"Should a district try and cut back services to a child who needs special education, the lawyers come flocking in like Robins in the springtime. This is a perfect storm for districts to always be back at the capitol with their hands out."
Great article in the paper today about the great divide in Minnesota. Seems there are now three tax plans floating around St. Paul. The Republican led House has one, the Republican lead Senate has one, and Sir Goofy of the Northland has one. The first two offer some kind of modest tax relief for the subjects of Sir Goofy, and of course, Sir Goofy just wants to spend more.
It seems Sir Goofy believes it is a travesty to offer his subjects a few crumbs of tax relief when our schools are in such need of MORE MONEY. What? You have seen this movie before? Like every year? Yes, our failing government schools seem to always have their hands out asking for MORE MONEY.
Some Republicans have said, "Hold on Sir Goofy. This is partly your problem for allocating so much funding to your pet rock, Pre-K". Sir Goofy however, will have none of that, and still blames the districts shortfalls on those stingy Republicans.
Here is a dirty little secret. The first part, most know. The second part, very few know. Part 1 - Most districts are terrible money managers. They don't know a budget from a six pack of beer. No duh!
Part 2 - A big and hidden cost driver is the growing and underfunded cost of special education. Starting in 1975, the federal government got its statutory and regulatory mitts on this issue. It started issuing guidelines and mandates to the states on how to do special education. The feds promised the states they would have skin in the game. The promised 40% of ALL special education funding was to be supplied by the feds. Never happened.
Why is this such a big issue? Nationwide, the average cost to educate a child for one year is $7,552. For a student in special education, the average cost is $16,921 - an additional $9,369 per student. The feds kick in some, but never the promised 40%. However, their mandates remain. Should a district try and cut back services to a child who needs special education, the lawyers come flocking in like Robins in the springtime. This is a perfect storm for districts to always be back at the capitol with their hands out.
I have been aware of this issue for many years, mostly due to spousal influence. My suggestion has been the states sue the federal government for the shortfall. Maybe if we had a real AG in this state we could have. But we have not had a real AG since I was a young man. This year we could change that, by electing Doug Wardlow as our next AG.
So the tax wars continue in St. Paul. Of course, the one group who once again was left out were the seniors. Hello Social Security? Always promised, never fixed. Sir Goofy's position on fixing Social Security? He would rather be dipped in boiling oil. Why? He thinks our Social Security belongs to him and not us.
As a grandparent of a student with special needs, Asbergers in our case, we are acutely familiar with the issues they face.
ReplyDeleteKids with special needs have two strikes against them.
First, they have the disorder itself, and all the challenges it poses.
But second, they have to spend a good deal of their time in school dealing with things they're bad at.
What we need to do is change this situation around so that right from the start, students with special needs are told about all the things they're good at, and are engaged in activities that are based on those strengths.
This is counter-intuitive to current educational methods, but would go a long ways to reducing the conflicts in the classroom as we mainstream these students.
Our grandson finished high school, is in college studying math and engineering (his strengths), works at Menards to pay for it and seems to understand his disability well enough to manage it's worst aspects.
We don't know where his life will lead, but as of today, he is on a good trajectory.
A little tax relief won't make a hill of beans difference in your life or mine, but the additional funding for special needs could make a huge difference in the lives of those less capable.
My wife was a lead teacher in her Special Education team. She did this for 36 years. I learned more about SpecEd than I ever knew existed. My main point in this article about SpecEd (and I have addressed this before), is the funding issue does not have to be an issue if only the feds would do what they promised. You are right - the tax relief which is being talked about right now is peanuts and won't help the shortfalls. If the fed ponied up however, with what they promised, that would be a game changer.
DeleteIsn't it nice that the Tax Scam Act for millionaires is now going to crush the average MN taxpayer.
ReplyDeleteIf Minnesota does nothing, 300,000 residents will pay more in state taxes next year. Fully conforming to the federal changes would mean tax hikes for even more people.
Thanks, GOP
Talk about underfunding..............
ReplyDeletePresident Donald Trump’s massive fiscal stimulus plans are adding to the U.S. debt overload and forcing the government to drive up bond issuance as the Federal Reserve shrinks its balance sheet.
The country’s debt load is seen spiraling compared with the rest of the world, with forecasts showing that in five years it will have a bleaker outlook than even Italy, the perennial poor man of the Group of Seven industrial nations.
OK, here is a proposition on school funding. NOT ONE MORE DIME beyond what they already have until we see rapid improvement in academic performance! Having 2/3 of our kids unable to read at grade level is no longer good enough, especially when that is the AVERAGE. In some schools it's only about 10% of black students proficient in the 3Rs. We would be better off leaving them at home watching Sesame Street.
ReplyDeleteOh,and Bird? If the Feds "pony up" the SE money they promised, it will cost Minnesotans MORE than if we just paid it ourselves. And I can guarantee that we would discover even MORE SE kids; you get more of what you pay for. I think we spend too much now, as a matter of misguided compassion, and we steal from the average and gifted kids to do it. Harsh, I know, but it is possible to be both compassionate and practical.
ReplyDelete