Getting the word out. The "For Liberty" Documentary is going to be at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont on Monday, 11/16 @ 7 pm.
"For Liberty...follows this [Ron Paul's] historic campaign from the perspective of grassroots activists, and showcases the unique, often bizarre, yet groundbreaking projects they undertook as they brushed aside traditional campaign methodology."
Here is a link to the event poster with full information: http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/3394/forlibertyfaded4
Saturday, November 14, 2009
New Word created: Upside to the new trail on Mon Warph'n@
Upside to the new trail on Mon Warph'n@ is the POLAR Bear Swim on Jan 1. Hope they fixed that up. Ice, cement, slime, water, cold.
Sadly, the new Mon Wharf bike trail goes only along the stretch of the parking lot. Bikers can't get there from the east nor from the west. Costly bike path extensions are needed at both ends of the wharf.
At least we'll be able to use the Mon Wharph N@ on New Years Day. Be there!
 |
| From Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events |
Sadly, the new Mon Wharf bike trail goes only along the stretch of the parking lot. Bikers can't get there from the east nor from the west. Costly bike path extensions are needed at both ends of the wharf.
At least we'll be able to use the Mon Wharph N@ on New Years Day. Be there!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Wanted: A replacement for Don Walko
Here is the call.
Because of Don Walko's election to the bench, he'll be departing the role in the Pennsylvania State House. Hence, there is an opening and a couple campaigns to come.
The first campaign brings the race for the various party nominations. Then the next step is the move to get votes from the citizens in the district.
A special election is expected. Special elections are held to fill the open seat for the remainder of the term. Special are without the ordinary primary vote in the spring and general election in the fall. Special elections can be held on their own day so that the polls open just for the voters of that district, such as in Feburary or March 2010. Or, the special election might be delayed until the primary election day. The winner of the special electino would get to be the state rep for six months or so. Next year, 2010, bring regular elections for all the PA State Reps as well. So, regardless of the special election, in the spring primary, there will be a campaign opportunity for that seat among the old party candidates (Ds and Rs).
If a candidate wants to run in the special election, have the frame of mind to run for the general election as well.
This is the time to do the search for candidates.
Libertarians wanted.
We'd rather have a "paper candidate" than no candidate at all. But in the best case, we'd get a candidate that worked throughout the campagns and shared his or her values of liberty, while building a crew of like minded helpers.
Consider it for yourself.
Consider it for others and twist the arm of those who would make great state reps to run. Tell them that you'll help.
Consider hosting an event that brings together the community with either one or multiple candidates so that the ideas and discussion can unfold.
Consider blabbing about candidates, campaigns, and issues in this and other blogs. So, tell me, who is running? Who should run and be recruited?
Because of Don Walko's election to the bench, he'll be departing the role in the Pennsylvania State House. Hence, there is an opening and a couple campaigns to come.
The first campaign brings the race for the various party nominations. Then the next step is the move to get votes from the citizens in the district.
A special election is expected. Special elections are held to fill the open seat for the remainder of the term. Special are without the ordinary primary vote in the spring and general election in the fall. Special elections can be held on their own day so that the polls open just for the voters of that district, such as in Feburary or March 2010. Or, the special election might be delayed until the primary election day. The winner of the special electino would get to be the state rep for six months or so. Next year, 2010, bring regular elections for all the PA State Reps as well. So, regardless of the special election, in the spring primary, there will be a campaign opportunity for that seat among the old party candidates (Ds and Rs).
If a candidate wants to run in the special election, have the frame of mind to run for the general election as well.
This is the time to do the search for candidates.
Libertarians wanted.
We'd rather have a "paper candidate" than no candidate at all. But in the best case, we'd get a candidate that worked throughout the campagns and shared his or her values of liberty, while building a crew of like minded helpers.
Consider it for yourself.
Consider it for others and twist the arm of those who would make great state reps to run. Tell them that you'll help.
Consider hosting an event that brings together the community with either one or multiple candidates so that the ideas and discussion can unfold.
Consider blabbing about candidates, campaigns, and issues in this and other blogs. So, tell me, who is running? Who should run and be recruited?
Monday, November 09, 2009
Tuesday's big meetings about schools
Dr. Linda Lane, Deputy Superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools, is hosting a meeting “Best Practices for Homework Support in After School Programs” on Tuesday, November 10th from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Board of Education Building, 341 S. Bellefield Avenue, in Conference Room A (enter the building on Bellefield Avenue). In order for PPS to achieve its goal of being the first urban district to educate the vast majority of its students for post-secondary education, it’s critical that students do their homework so that they learn how to work independently. This meeting is a first step in developing a meaningful way for PPS to support after school programs that provide homework help. Please RSVP to hodonnell1@pghboe.net or 412-622-3926.
The other meeting is about school choice hosted by BGC.
The other meeting is about school choice hosted by BGC.
Students Paying The Copyright Tax
Speaking of taxing students...
My A.T. Still University Experience : Students Paying The Copyright Tax: "Copyright, put simply, is a personal monopoly on an original writing, song, piece of art, or a group of any of those, for 70 years after the death of the creator. If a corporation is the creator, the copyright monopoly lasts for 95 years.” — Public Knowledge
Did you know, long suffering U.S. taxpayer, that you pay twice for federally funded research?
The first time is when you pay taxes. The federal government uses that money to fund various agencies such as the National Institutes for Health, the National Science Foundation, and others. These agencies then have a vast array of grant programs which then go to all sorts of recipients, including universities and specific academic researchers. If you want a sense of how much of your cash is flowing through this federal subsidy for higher education, you can check out Grants.gov, which was helpfully set up to make it easier for universities and others to apply for your money.
Mayor said he wanted to hear from those with better ideas and real solutions -- so I sent him this email
Hi Mayor,
In the budget address you said you'd want to hear from people with solutions and you'd work with them. Well, I've got it solved for you.
The land value tax is much more fair than the tax on the college students.
We need to start by selling parking garages, not leasing them. You want a one time fix. So a lease is not that. Leases, by design, comes up again later in the future.
Next, sell the stadiums, sell the convention center, sell the civic arena and even sell the new Consol building. Get out of the business of building for some and not for others.
Next, enact a land expansion moratorium on all nonprofit land grabs. And, then we'll ask them to shrink by 5% over 5 years and 10% over 7.
Next, we'll get into a land value tax solution, again, for the city. This will spike development in vacant land, especially in downtown and other areas where there should be density in our urban fabric. The land tax is easy to administer -- and it is the most fair of all.
A land tax rewards those in neighborhoods that fix up their properties. If you invest in your home -- you should not see your taxes go up. That is a penalty that the city does -- and it is all wrong. Rather, we should charge those that let the property decay -- but we do the opposite. if your house is falling, you get a tax break. The city is rewarding the exact opposite of what it desires.
Let's set up an appointment so we can talk in person next week. And, we'll talk too about summer in the city with parks and how to grow our city with families and care of our kids.
In the budget address you said you'd want to hear from people with solutions and you'd work with them. Well, I've got it solved for you.
The land value tax is much more fair than the tax on the college students.
We need to start by selling parking garages, not leasing them. You want a one time fix. So a lease is not that. Leases, by design, comes up again later in the future.
Next, sell the stadiums, sell the convention center, sell the civic arena and even sell the new Consol building. Get out of the business of building for some and not for others.
Next, enact a land expansion moratorium on all nonprofit land grabs. And, then we'll ask them to shrink by 5% over 5 years and 10% over 7.
Next, we'll get into a land value tax solution, again, for the city. This will spike development in vacant land, especially in downtown and other areas where there should be density in our urban fabric. The land tax is easy to administer -- and it is the most fair of all.
A land tax rewards those in neighborhoods that fix up their properties. If you invest in your home -- you should not see your taxes go up. That is a penalty that the city does -- and it is all wrong. Rather, we should charge those that let the property decay -- but we do the opposite. if your house is falling, you get a tax break. The city is rewarding the exact opposite of what it desires.
Let's set up an appointment so we can talk in person next week. And, we'll talk too about summer in the city with parks and how to grow our city with families and care of our kids.
Jazzing it up, summer school style
Jazzing it up, summer school style: "Jazzing it up, summer school styleNice recap in the article.
Pittsburgh Public Schools hopes to attract more middle-schoolers to its program
Sunday, November 08, 2009
By Joe Smydo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"
The deadline for community groups to apply for the afternoon partnering opportunity is this Friday. I'm climbing in my cave to knock off the applications again this week, I hope.
There had already been a RFP (Request For Proposals) from PPS (Pittsburgh Public Schools) with an early October deadline. I call that round one. All of that work ended up to be a meaningless expercise thanks to changes in the Pennsylvania budget. Ouch. The entire RFP was retracted. Sixty two proposals came from community groups then. Now the terms from the PPS have changed in significant ways.
Not only is there a lack of money for field trips, the time of the camp in the afternoon periods was cut by one third. Rather than three hours followed by a full hour for lunch, the afternoon session is with a 45-minute lunch time block and a two hour period. Plus, the budget matters now -- not a sky's the limit approach. The district says it won't allow for any camp to exceed a cost of more than $650 per student. So, the upper limit of $650 covers two hours per day for five weeks for a total of 25 sessions. This investment limit from the school district comes to $13 per hour per kid for total costs incurred by the community partner.
The biggest sticking point for community partners is the hiring of staffers.
A number of hurldles exist for the overall program. I'm not sure the kids are going to attend the camp. Attendance is going to be a huge factor. From July 12 to August 13, most are not conditioned to attend school from 8:30 or so to 3 pm. Sure, they'll get a free lunch and some neat play time each afternoon, but it is still school.
My first round camp applications, mentioned slightly in the past on this blog are posted online. Read about the Olympic Sports Camp, the Junior Lifeguard Camp, the Swim and Water Polo Camp and the Sport Manager and Entrepreneur Camp at the A For Athlete wiki.
There are significant changes to what I'm going to put in for funding now from my end. Gone in full are the Junior Lifeguard Camp and the Sports Manager and Entrepreneur Camp. The kids can't take field trips with the new budget and the two hour day kills them anyway. We wanted to take the kids to Sandcastle for a week of instruction there followed by a week at the Allegheny County Parks pools (Boyce, Settlers, North, South). Can't get there. And, if we did, 120 minutes isn't going to cut it. The Sports Manager field trips were every Tuesday and Thursday to various sports businesses (Pitt, Steelers, Pirates, Penguins, golf course, etc.). We were going to learn about their customer experiences, transactions and even how the coaches take and use stats.
With the Olympic Sports Camp, we'll have to do everything on a school site now. So, golfing at a golf course is out of the question. And, biking at the Washington Road oval is going to be difficult unless we get there either on bikes or magic carpets. We can't really buy new bikes so I'm in the market for 30 or 35 magic carpets, used or new. Plus, helmets, bikes and water bottles would be nice too. Those are big hits to the overall quality of the offering to the students.
Since there are two pots of money, and one source is more definite while the other is not, I'm going to need to make a application for the Title I Literacy Camp option. Stay tuned for Olympicpedia Camp. I started a two hour, drop in, summertime, day-camp in 2008 called Olympicpedia. So, this is familiar ground for me but now there is a bunch of red tape from PPS. Before, I just contracted with the private provider with the computer lab space.
If you want to help, leave me a message in the comments area. Mostly, I've got to re-tool the older grant applications and dream up the Olympicpedia educational rubic justifications. I am turning to Wiki Educator for some assistance.
Back to the drawing board. Deadlines loom large.
Saturday, November 07, 2009
Friday, November 06, 2009
Libertarians win Houston, PA council seats - Washington Greene PA News - www.observer-reporter.com
Libertarians win Houston council seats - Washington Greene PA News - www.observer-reporter.com: "Libertarians win Houston council seatsWins on Tuesday. Way to go!
This proves my point: To win, one needs running mates.
Sites to Start Testing Journalism Online's Paid Content Models
The Post-Gazette is doing this.
I'm not a P-G+ subscriber. Am I missing anything?
http://www.poynter.org/q/?id=A173027I don't buy into the swim pool illustration, but that is beside the point.
Posted by Steve Myers
Sometime in the next month or so, between five and 15 online publishers will start testing Journalism Online's system for paid content. Around year's end, they'll start charging users to access some content on their sites. But the vast majority of users will not notice anything, said Steven Brill.
Most people talk about paid content as "pay walls." Brill, co-founder of Journalism Online, likens it to a gradually deepening pool.
"Imagine a fancy swimming pool at a resort," Brill explained by phone Thursday, "where you can walk into the water 20 or 30 steps before you're really in the water, instead of having to dive into the deep end where you're worried about how cold it is."
That's the basis of Journalism Online's pay model (http://journalismonline.com/model.php) : If publishers are worried that charging for content will cause a huge drop in page views (and thus advertising revenue), they can dip their toes in by choosing settings that affect a minimal amount of content or just the most frequent users. Publishers can decide if they want to swim to the deep end as they see how users respond.
Even the most intense users, those who visit a site several times a day for instance, will not suddenly learn that their favorite site has blocked off content. "There's going to be nothing for customers that's going to be sudden about this," Brill said.
Read the Entire Post (http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=101&aid=173027)
I'm not a P-G+ subscriber. Am I missing anything?
Back and forth about schools at the PureReform Blog
Some good and long discussions are unfolding about Pittsburgh Public Schools at the Pure Reform blog, http://purereform.blogspot.com. This is a comment from someone in the treads there, giving me some support.
solutionsRus has left a new comment on the post "Neighborhood tensions":
Although I don't always agree with (or for that matter understand) some of Mark's comments, on the point of the value of coaching, I believe that he is right on. All children (not just at risk) benefit from having a positive adult influence in their lives. Even with all the support in the world raising two kids was a challenge and I was thankful for the positive impact that several coaches made on my children. High school sports do get waaayyy too much attention by the media with a little to much focus on winning for my tastes, but the value of learning team play, sportsmanship, leadership skills etc. can not be stressed enough. Yes, academic subjects are the #1 need, but cannot be taught in a vacuum.
Mark's comments on the state of PPS sports programs are right on as well. For every wonderful coach that my children have had, there is one that is just taking a paycheck (one coach used to read the paper during practice and another would grade papers during matches).
We should all stop speaking in absolutes. There are good and not so good coaches, teachers, principals, administrators and parents. Making changes to a system that ensures more good and less not so good will only strengthen that system. But the changes have to be effective, vetted and implemented correctly or it is just "change" and not improvement.
Thursday, November 05, 2009
Delano, Griffin: Foolishness on the airwaves
Updated for clarity on Nov 5, Interview happened on Nov 4.
Marty Griffin on KDKA Radio says politicians need to take their lumps. Get into the game. "click." Then I'm off the air.
The quickest way to get clicked off the air is to say the media is to share in the blame for the poor voter turnout. So, Griffin says politicians and candidates take the bumps but he can't. He clicks me off the air when it is suggested that he should look in the mirror.
Democracy is messy. Our system is frail too. Marty says, and I agree, "The process stinks."
However, I feel strongly that it is better to stay home and not vote rather than be a clueless voter. People are smart. People let others who are more aware make decisions for them. That's prudent and good judgement. Some have said that everyone should pass a test before they voted, then we'd want everyone to vote. That is not my plank, but it does speak to the need to filter out the clueless. But people filter themselves quite well.
People vote with their feet. We need to respect that.
If a school has fewer kids than expected, let it die. Help the others migrate elsewhere. Be free. Be flexible. Allow people to make choices and we all win and never feel enslaved.
We do need an election overhaul. The machines are not up to snuff. We can have super voter centers at the malls on the weekends before our Tuesday election days. We can do plenty of things to help our system.
I'd love to see NOTA = None Of The Above, on every ballot.
But more shameful than the scorn that Marty Griffin wants to heap upon the citizens is the need to rest the blame on the lack of candidates. Too many of our elections go uncontested. I don't think that there was a single school board race that was with two or more candidates in the city. Half of the school board was up for election.
November mattered. That is something to celebrate.
A friend said that the mayor doesn't matter anyway as we've got two sets of overlords. They are the ones that really run the city. They have the mayor on a tight rope.
There are plenty of things to do in these regards. One of the most important is to find, recruit and nurture candidates and provide meaningful media coverage to them and their ideas.
So let's take it to the Allegheny County Board of Elections. Humm. The meeting prior to the recent election wasn't held because a quorum wasn't able to gather. And, there are only three members on the board. Where where you Dan Onorato?
Marty Griffin on KDKA Radio says politicians need to take their lumps. Get into the game. "click." Then I'm off the air.
The quickest way to get clicked off the air is to say the media is to share in the blame for the poor voter turnout. So, Griffin says politicians and candidates take the bumps but he can't. He clicks me off the air when it is suggested that he should look in the mirror.
Democracy is messy. Our system is frail too. Marty says, and I agree, "The process stinks."
However, I feel strongly that it is better to stay home and not vote rather than be a clueless voter. People are smart. People let others who are more aware make decisions for them. That's prudent and good judgement. Some have said that everyone should pass a test before they voted, then we'd want everyone to vote. That is not my plank, but it does speak to the need to filter out the clueless. But people filter themselves quite well.
People vote with their feet. We need to respect that.
If a school has fewer kids than expected, let it die. Help the others migrate elsewhere. Be free. Be flexible. Allow people to make choices and we all win and never feel enslaved.
We do need an election overhaul. The machines are not up to snuff. We can have super voter centers at the malls on the weekends before our Tuesday election days. We can do plenty of things to help our system.
I'd love to see NOTA = None Of The Above, on every ballot.
But more shameful than the scorn that Marty Griffin wants to heap upon the citizens is the need to rest the blame on the lack of candidates. Too many of our elections go uncontested. I don't think that there was a single school board race that was with two or more candidates in the city. Half of the school board was up for election.
November mattered. That is something to celebrate.
A friend said that the mayor doesn't matter anyway as we've got two sets of overlords. They are the ones that really run the city. They have the mayor on a tight rope.
There are plenty of things to do in these regards. One of the most important is to find, recruit and nurture candidates and provide meaningful media coverage to them and their ideas.
So let's take it to the Allegheny County Board of Elections. Humm. The meeting prior to the recent election wasn't held because a quorum wasn't able to gather. And, there are only three members on the board. Where where you Dan Onorato?
Saving the Jackets. Hey Columbus, wake up!
Saving the Jackets The Columbus Dispatch Saving the JacketsDon't fall for this Columbus.
Unless relief can be provided from a problematic lease and other financial burdens, Columbus eventually could lose its NHL team, consultant's report says
First off, here is a great opportunity to fix this city held hostage by sports team demand made through a hired conultant.
The fix for the ages for Columbus -- as well as for all sports cities in the major leagues in North America is one word. "R E L E G A T I O N!"
The big leagues in Europe do it. And, the swim league in the eastern burbs did it too. Lots of sense, and it would help our Pittsburgh Pirates in Major League Baseball as well.
If a city wants to own a NHL team, a NFL team, a NBA team or a MLB team -- then that city should build a team that is successful in the minor-leagues. Then they can play their way into the big leagues.
The league rules should change so as to move the worst team OUT of the top tier and relegate that team to the minor leagues. Furthermore, the best team in the minor leagues would get to move into the majors.
The Pittsburgh Pirates, a last place team in the National League, might make a great team for the AAA League. Let's have the Pirates play against Peoria.
With relegation in effect, a team can't be purchased and moved into a slot that is not earned.
A discussion of whether a move to another city is possible "to us, is not fruitful," he said. "We're just trying to educate that (public support) is what a sustainable model looks like." The relegation solution is sustainable for the overall model. Often, a team has to stretch its finances with its big-league payroll to get the players to compete with the Yankees. In a lesser league, the costs are lower in terms of how much is paid to the players.
Big time ticket prices might not fly in a smaller city. Big time sponsors might not come when you play Peoria and not Chicago. Fine. Teams and organizations will better fit their sustainable model on how much to invest based upon the market conditions.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Pittsburgh Enrollment Decline Forecast to Continue
Policy Brief
An electronic publication of
The Allegheny Institute for Public Policy
November 4, 2009 Volume 9, Number 67
An independent consultant hired by Pittsburgh Public Schools to study facility usage recommended closing 16 buildings and reconfiguring another 19 of the District’s 70 facilities. The recommendations are based on a projected further 4,500 drop in enrollment by school year 2018-2019.
The superintendent agreed with the findings and said, “excess building capacity is consuming taxpayer dollars that otherwise could be used to improve educational opportunities for students…” But the underlying issue is why Pittsburgh families have abandoned the Pittsburgh Public Schools by leaving the City or finding alternative education opportunities for their children. The heavy enrollment losses have occurred despite enormous efforts and expenditures by the District and civic supporters.
Enrollment in the District has been falling for many years. In the 2000-2001 school year enrollment was 38,500. For the 2009-2010 school year enrollment has dropped more than 32 percent to roughly 26,123—a loss of more than 12,400 students since 2000-2001. The consultant’s estimate of a decline 4,500 students over the next nine years would represent a 16 percent drop—half the percentage decline of the previous nine years. Whether the forecast is optimistic remains to be seen.
The expected future enrollment slide was the principal reason for the creation of the Pittsburgh Promise college scholarship program. Hoping to reverse the slide, the District, along with the Mayor and corporate leaders, promised all graduating students from the City a college scholarship if they met certain academic requirements. This program was modeled after one in Kalamazoo, Michigan where enrollment after three years climbed by 15 percent. It’s been four years since the inception of Pittsburgh’s Promise and enrollment has continued to fall, dropping 16 percent—the exact opposite of the Michigan experience.
While the Superintendent has suggested the decline in enrollment is a result of the decline in City population, the facts don’t support that contention. The City’s enrollment has been dropping at a significantly faster rate than population. Since the last census, Pittsburgh has lost 7.3 percent of its population while District enrollment fell at four times that rate. There are explanations for this. First, families with children are moving out at a disproportionately faster rate than families without school age children or individuals with no children. Second, increasing numbers of parents are choosing non-public schools or home schooling.
How will the abandonment of Pittsburgh Public Schools affect academic performance? SAT results for Pittsburgh students shows there has been virtually no improvement in scores. The average combined reading and math scores stood at 873 in 2001 before edging up to 895 in 2006. However, in 2009 scores had fallen back to 879—so much for progress as school press releases and news conferences have attempted to portray. In some of the District’s high schools, scores are still well below 800. Bear in mind that the average national scores during this time were over 1,000 and average scores for Pennsylvania students were around 1,000.
Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) test scores show similar results. For 2009, 50 percent of the District’s eleventh graders scored below proficient level in reading while 57 percent did so in math. In 2006, those numbers were 49.1 percent and 59.8 percent respectively in reading and math. It’s very clear that academic achievement is languishing, which may well account for a large share of the student exodus. Unfortunately, as parents who are very concerned about education remove their children from City schools, there is a strong likelihood that academic achievement in City schools will suffer even more as enrollment continues its long slide.
Of course, with students leaving the District, it would be reasonable to assume expenditures would be falling or at least not growing. Not in Pittsburgh. At the beginning of the decade the District reported operating expenditures of roughly $415.5 million. The most recent report for 2007-2008 shows those expenditures have grown by 29 percent to about $534.7 million. On a per pupil basis expenditures have grown from $10,700 to more than $17,800—a 66 percent rise. Undoubtedly, much of this increase stems from the reduction in enrollment, but it underscores the preposterously high cost of educating students in the District. Assuming spending grows by an average 3 percent per year for the next nine years (a conservative forecast considering past growth and the big jump in pension payments coming in 2012) expenditures per student will reach a jaw dropping $31,000 per student.
The consultant’s report estimates that by closing some schools and consolidating others, the District can achieve savings of over $300 million in maintenance costs over the next ten years. Whether that will ever happen remains to be seen. In the meantime, the District continues to short change students and taxpayers. Recommendations of meaningful reforms such as school choice are squelched by the District and its apologists practically before they are uttered. One must wonder: How bad does it have to get before parents and taxpayers become fed up enough to do something about the long running fiasco that is the Pittsburgh Public School District other than moving out of the City? Is it reasonable to expect Pittsburgh to ever achieve real stability and begin to grow as long as the school district is so corrosive of its economic underpinnings?
Jake Haulk, Ph.D., President Frank Gamrat, Ph.D., Sr. Research Assoc.
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An electronic publication of
The Allegheny Institute for Public Policy
November 4, 2009 Volume 9, Number 67
An independent consultant hired by Pittsburgh Public Schools to study facility usage recommended closing 16 buildings and reconfiguring another 19 of the District’s 70 facilities. The recommendations are based on a projected further 4,500 drop in enrollment by school year 2018-2019.
The superintendent agreed with the findings and said, “excess building capacity is consuming taxpayer dollars that otherwise could be used to improve educational opportunities for students…” But the underlying issue is why Pittsburgh families have abandoned the Pittsburgh Public Schools by leaving the City or finding alternative education opportunities for their children. The heavy enrollment losses have occurred despite enormous efforts and expenditures by the District and civic supporters.
Enrollment in the District has been falling for many years. In the 2000-2001 school year enrollment was 38,500. For the 2009-2010 school year enrollment has dropped more than 32 percent to roughly 26,123—a loss of more than 12,400 students since 2000-2001. The consultant’s estimate of a decline 4,500 students over the next nine years would represent a 16 percent drop—half the percentage decline of the previous nine years. Whether the forecast is optimistic remains to be seen.
The expected future enrollment slide was the principal reason for the creation of the Pittsburgh Promise college scholarship program. Hoping to reverse the slide, the District, along with the Mayor and corporate leaders, promised all graduating students from the City a college scholarship if they met certain academic requirements. This program was modeled after one in Kalamazoo, Michigan where enrollment after three years climbed by 15 percent. It’s been four years since the inception of Pittsburgh’s Promise and enrollment has continued to fall, dropping 16 percent—the exact opposite of the Michigan experience.
While the Superintendent has suggested the decline in enrollment is a result of the decline in City population, the facts don’t support that contention. The City’s enrollment has been dropping at a significantly faster rate than population. Since the last census, Pittsburgh has lost 7.3 percent of its population while District enrollment fell at four times that rate. There are explanations for this. First, families with children are moving out at a disproportionately faster rate than families without school age children or individuals with no children. Second, increasing numbers of parents are choosing non-public schools or home schooling.
How will the abandonment of Pittsburgh Public Schools affect academic performance? SAT results for Pittsburgh students shows there has been virtually no improvement in scores. The average combined reading and math scores stood at 873 in 2001 before edging up to 895 in 2006. However, in 2009 scores had fallen back to 879—so much for progress as school press releases and news conferences have attempted to portray. In some of the District’s high schools, scores are still well below 800. Bear in mind that the average national scores during this time were over 1,000 and average scores for Pennsylvania students were around 1,000.
Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) test scores show similar results. For 2009, 50 percent of the District’s eleventh graders scored below proficient level in reading while 57 percent did so in math. In 2006, those numbers were 49.1 percent and 59.8 percent respectively in reading and math. It’s very clear that academic achievement is languishing, which may well account for a large share of the student exodus. Unfortunately, as parents who are very concerned about education remove their children from City schools, there is a strong likelihood that academic achievement in City schools will suffer even more as enrollment continues its long slide.
Of course, with students leaving the District, it would be reasonable to assume expenditures would be falling or at least not growing. Not in Pittsburgh. At the beginning of the decade the District reported operating expenditures of roughly $415.5 million. The most recent report for 2007-2008 shows those expenditures have grown by 29 percent to about $534.7 million. On a per pupil basis expenditures have grown from $10,700 to more than $17,800—a 66 percent rise. Undoubtedly, much of this increase stems from the reduction in enrollment, but it underscores the preposterously high cost of educating students in the District. Assuming spending grows by an average 3 percent per year for the next nine years (a conservative forecast considering past growth and the big jump in pension payments coming in 2012) expenditures per student will reach a jaw dropping $31,000 per student.
The consultant’s report estimates that by closing some schools and consolidating others, the District can achieve savings of over $300 million in maintenance costs over the next ten years. Whether that will ever happen remains to be seen. In the meantime, the District continues to short change students and taxpayers. Recommendations of meaningful reforms such as school choice are squelched by the District and its apologists practically before they are uttered. One must wonder: How bad does it have to get before parents and taxpayers become fed up enough to do something about the long running fiasco that is the Pittsburgh Public School District other than moving out of the City? Is it reasonable to expect Pittsburgh to ever achieve real stability and begin to grow as long as the school district is so corrosive of its economic underpinnings?
Jake Haulk, Ph.D., President Frank Gamrat, Ph.D., Sr. Research Assoc.
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College training tough on Freshmen swimmers
Another bit of research for the need for 13th grade option for Pittsburgh Public Schools.
24Medica - College training tough on Freshmen swimmers: "High school swimmers heading off to compete in college may be ill prepared for grueling collegiate training regimens, study findings hint."
Live Blog the Mark Roosevelt interview with KDKA Radio's Marty Griffin
Mark Roosevelt, superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools, is slated to be on the Marty Griffin show today, KDKARadio.com, 9 to noon. I'll try to live blog here. Hit refresh while the show is on the air. Chat to me via Google Chat or post in the comments if you wish.
The early news of the consultants report has been twisted on some radio teasers. The city is not going to close 12 schools as reported or hyped by KDKA Radio yesterday. The closing of the schools is not yet on the table. Nothing may change for the fall of 2010. I do like the way the P-G put it in a headline. More than a dozen schools are on the chopping block. Sure. But the ax isn't swinging and I'd say the ax isn't even sharp yet.
I sent Marty an email this morning. Here are a couple of questions he might want to consider in the pending interview. Big was sent to Marty G, twice. Red was on the air.
Of the 134 kids that started 9th grade at U Prep, only 84 returned to start 10th grade. U Prep kids had extra attention with the new school. The principal didn't return as well.
Have the first two years of U-Prep been a bust?
Is U Prep going to make it? Should it? (not read on air)
Can the district re-think past decisions? (not read on air)
And, a second message, also sent twice.
Pittsburgh is a sports town. Why can't the district overhaul sports opportunities at new U-Prep and Science and Technology schools -- as athletics might be a splendid hook to get the kids and families and communities better engaged in school and academics. ?
People leave the city in Jr High and High School because of the whole school expeience -- including sports.
WPIAL Teams are NOT like those in the city league. Can PPS join the WPIAL? That would make the city competitive. COMPETITION.
We'll see if anything like these get into the conversations. Update. the one did.
Live Blog:
Griffin talking about big, old empty buildings.
Board closed 22 schools already.
Pittsburgh had more than 600,000. Now going less than 300,000.
More than 4,500 students are going to depart the district in the years to come, so says a study.
Talk about the closing of Peabody and Oliver. Discourse gets nasty.
11:33 Marty went to Central Catholic High School, not Peabody.
Marty is a big fan and very positive with Mark Roosevelt and his efforts.
Some will scream (so says Griffin) "Keep buildings open."
Fact not mentioned: Pittsburgh has closed some buildings (rightsizing cost 20+ schools and Schenley), but Pittsburgh (under Mark Roosevelt's leadership) started some new high schools recently. U-Prep and Sci-Tech and I.B. -- all in the wake of closing Schenley High School. So, many have closed. But, new are opening too. Does it make sense to consider the opening of the new schools in the wake of closing others and closing some more?
This is the central message from PPS Board Member, Mark Brently. Brently wants a full evaluation of what has transpired so far, before going further. (Not on the air.)
Roosevelt: We can close schools carefully and in a sequenced manner. Four years ago we were about to go bankrupt. We had to move quickly. We need to take off line what we don't need. Take off buildings and make staff reductions. Over the next three years, we'll do a sequenced three year plan.
Blog editorial: Wow. This is a central theme I've been begging for for years. It is now part of Mark Roosevelt's game plan it seems. Back when South Vo Tech was closed in haste, I asked that the school be closed over the course of the years as the students graduated. Pittsburgh needs to phase out its schools and not jerk families around. The decision to close South Vo Tech came in June. A graduation happened and the kids in 9th, 10th and 11th grade didn't know if their school would be open next year. Crazy.
Blog editorial: In the real world, the PPS system has been know to starve schools. The South Vo Tech High School was known to be on the chopping block for years prior to its actual closure. The stop the fix ups to the building. The good teachers move to other posts, within and beyond the district. The services and support elements are kept back. Recruitment of new students is put into a big fog. When South Vo Tech closed, there were 100 or so kids that were expecting to go into South Vo Tech in a couple of months time. Everyone had to be shifted in two months time. Yank, yank.
Mark Roosevelt on air: Last time when we had to turn a K-5 into a K-8, we did it all in one year. That was tough. That asks a lot. I would not do that now. That will make the transition much easier than it was before.
Blog editorial: Hurray! Let's make this a new Pittsburgh Promise.
On air: The report recomends that we close Peabody and Oliver.
Question: Homewood, gangs and violence. Is that going to move to a "New Westinghouse HS?"
Mark Roosevelt: There are things in this report that I do not agree with. Westinghouse is one choice. More kids in the Peabody feeder pattern go to the IB School than to Peabody.
Blog editorial: There is a great point or two made on the PureReform Blog about this factoid from Mark Roosevelt about feeder pattern kids and Peabody vs. IB. Question, is that fact IB grades 6 to 12 + Schenley vs. Peabody 9-12?
Mark Roosevelt: I think we can create something at Westinghouse that some of the kids in that feeder pattern will choose. Mark Roosevelt is not in favor of a merger of that feeder pattern without a choice.
Mark Roosevelt: When you meet with the kids at Peabody, they don't like what is happening there. They don't like that there isn't enough kids to have a full band.
Blog editorial: Hungry?
Radio host asked most of my question to Mark Roosevelt: Of the 134 kids that started 9th grade at U Prep, only 84 returned to start 10th grade. U Prep kids had extra attention with the new school. The principal didn't return as well. Have the first two years of U-Prep been a bust?
Mark Roosevelt: U-Prep will be a successful school. U-Prep is an accelerated academy and kids are asked a lot while they are there. Some don't like that. When homework isn't done, teachers are on the kids. Some kids don't like that and they'll move to a different setting. Not all kids thrive in that environment, more of a learning academy.
Mark Roosevelt: The principal that departed was a friend. It didn't work out as a match.
Blog editorial: Mark Roosevelt gave a good answer to my question #1 above. Worked for me. He has confidence in the U-Prep School (of course).
Question: What if more families do being to move into the city?
Mark Roosevelt: We are keeping enough extra capacity in all the schools in the future.
Question: How to fight white flight?
Mark Roosevelt: The problem is not just white flight. PPS does have a waiting lists at almost all the magnet schools. A waiting list is at Sci-Tech. Pittsburgh is a urban district and many are in decline, even Houston. Center city population loss is everywhere.
Mark Roosevelt: We are right on the cusp of turning this around. You can feel it. You can hear it. I got 2 emails from families moving into the city earlier. People are latching on to certain schools. CAPA and IB are gems. Sci Tech and U-Prep are coming on.
Why does it take so long to change?
Mark Roosevelt: I am accused of moving too fast.
Griffin: New contract. Huge money. Joking.
Roosevelt: I'll be here for the same time that a student who entered 2nd grade to the time of 12th grade. (?? do the math in superintendent years??)
Mark Roosevelt: We can be an urban school district to take a vast majority of our kids and get them to college readiness standards. Quality teachers in the classroom.
Gates mentioned.
Marty wants an honorary doctor degree. Joke. The district is a work in progress. Over and out.
The early news of the consultants report has been twisted on some radio teasers. The city is not going to close 12 schools as reported or hyped by KDKA Radio yesterday. The closing of the schools is not yet on the table. Nothing may change for the fall of 2010. I do like the way the P-G put it in a headline. More than a dozen schools are on the chopping block. Sure. But the ax isn't swinging and I'd say the ax isn't even sharp yet.
I sent Marty an email this morning. Here are a couple of questions he might want to consider in the pending interview. Big was sent to Marty G, twice. Red was on the air.
Of the 134 kids that started 9th grade at U Prep, only 84 returned to start 10th grade. U Prep kids had extra attention with the new school. The principal didn't return as well.
Have the first two years of U-Prep been a bust?
Is U Prep going to make it? Should it? (not read on air)
Can the district re-think past decisions? (not read on air)
And, a second message, also sent twice.
Pittsburgh is a sports town. Why can't the district overhaul sports opportunities at new U-Prep and Science and Technology schools -- as athletics might be a splendid hook to get the kids and families and communities better engaged in school and academics. ?
People leave the city in Jr High and High School because of the whole school expeience -- including sports.
WPIAL Teams are NOT like those in the city league. Can PPS join the WPIAL? That would make the city competitive. COMPETITION.
We'll see if anything like these get into the conversations. Update. the one did.
Live Blog:
Griffin talking about big, old empty buildings.
Board closed 22 schools already.
Pittsburgh had more than 600,000. Now going less than 300,000.
More than 4,500 students are going to depart the district in the years to come, so says a study.
Talk about the closing of Peabody and Oliver. Discourse gets nasty.
11:33 Marty went to Central Catholic High School, not Peabody.
Marty is a big fan and very positive with Mark Roosevelt and his efforts.
Some will scream (so says Griffin) "Keep buildings open."
Fact not mentioned: Pittsburgh has closed some buildings (rightsizing cost 20+ schools and Schenley), but Pittsburgh (under Mark Roosevelt's leadership) started some new high schools recently. U-Prep and Sci-Tech and I.B. -- all in the wake of closing Schenley High School. So, many have closed. But, new are opening too. Does it make sense to consider the opening of the new schools in the wake of closing others and closing some more?
This is the central message from PPS Board Member, Mark Brently. Brently wants a full evaluation of what has transpired so far, before going further. (Not on the air.)
Roosevelt: We can close schools carefully and in a sequenced manner. Four years ago we were about to go bankrupt. We had to move quickly. We need to take off line what we don't need. Take off buildings and make staff reductions. Over the next three years, we'll do a sequenced three year plan.
Blog editorial: Wow. This is a central theme I've been begging for for years. It is now part of Mark Roosevelt's game plan it seems. Back when South Vo Tech was closed in haste, I asked that the school be closed over the course of the years as the students graduated. Pittsburgh needs to phase out its schools and not jerk families around. The decision to close South Vo Tech came in June. A graduation happened and the kids in 9th, 10th and 11th grade didn't know if their school would be open next year. Crazy.
Blog editorial: In the real world, the PPS system has been know to starve schools. The South Vo Tech High School was known to be on the chopping block for years prior to its actual closure. The stop the fix ups to the building. The good teachers move to other posts, within and beyond the district. The services and support elements are kept back. Recruitment of new students is put into a big fog. When South Vo Tech closed, there were 100 or so kids that were expecting to go into South Vo Tech in a couple of months time. Everyone had to be shifted in two months time. Yank, yank.
Mark Roosevelt on air: Last time when we had to turn a K-5 into a K-8, we did it all in one year. That was tough. That asks a lot. I would not do that now. That will make the transition much easier than it was before.
Blog editorial: Hurray! Let's make this a new Pittsburgh Promise.
On air: The report recomends that we close Peabody and Oliver.
Question: Homewood, gangs and violence. Is that going to move to a "New Westinghouse HS?"
Mark Roosevelt: There are things in this report that I do not agree with. Westinghouse is one choice. More kids in the Peabody feeder pattern go to the IB School than to Peabody.
Blog editorial: There is a great point or two made on the PureReform Blog about this factoid from Mark Roosevelt about feeder pattern kids and Peabody vs. IB. Question, is that fact IB grades 6 to 12 + Schenley vs. Peabody 9-12?
Mark Roosevelt: I think we can create something at Westinghouse that some of the kids in that feeder pattern will choose. Mark Roosevelt is not in favor of a merger of that feeder pattern without a choice.
Mark Roosevelt: When you meet with the kids at Peabody, they don't like what is happening there. They don't like that there isn't enough kids to have a full band.
Blog editorial: Hungry?
Radio host asked most of my question to Mark Roosevelt: Of the 134 kids that started 9th grade at U Prep, only 84 returned to start 10th grade. U Prep kids had extra attention with the new school. The principal didn't return as well. Have the first two years of U-Prep been a bust?
Mark Roosevelt: U-Prep will be a successful school. U-Prep is an accelerated academy and kids are asked a lot while they are there. Some don't like that. When homework isn't done, teachers are on the kids. Some kids don't like that and they'll move to a different setting. Not all kids thrive in that environment, more of a learning academy.
Mark Roosevelt: The principal that departed was a friend. It didn't work out as a match.
Blog editorial: Mark Roosevelt gave a good answer to my question #1 above. Worked for me. He has confidence in the U-Prep School (of course).
Question: What if more families do being to move into the city?
Mark Roosevelt: We are keeping enough extra capacity in all the schools in the future.
Question: How to fight white flight?
Mark Roosevelt: The problem is not just white flight. PPS does have a waiting lists at almost all the magnet schools. A waiting list is at Sci-Tech. Pittsburgh is a urban district and many are in decline, even Houston. Center city population loss is everywhere.
Mark Roosevelt: We are right on the cusp of turning this around. You can feel it. You can hear it. I got 2 emails from families moving into the city earlier. People are latching on to certain schools. CAPA and IB are gems. Sci Tech and U-Prep are coming on.
Why does it take so long to change?
Mark Roosevelt: I am accused of moving too fast.
Griffin: New contract. Huge money. Joking.
Roosevelt: I'll be here for the same time that a student who entered 2nd grade to the time of 12th grade. (?? do the math in superintendent years??)
Mark Roosevelt: We can be an urban school district to take a vast majority of our kids and get them to college readiness standards. Quality teachers in the classroom.
Gates mentioned.
Marty wants an honorary doctor degree. Joke. The district is a work in progress. Over and out.
Their teamwork was absent
Rule one: Win by addition.
But, here is the rub in this election, as it was for DeSantis too.
Running mates.
Case in point: In the south neighborhoods, the Motznik sign was planted next to the Ravenstahl sign.
Neither Dok Harris nor Kevin Acklin had any running mates. Mark DeSantis didn't have any either.
The ones at the top of the ticket need others down the ballot. NEED em. Gotta have a team. A winning team would have lots of others with serious skin in the race.
If Kevin or Dok wanted to start a real movement, they would have had people with tight relationships within every school board campaign and in every city council race. Neither had any.
And as a final illustration to this point was a debate question. Kevin Acklin would NOT name one other person who would be in his administration.
Joint appearances are necessary. It takes two or more to tango.
In terms of teamwork (especially in a Pittsburgh political campaign), the opposition has a long way to go.
But, here is the rub in this election, as it was for DeSantis too.
Running mates.
Case in point: In the south neighborhoods, the Motznik sign was planted next to the Ravenstahl sign.
Neither Dok Harris nor Kevin Acklin had any running mates. Mark DeSantis didn't have any either.
The ones at the top of the ticket need others down the ballot. NEED em. Gotta have a team. A winning team would have lots of others with serious skin in the race.
If Kevin or Dok wanted to start a real movement, they would have had people with tight relationships within every school board campaign and in every city council race. Neither had any.
And as a final illustration to this point was a debate question. Kevin Acklin would NOT name one other person who would be in his administration.
Joint appearances are necessary. It takes two or more to tango.
In terms of teamwork (especially in a Pittsburgh political campaign), the opposition has a long way to go.
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