall for that. Ask fix is the CPA audited open to the public.Notice independent CPA audited. Hey fix were can I get a copy of these cpa auditeds. Also if this is true then what happen with the Highville Mustard Seed Charter School in hamden. Check this out. 

http://www.hamdendailynews.com/HighvilleMustard.html

3/5 points to irrelevant stories about real estate robber-barrons getting rich off of charter schools.  Most of the stories that you link us to are sheer nonsense.  But for the sake of argument, lets say that some unscrupulous landlord is somehow stealing money off of a private deal.  Through their foul deeds, they could become the richest person in the state of CT. and still their rip-off would pale in comparison to the $40 Billion rip-off that is occurring in our state alone due to public sector pensions and health benefits, most of which go to members of the teachers unions.  These off-balance sheet liabilities are not even listed on the city’s or state’s balance sheets

Hey Townie Fix says that I points to irrelevant stories about real estate robber-barrons getting rich off of charter schools.  As I have told him disprove me work. Infact Mr. townie check this out for your self and I will let you be the judge if it is irrelevant.

http://www.indypendent.org/2010/01/29/faces-of-school-reform/

And if you think there is no money to be made by the corporatist check out how they are now making the money game off of the schools Globally.

http://www.indypendent.org/2010/05/13/education-under-attack/

Now mr.Townie notice ow fix talks about for the sake of argument, lets say that some unscrupulous landlord is somehow stealing money off of a private deal.  Through their foul deeds, they could become the richest person in the state of CT. and still their rip-off would pale in comparison to the $40 Billion rip-off that is occurring in our state alone due to public sector pensions and health benefits, most of which go to members of the teachers unions.

But I know mr.Townie that you would agree with me that look at some of the golden parachutes that these corporate vampries walk away with After they have put the middle class in the poor houes.

Supersized CEO exits Executive Company Walk-away pay
Stanley O’Neal Merrill Lynch $160 million
Philip Purcell Morgan Stanley $43.9 million
Richard Grasso New York Stock Exchange $140 million
Douglas Ivester Coca-Cola $120 million
Robert Nardelli Home Depot

Check it out Mr. Townie.But fix will say that this is irrelevant. Feel free to read the rest.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Forbes/BadCEOsWhoWalkedAwayRich.aspx

And we can forget about The 25 Most Vicious Iraq War Profiteers.

The first name that comes to everyone’s mind here is Halliburton. According to MSN Money, Halliburton’s KBR, Inc. division bilked government agencies to the tune of $17.2 billion in Iraq war-related revenue from 2003-2006 alone. This is estimated to comprise a whopping one-fifth of KBR’s total revenue for the 2006 fiscal year. The massive payoff is said to have financed the construction and maintenance of military bases, oil field repairs, and various infrastructure rebuilding projects across the war-torn nation. This is just the latest in a long string of military/KBR wartime partnerships, thanks in no small part to Dick Cheney’s former role with the parent company.

2. Veritas Capital Fund/DynCorp

At first blush, a private equity fund (and not, say, Exxon-Mobil) being the number 2 profiteer in the Iraq war might sound strange. However, the cleverly run fund has raked in $1.44 billion through its DynCorp subsidiary. The primary service DynCorp has provided to the war efforts is the training of new Iraqi police forces. Often described as a ‘state within a state‘, the sizable company is headed by Dwight M. Williams, former Chief Security Officer of the upstart U.S. Department of Homeland Security. With this and other close ties to defense agencies, Veritas Capital Fund and DynCorp are well-positioned to capitalize on Iraq even more.

http://www.businesspundit.com/the-25-most-vicious-iraq-war-profiteers/

So just who is ripping off who?

Townie

Let the Principals and teachers run the schools without a Board. To me a Board is wasteful and redundant.

I agree with you. But did you know that Fix the schools doesn’t want that. In fact he doesn’t want a elected school board. How About you take on a elected school board.

P.S Mr. Townie you said I am no proponent of social programs, and “the welfare state. Will you and all of the taxpayers better brace yourself for the social program called B P Oil spill,Because the tax payers will be footing these corporatist social program.

posted by: MMM on May 14, 2010  7:32pm

$500K?  That’s what the BOE got from the Stupsky Foundation, right around the time of the 2004 Governors election, wasn’t it?

posted by: Thanks for the Link on May 14, 2010  8:19pm

Morris Cove Islander:

... 3 Administrators to every teacher?  There are approximately 1800 teachers in New Haven and approximately 100 school based administrators with another 30 Central Office and Department leaders.  That math equals 18 teachers to 1 administrator and 200 students to one school based administrator.  Hardly top heavy by any meaningful evaluation.

The bottom line remains that the report specifically found that the program is fiscally viable and it has, in fact, been funded for the next fiscal year.

You can start with the headline and build the story to match your preconceived notion all you want but it does not make it true.

I checked into some other programs across the state and did a little reporting myself on this subject.  If NHI cared to investigate the facts they would find that many programs in CT operate in the same fiscal manner and use different sources of funds to allow for a full day of services for these children.  No missing money, no hidden agenda, just a full day program with some funds covering the morning and other funds covering the afternoon session.  This is on top of the additional funds that the BOE allocates every year to make the program go.  Thus, not only are they not misallocating money but they are supplementing a much needed program that is short funded to allow for the full day programming that is desperately needed.

The alternative would be to only only pursue half day programs which is not in the interest of anyone.

posted by: Morris Cove Islander on May 15, 2010  10:44pm

Thanks for the Link -

Did you add up everybody who is pushing paper in the system? There are 49 schools in New Haven, each with a principal and assistant(s - plural!), each with secretaries ... And according to you there are only 30 folks working at Meadow Str.  Right?

The teacher-admin-ratio I read here in a comment. I did not check it myself. But your calculations do not add up, unless we define administrators as only the “department leaders” and the principals. That is what you did.

Administrators have important functions. But do we need and can we AFFORD so many in New Haven? The Head Start case shows what happens if they do NOT do what they are supposed to do. And be honest - with regards to the educational outcome: many posts within the administration can be cut without any impact on classroom performance.

The report states that Head Start is fiscally viable but it also shows where regulations were not properly implemented. For the auditing agency this was not only about whether Head Start in New Haven is fiscally viable, it was about whether the program is doing what it is supposed to do. The program is great and has a very comprehensive approach. Unfortunately the BOE did not follow through with all the requirements. That is where New Haven failed.

Do you work at Meadow Str. and push paper?

posted by: Threefifths on May 16, 2010  9:44am

posted by: NH Teacher on May 14, 2010 5:05pm
Just to set the record straight, teachers pensions are funded by deductions from their pay, not the city

You also left out the fact that the reason that teachers pensions are by deductions from their pay, not the city is that teachers in this state upon reaching the age for Social Security benefit’s don’t receive Social Security benefit’s.

http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/ctnj.php/archives/entry/retired_teachers_grill_lawmakers/

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on May 16, 2010  12:54pm

Certified teachers put away 7.5% of their pay for retirement.  But the state taxpayer is on the hook for a defined amount of beneift regardless of whether there is money in the bank or not.  Yet another perk from the past - Defined Benefit Plans! 

Hey teacher unions, the state obviously doesn’t know how to invest your money all that well.  If they knew how, they would have a an over-funded plan not an under-funded plan!

So why allow the state to rip you off by using billions of your money?  Here’s an idea: Why don’t you use ask your team of union lobbyists to stop trying to de-rail charter schools for a moment and get the state to move your retirement funds away from the state treasury and into your own privately managed fund! 

Surely you could find a professional investment manager who would be willing to pay the same annuity benefits to your members with the same deduction schedule, right?

posted by: Thanks for the Link on May 16, 2010  4:51pm

Morris Cove Islander:

...

The budget documents are posted with a list of Administrators.  Sorry, the numbers I have referred to our correct and the numbers you make up are wrong.  Yes, if you want to go beyond Administrators there are clerical and other professionals at the schools and central office but they are not Administrators which was your tired and factually inaccurate allegation.

I appreciate that you now may have read the report and rebuttal that was the original point of this story.  It appears to have opened your eyes to the fiscal issue.  With respect to the other regulations you should note that the report concludes that all matters that were cited are now 100% compliant.  That sounds like a good thing to me.  Considering the many regulations both big and small that the program has to follow this strikes me as a good job by the leaders involved.

We agree that this is a valuable program and that the regulations must be followed.  If they are not followed then consequences should follow.  But if they are followed we should leap to create impressions of malfeasance without legitimate evidence.

Let’s make a deal and wait for the final report.

posted by: Threefifths on May 16, 2010  7:17pm

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on May 16, 2010 1:54pm

Certified teachers put away 7.5% of their pay for retirement.  But the state taxpayer is on the hook for a defined amount of beneift regardless of whether there is money in the bank or not.  Yet another perk from the past - Defined Benefit Plans!

But how about the issuse of the teachers not geting Social Security benefit’s. Also most teachers like other works come under civil service.I notice fix you duck the question on how the golden parachutes that these corporate vampires walk away with After they have put the middle class in the poor house that we taxpayers fund also.

Hey teacher unions, the state obviously doesn’t know how to invest your money all that well.  If they knew how, they would have a an over-funded plan not an under-funded plan!

And neither do the crooked banks and wall street corporate vampires.Remeber Fix most state and city’s across this country invest the workers pensions on wall street and other deals.Hey fix look what happens here when you let these vampires get the fangs on the money.

State pension fund’s $266 million investment disappeared in 2 years.

This is the story of how the Florida board that invests public money bet $250 million on a huge Manhattan real estate deal and lost every last penny of it.

A number of others didn’t do too badly, however. On top of the money lost, Florida paid $16 million in fees to real estate developers, bankers and Wall Street money managers who persuaded the state to make the deal.

State elected leaders with potential influence over the pension funds’ investments received campaign contributions from some of those same corporate giants. And state pension managers in the real estate unit got performance bonuses.
You can read the rest here.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state-pension-funds-266-million-investment-disappeared-in-2-years/1034097

So why allow the state to rip you off by using billions of your money?  Here’s an idea: Why don’t you use ask your team of union lobbyists to stop trying to de-rail charter schools for a moment and get the state to move your retirement funds away from the state treasury and into your own privately managed fund! 

And have the fund rip them off. You rember ENRON!!! How about Goldman Hacks,I mean Goldman Sachs You know them fix. If not let me jar your mind.

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/04/20/goldman-sachs-scandal-fabulous-fab-and-masters-of-the-universe/

Would you put your money in Goldman Sachs. 

Surely you could find a professional investment manager who would be willing to pay the same annuity benefits to your members with the same deduction schedule, right?

I ope they are not like these investment manager

Michael Milken
Michael Milken dominated Wall Street in the 1980s using junk bonds to fuel that decade’s merger mania before landing in federal prison for violating securities laws.

Kenneth Lay.
was an American businessman, best known for his role in the widely reported corruption scandal that led to the downfall of Enron Corporation. Lay and Enron became synonymous with corporate abuse and accounting fraud when the scandal broke in 2001. Lay was the CEO and chairman of Enron.

Bernard Madoff.

is a former stock broker, investment adviser, non-executive chairman of the NASDAQ stock market, and the admitted operator of what has been described as the largest Ponzi scheme in history.

In March 2009, Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 federal crimes and admitted to turning his wealth management business into a massive Ponzi scheme that defrauded thousands of investors of billions of dollars. Madoff said he began the Ponzi scheme in the early 1990s. However, federal investigators believe the fraud began as early as the 1980s, and the investment operation may never have been legitimate.[4] The amount missing from client accounts, including fabricated gains, was almost $65 billion.

Which one would of them would you use fix.

As I say come clean Skull Corporatist lawyer or banker which one!!!

posted by: What a Shame on May 17, 2010  8:14am

There are a few things in these comments that should be addressed by someone who knows this program
1. Head Start is a valuable program that does work when it is being run by people who know what they are doing (currently it is not).
2. There is severe mismanagement going on that has been there for at least three years.
3. NCLB took away the basic principle of the Head Start Program.
4. Teachers in Head Start are NOT certified teachers.
5. “Watchful Eye’s”-I hope you are speaking of the Assistant Parent Involvement Coordinator-the PI Coordinator that was in place for more than 20 years was a joke and should have been let go years before she actually was.
6. “Just Some Thoughts”-you are absolutely correct-the parents lie about their income to get into the program and the staff go along with it to meet the enrollment mandate.  HS does allow for some over income families, however far more than 10% are over income.  This again speaks to the mismanagement of this program.
7. Missing screenings were never an issue with the former Nurse/Health Manager-yet she was let go.
The review only scratched the surface of the corruption going on in that program-however when it is run properly Head Start is of great value to children and families

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on May 17, 2010  8:36am

3/5,

Your’re the best at taking a thread off topic….waaay off topic. 

But, you’re right.  Corporate vampires should not walk away with golden parachutes.  It should be the responsibility of boards of directors of these private corporations to control the size of these contracts.  And when a company is bailed-out with government funds, then the responsibility to control compensation becomes the government’s. 

You would be shocked to know that I think in general, the government has been way to lenient with these private companies that were bailed out.  AIG and Goldman are being given special treatment - and its outrageous. 

If a company asks for government funding for its very survival, then they essentially have failed.  The only reason that the governement should step in may be to avoid a systemic catastrophe.  However, in a bail out, the existing shareholders should lose their entire investment and the management team should not be given any parachutes.  They cannot benefit from a government bail out. 

I think the government structured these recent bailouts ineffectively.  If the shoe was on the other foot and Goldman had been asked to lend the government money, you can be sure that Goldman would have held out for far better returns than what the government asked for. 

So why does Goldman get a sweet deal all the time?  Because Goldman has successfully infiltrated our government and treasury.  From Rubin to Geitner to Paulson to Immanuel…they ALL see the world in largely the same way - The Goldman way. 

As for having the taxpayers on the hook for public employee defined benefit plan, by now everyone (even you) should realize there are no guarantees in life or in investing.  Defined Benefit Plans of such a magnitude are a pure rip-off of the taxpayer.  There are no fixed investments as you point out with your examples.  Why should teachers or other public employees, when they have become such a large part of our labor force expect a no risk return?  Someone always bears the risk!

As for Ken Lay or Bernie Madoff and their ilk, If I were a judge I would have marched them into the town square, put them in stocks, and allowed people to throw tomatoes at them.  Large white collar crime schemes ought to carry a mandatory life sentence in solitary.  These vampires (great term!)ripped off thousands of life savings for people and shake confidence in the American system.  They deserve to pay the toughest price.

Thats what I think.  So hopefully, 3/5 we can stick to the topic the next time around.  Lets fix the local schools.

posted by: Threefifths on May 17, 2010  11:05am

posted by: FIX THE SCHOOLS on May 17, 2010 9:36am
3/5,

Your’re the best at taking a thread off topic….waaay off topic. 

How can I be way off topic.When I have prove that this education reform and charter school movements are being back by hedge fund managers and big corporation. Can you dis prove me wrong. Case and point look at the Harlem Children’s Zone run by Geoffrey Canada which by the way fix you talk about how teachers don’t leave in new haven,Well Mr. Canada don’t live in harlem,In live in Long Island.But anyway president obama wants to use the Harlem Children’s Zone as a model.But did you know that most of the board members on the Harlem Children’s Zone are corporatist. Did you know that Bernard Madoff who you said you would throw tomatoes at gave the school money as did the other corporate vampire Rajaratnam’s Who after Rajaratnam’s arrest, Canada appeared in court to vouch for him and volunteered to be one of five co-signers of his $100 million bail. Prosecutors initially asked for Rajaratnam to be held without bond, calling him a flight risk. Sorry fix I am not off topic this goes hand and hand.Plus all you have to do is follow te connect.

As for having the taxpayers on the hook for public employee defined benefit plan, by now everyone (even you) should realize there are no guarantees in life or in investing.  Defined Benefit Plans of such a magnitude are a pure rip-off of the taxpayer.  There are no fixed investments as you point out with your examples.  Why should teachers or other public employees, when they have become such a large part of our labor force expect a no risk return?  Someone always bears the risk!

The teachers and public workers are bearing the risk.Teaches are being laid off across this country.Public workers are being ask to furlough.You talk about having the taxpayers on the hook for public employee defined benefit plan.You have to rember that in some states the politician even by being elected have tis ame plan when they leave office.Case and point New york state has one of the best benefit plan for retirement due to the fact that there use a tier system 1-5. Buy doing this system each system pays for the one in front of it.So you have no risk.

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/retire/members/find_your_tier.htm

Thats what I think.  So hopefully, 3/5 we can stick to the topic the next time around.  Lets fix the local schools.

When it comes to school reform and charter schools. And hedge fund managers and big corporation are lining up to finance charter schools. And when for-profit companies have access to the public education system and plan to make it there cash cow,It is part of the topic.That is what I think.In fact that is what I know.As far as fixing the schools.We shoulf put in the dr.commer model and have a elected school board.

P.S. My man fix I send your post to a friend of mine for analysis and I ask him tell me skull corporatist lawyer or banker. He told me he is willing to bet you are a banker because of you writings. And my friend has never been wrong on his analysis.

posted by: mikepc45 on May 17, 2010  12:39pm

Hindsight is perfect but solves nothing. Look at the present situation and come up new ideas. Obviously 60 years of liberal ideas have failed. Time for something completely different. My suggestion is we try different and unique. This however will require every ones cooperation and means not litigation, no union griping, no political infighting etc. Oh forget it, never gonna happen.

posted by: Mark on May 17, 2010  11:44pm

After so long, and we still haven’t gotten it right??? We need to get someone to watch those who are in charge

posted by: Morris Cove Islander on May 18, 2010  12:01pm

Thanks for the Link ...

1. About the Administrators
I hope you know that you are doing semantics with your Administrators with capital A. So take the teacher-paper-pusher-ratio as one as being 3 : 1 in New Haven. My source: the Independent in this article: http://newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/taxpayers_enter_the_budget_battle/

The quote: 8:10: Former Alderman Allan Brison “zeroes in” on the education budget. There’s a lot of fat in there, he says. There are gross inefficiencies and even corruption and patronage, he says. A study showed that there should be eight teachers for every administrator. New Haven at the time of the study had a ratio of 3 to 1.

2. What was this Independent article about?
It was about the Head Start audit and the resulting report from last year. The audit found some substantial short-comings in the New Haven program in August 2009. You cannot argue these away by pointing to clean-up acts thereafter. Of course they ought to be fixed by now - otherwise the federal funding would be in jeopardy.

Us arguing against the sitting paper-pushers in Meadow Str. is that the August audit should have been an all positive one - right from the start. But I am NOT surprised about short-comings in New Haven’s Educational System when it comes to:
- parental governance (appointed cheerleaders)
- transparency (where are reports, budget etc.)
- adequate procedures (registration nightmare ...)