Parents Statewide angry over Walker's cuts to Schools, while teacher applicants way down or they're just leaving Wisconsin.

Scott Walker's budget was so dramatically out of line with expectations of state residents, that it's hard to know what he was thinking. This is an all or nothing proposed downsizing or rejection of everything "government." Many Walker voters are suddenly feeling the full effects of their own policy. Beloit Daily News: 

BRILLION, WI: The overwhelming message dozens of educators, parents and school board members delivered to the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee Wednesday was simple: Fund public schools and stop the expansion of taxpayer-subsidized vouchers.

"I'm not just concerned, I'm appalled that education cuts are even on the table. … Our schools are not failing as you have been repeatedly told. They are struggling to succeed with the little resources that you offer them," Kathryn Carley, who has children in the Green Bay Area Public School District, told the committee. Hundreds of community members attended the day-long public hearing at Brillion High School, most of them voicing concerns on varying aspects of Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget.

Don Hietpas, Appleton's chief financial officer: "We cannot sustain excellent student programming and student activities if our revenues continue to be frozen," Hietpas said.

Scott Walker's Act 10 union busting "tools" are all worn out. Vilified teachers leaving state:

Beloit area schools are having a harder time recruiting teachers: Superintendent of the Beloit Turner School District Dennis McCarthy said there has been a sharp reduction in applicants for teaching positions for the past several years. “We have posted numerous positions with little or no applicants … there are simply far less quality candidates available.”

McCarthy said a technical education teacher position in 2009 yielded 17 applicants, but the same position had 5 applicants in 2013. A fifth grade teacher yielded 259 applicants in 2009, yet there were only 28 applicants in 2014 for the same position … down 30 teachers from the four years ago … anticipates $5 million in cuts this year. Tasha Bell, equity coordinator for the district, said “This year we have gone to fairs in Illinois hoping to net some bilingual and candidates of color.”

Cheryl Hanley-Maxwell, associate dean of teacher education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said there has been a decline among students pursuing education at the university. “It hasn’t been significant, but it’s going down,” Hanley-Maxell said.

Hanley-Maxwell said those who do become teachers are choosing more often to leave the state, estimating a 10 percent increase in students who leave Wisconsin after graduating from UW-Madison … enrollment in California teaching programs is down 53 percent

Walker's "Tools" may just close down Montello District Schools if referendum isn't approved.

The one time "tools" Scott Walker gave to our state school districts have been exhausted. Rural area schools have sounded the alarm, but Walker isn't listening, and he certainly won't be taking State Superintendent Tony Evers reform suggestions anytime soon either. 

Without these important social center schools, small towns will eventually dry up. But never fear, we may still be able to mine or sell their land and buildings to foreign countries like China. 

Institute of Public Research:

Facing the worst of all possible choices — the loss of the heart of their community — members of the district board voted unanimously to put a recurring $1.1 million referendum on the spring 2015 ballot to keep the doors of Montello schools open.

The other options to close the gap are to cut 17 teachers or gain 100 students.

Without the $1.1 million referendum being approved, the last school year that doors would be open at Montello would be 2015-2016. “We really have no other choice,” stated board member Lisa Smith.

Teachers continue to leave what was once a profession.

From Whitefish Bay Now comes this sad slice of reality about teaching under Republican control, and Scott Walker's disdain for public education. Holding true to freeloading conservative form, instead of improving failing schools, the Republican message is to RUN from them. It's lots of "work" to solve problems.

Meanwhile dedicated professional teachers are vilified and blamed for everything. When I've gone to my own kids elementary and middle schools, I've always had a voice in their efforts to work with my kid, and never saw an ounce of resistance in their ability to help.

The following is tough to take, and tougher to see happen over and over:

Danielle Switalski Tearful resignation gives glimpse into life after ACT 10 in Whitefish Bay. When Act 10 hit, 10-year math teacher at Whitefish Bay High School Christine Kiefer was four classes into her master's degree. Because of funding cuts, she was forced to quit her program … Since Act 10, she has waited patiently to see what would happen to her livelihood, while continuing to educate Whitefish Bay youth every day. Kiefer said she can no longer wait and tearfully announced her resignation to the School Board last week. "Here's my problem: When I started, I had all these incentives to improve and now I am completely stuck," Kiefer told the board. "I have no master's degree, I have no way to increase my salary and there are no incentives in place for improving my practice. " Kiefer said she cannot get to the level of compensation as some of her peers in the district because of the current system in place.

For three years, she said her class sizes have increased as she and her colleagues are asked to do more in light of Response to Intervention, new MAP testing and a new teacher evaluation process.
"I love teaching kids and I love the kids' families and I love my colleagues and I love Whitefish Bay, but I cannot wait any longer," she said. "I can't stay at a job that sacrifices all my time for my own family - at least two hours every school night and between six to 12 hours every weekend - time after the bell rings, time that produces such good results when there is no good faith effort on the part of the district to pay what I am worth, to pay me what you would probably have to pay an equivalent replacement for me."

Kiefer's speech was met by a round of applause from a room mixed with parents, teachers and high school students. School Board President Kathy Rogers, said, "It is painful beyond words to lose a teacher of Christine's caliber." School Board members echoed this sentiment.

High school math teacher Erin Best is one who is compensated "very well." Best said they are burned out. "I can't keep doing more. The class sizes keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger and I'm exhausted, and this job is preventing me from being the wife I want to be, a mom, a human. I just want to share that," Best said. "I know for Christine she deserves way more money, but even with the money I make this job is really difficult to do."

High school English teacher Lindsey Ashlock began her master's degree two years before Act 10 was enacted. Though she has been teaching for 15 years, with her personal student loans, she said she can't make ends meet financially with her current paycheck.

School Board Member Cheryl Maranto said. "I know the reason we are surviving is because of what happened to your pay and benefits."

The board is ramping up their lobbying efforts, meeting with state Sen. Alberta Darling, in the hopes that this can change, she said. "Who the heck is going to want to go into this profession?"

Here's a sample of comments, that demonstrate how "teacher" has been added to the Republican list of enemies, for no real reason other than envy:

This is just the latest of many that will inevitably see that their "mission" to educate will be met with indifference and "so what" by the current batch of conservative members of our state legislature. But hey, if it helps the "hard working taxpayers"...

Yeah well my wife was hired at a private sector business with the promise to pay for her education. They had to take that away, also took away matching 401k and now said insurance will have to cost 4 times as much. They told her if she doesn't like it they will hire someone else. Be glad to have a job. It is not roses out in the private sector. But why don't we see those stories?

Boo Hoo!! Sounds to me like Christine is finally dealing with every day decisions that those of us in the private sector have faced years ago. No tears shed here.

Boo fricking hoo. The gravy train is no longer overspending. welcome to the reality the rest of us already deal with.  IT's time some of your who are unhappy in your jobs stop making teachers the scapegoat: in the long run it's YOUR kids who will suffer.

Brookfield Wealthy now Whine About Overcrowding? And, they still Don't Get It.

While some parents weren't happy having a school closed, and probably still voted for Walker, many other parents are now shocked to find their kids class sizes stretched to the max.

Boohoo I say. Wealthy Republicans in Brookfield can now live with this "surprise" development. They were warned, but conservative voters lifted their noses at the whiny resentful lefty's at the ballot box, saying liberals were just bad losers.

I say, enjoy shortchanging your kids education tightwads. TMJ4:

A "class-size controversy" at one school district - just months after a school was closed. Hillside Elementary was closed because of budgets and shrinking attendance. But now parents are frustrated because of over-crowded classrooms  "We have voiced our concern on that and hoping that they'd add another teacher," said parent Jackie Smith.

Jackie Smith's concerned about her daughter's fifth grade class. It's one of four at Swanson Elementary pushed to it's maximum size. "I certainly don't like that there are 30 kids in the class." Tonawanda Elementary is in similar shape.

The hike in enrollment comes on the heels of Hillside Elementary's closure this spring. District leaders consolidated for budget reasons. Brookfield Elementary absorbed students from Hillside.  But redistricting sent some Brookfield students to Swanson.

Even in the face of this bad news, these conservative cheapskates still don’t get it:

Jackie Smith understood Hillside's closing.  But she fears the district failed to address the impact it would have on other classrooms.  "We're adding 50, 60, 100 kids to your school, but we're not hiring any more teachers," she said.

No shit. It’s those wonderful Walker tools working again.

In fifth grade classes it will add an assistant after exploring the options … Not all parents find that an acceptable solution. They'll get to voice their concerns at a school board meeting next Tuesday night.

Portage Parents outraged over school closings. Walker Voters there Offended by Public Anger.

WTDY's Kurt Baron wasn't happy. His old school in Portage is on the chopping block, thanks to Scott Walker's educational tools.

Walker's left it up to the local school boards to do the dirty work...and they will, regardless of how angry parents get. There's always going to be those conservative "I've got mine" tightwads in the crowd that don't want to pay back what they got themselves in their childhood.

Three schools will close, and the opportunity for parents to register their dissatisfaction in public is all for show. The school district has already made their decision based on the fact that they've only offered one proposed referendum choice. They could have a number of other choices? Channel3000 has the report on the meeting:



According to Vinny, a WTDY listener, when he asked Sen. Glenn Grothman (growth-men) "why are you trying to destroy education in this state?" Grothman's answer, "it's on the decline anyway." Here's an audio part of Kurt's program:

3 Portage Schools on Chopping Block, and a big loss for Rural Kids.

There are more school closings, saving big money for districts, but at what cost? People move to cities and towns because of their schools. Once that option dries up, I guess Republicans could always pass out a few more business tax credits to solve the problem...it's the solution for everything.

Here's the rub; some parents are angry and want public education funding, others might want that, but are too cheap to pay anymore. While still others, who got their kids through school, don't want to pay anymore. There's one more thing; Portage is losing business and population according to some, so perhaps, the school funding shortfall is a nature outgrowth of that. From WKOW:

Courage Closes Brookfield's Hillside Elementary. Thank You Scott Walker.

It's the end of the school year, and the end of a school...Hillside Elementary in Brookfield. Parents fought hard to save the school, but thanks to Gov. Walker's tools and funding cuts, the school board had no other choice but to defy the will of those protesting families. I think the word they're using now is "courage."

It's hard for me to watch the following video without tearing up a little. I have a son in elementary school now. Without sounding too dramatic, there's never a more connected time for parents than in K-5. Their still so cute and curious. It's a time of discovery, a time when their personalities bloom and friendships are made. That young innocence, contained within walls of many of our local elementary schools, is on its way out. Outgoing Principal Julie Kremer said it best:

"Boys and girls, it's just really been a wonderful 15 years," Kremer said. "And each one of your smiles is what means the most to me. Keep those smiles always in your heart." She told the students to look forward to next year at their new schools. "There will be familiar faces, some of your teachers will be there, so it's just going to be a really great year next year," Kremer said.

Said like a true union thug? See for yourself how these lousy, money grubbing, overpaid low achievers are destroying education and poisoning the minds of our children. Won't it be nice to see an empty, silent playground? Brookfield Patch:

Saying they wanted to help her "slide into retirement," Hillside Elementary School students and staff surprised Principal Julie Kremer with an "Electric Slide" flash mob dance in the closing school's final days … Hillside had a big event of its own: its final all-school assembly and farewell to Kremer and health assistant Nancy Kucharski, who are among those retiring. "Thank you for your sincere kindness," Kremer told everyone … Hillside is closing this month after 43 years, due to declining enrollment and budget pressures. It held a closing celebration May 24. During the assembly a slideshow put together by students of Hillside memories was shown on a big screen.

Each grade level performed a song, and everyone joined in singing the school song. 'Hawk Rock Anthem' Rocks the Gym … (A) teacher and two fifth graders wrote Hillside-themed lyrics to the Party Rock Anthem, renaming it Hawk Rock Anthem.

Another beloved local school closes, despite public opposition, in Brookfield. This is only the beginning too, because Republicans have no intentions of ever restoring money they've cut. Here's TMJ4's coverage:

New Study predicts Walker cuts to Education "devastating, especially for children from poverty."

When you cut $1.6 billion from education like Scott Walker did, and expect the affected public schools to make up the difference with creative risk taking and untested business models, you're a bad manager of the state.

Believing such cuts were necessary to hold down taxes and breaking the unions...just because, isn't smart planning but partisan recklessness. Now we have proof:

ELPA Education: The evidence keeps piling up – the cuts to public education in the 2011-13 budget are not good for children, their schools, or their communities. Two of Wisconsin's leading education professionals studied the impact of the budget and published a policy brief entitled, "Making Matters Worse: School Funding, Achievement Gaps and Poverty under Wisconsin Act 32." The findings were startling but not unexpected: Reductions in state aid and revenue limit authority – leaving school districts with $1.6 billion less revenue – are and will be devastating, especially for children from poverty.

James Shaw and Carolyn Kelly wrote the policy brief for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis. It examined the impact of the budget on school funding, teacher quality, student learning, and property taxes. Shaw and Kelly are state educators with expertise in school reform and school leadership development.

The pair's key findings are:  · State budget cuts hit high poverty districts the hardest.
·                   High poverty districts have less state revenue to support the needs of children and taxpayers in high poverty districts pay taxes at increasingly higher rates.
·                   Reductions in employee compensation hit high poverty districts the hardest.
·                   Reductions in the size of the workforce hit high poverty districts hardest.
·                   Act 32 (the budget) increases funding gaps for poor and minority students.

In other words, “this study paints a grim picture of funding gaps in Wisconsin public education. … The reductions in state support for public education threaten to increase achievement gaps, and challenge Wisconsin’s constitutional and long-standing commitment to equal education opportunity.”

Walker’s Cuts to Education; the Unintended Consequences, and Domino Effect.

The dramatic changes made by Republicans to fund public education is starting to ratchet down the system to a point you’d better start worrying about. It looks like the set of tools Gov. Scott Walker gave the districts as a onetime fix will eventually destabilize budgets and downsize schools to a dangerous level. If public schools can’t afford to stay open, how will private schools manage it?

For parents who think they know more about education than those in the profession itself, enjoy the uncertainty and privatization that will...or may follow.  

Daniel C. Vock: In many corners of Wisconsin, school officials say the biggest impact of the changes to school funding and collective bargaining have yet to arrive. “Any time you have one plan that applies to 426 school districts, it works some places really well and other places not so well,” says Bruce Anderson, the superintendent of the Merrill school district, a large rural district in northern Wisconsin. “And then there’s the rest of us, where it doesn’t work at all.”

Merrill has had a longstanding problem with declining enrollment. State aid is based on student attendance … Then last year, the state budget slashed state aid to schools across the state by $834 million. In Merrill, that left the district with $400 less per student. To balance its budget, the district had to close a school. 

Sup. Anderson isn't the only one:

Stateline: In Seymour, near Green Bay, Superintendent Pete Ross says he is concerned … spending caps will not keep up with the district’s costs. Under the new law, increases in teacher salaries now cannot exceed the rate of inflation. But other expenses will. “Whether it be supplies or energy or busing or other insurances that don’t have to do with employee benefits,” he says, “all those are increasing at rates higher than [inflation].”

Smaller districts also worry that they will become, in the words of Sturgeon Bay Superintendent Joe Stutting, “stepping stones for teachers who are going to go and teach in places that can afford to pay them for their skill set.”

The smaller districts cannot keep up with growing districts, Stutting says, if small districts must continually balance their budgets with pay freezes and benefit cuts, he argues, the gap in teacher compensation will grow too. “There is a price tag for good people. That includes benefits and salary,” Stutting says. “I don’t care what profession you’re in, you’re going to get what you pay for.” 

And even if you don't want to believe anything the teachers union says, the following statement should still strike you as a possible outcome;

Mary Bell, the president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council, a network of teachers unions, says the recent changes may discourage young people from becoming teachers in the first place. “I worry more and more about who is going to be attracted to do this work,” she says. “The stability and the system made teaching a valued and respected profession. Even if [teachers] weren’t generously compensated, it was stable. Now that stability is gone.”