Having worked now for the past 14 years in several schools districts, here’s how the federal money will be spent:
40% for the administration of the program by the feds
12% for equipment, including computer software which will prove to be out of date by the time it is implemented and fashionable electronics that will be dumped into the classroom on the second day of school to a teacher who has not been trained in its use
20% for specialists in the district working with technology who are not in the classroom
12% for liability insurance and other fees associated with a government agency (the school district) using software and computer equipment
16% for health benefits and pensions for the teachers and the administrators in the district
After the first few years, the teachers told to implement the curriculum (determined by a committee somewhere else in the state) will finally learn and understand what they’re doing, at which time the government will have already moved on to the next problem of the day.
Of course, the greatest irony is that many of the students in these classes are reading and writing at a level far below their grade, so most of this initiative doesn’t matter.
You have no idea how much teaching talent and student achievement is quashed by the unceasing interference from state and federal officials. Getting rid of tenure, the union that supposedly represents me, and vouchers (or privatization) would be best, but I probably won’t live to any of those things put in place. Year-round schools, too.
Sorry for the cynical outlook. I’ll get over it. It’s been cold and cloudy up here.
Well, don't be. You risk decertification by the Universal Society of Cynics. In fact, consider yourself decertified.
When it comes to high school and college money...I personally don’t think a single cent ought to go into operations or administrative cost from the federal government. If the federal government wanted to kick in some renovation or maintenance money...fairly cut around each of the fifty states...maybe. Schools ought to be run strictly by the county or district...with all funding coming via the county or state bucket of cash. The minute you involve the federal guys...it’s just money being soaked up by the union operations.