Dad often says, “You go to school to find out what you don’t know.” Fellow board member Wendy Myers and I went to school for a couple hours a few weeks ago and found out what we didn’t know. And then we tried to learn about it.
EMIS. Education Management Information Systems. Sounds like a good idea. Having a system. Getting information. About education. Not so fast.
Turns out there are only 6 people in the county who have the job of operating this system and reporting the information to the state. One in each district. Talk about a lonely profession.
They have help. Principals at every school provide some of the data. Teachers, of course send data to the front offices of the schools, and the bulk of the work at the school level is done by the school secretary.
An informal survey was conducted in our district and it was discovered that there are 12 people involved in the process of providing and processing this information on a weekly basis. All together about 35 hours per week. Nearly the total time of one full time employee. Which does not count the one nearly full time employee who processes and sends the data to the state.
We do get reimbursed for this work. But it’s a lot of time when you consider it has nothing to do with providing education, only reporting to the state.
There are overlapping non-consecutive reporting periods each year. Each period requires the submission of different information covering many aspects of the education process. Here are the names of the periods.
October (K), February (C), December (M), March (D), Yearend (N), Graduation (G), July (H), Five Year Forecast (P). No one knows why the periods have those names and letters. It’s a mystery.
To further confuse the process, each reporting period has a beginning and ending data processing date and it changes from year to year. Further, much of the data does not roll over from year to year even if there are no changes.
To add insult to injury, a recent reporting requirement from the state carried a deadline date that came before the forms and processes to submit the data were available from the state. We were admonished for not having reported the information in timely fashion even though it was they who kept us from performing.
The names of the records involved in filing these reports fill nine pages of lists of the elements contained in each record. Huh? Try this. The Student Demographic Record contains 8 different categories. From birth date to Native Language and Gender.
The Student Standing Record has 30 different pieces of data related to a student. An identification number, of course, followed by such things as what building they are in, why and how they came into the district, Unexcused absences and whether they were in attendance during the February and October count week. During any year about 400 of our nearly 3,000 students move in or out of the district.
Other reporting categories cover staff and their various employment and certification details, course offerings and the qualifications of those presenting the material. All reasonable sounding things, and it all takes an incredible amount of staff time to comply.
Those interested in learning more may go to www.ode.state.oh.us , then DATA, then EMIS. Here you will find nearly everything you might want to know about your schools.
Oh yes, I mentioned the reimbursement we get for doing all this. $11,000 per year. That should cover it. Dad never mentioned there are things you don’t know that you don’t want to know.
A forum for Marietta City Schools constituents and board members. Comments, suggestions, observations and information invited.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
Three Bs
Every school superintendent brings something to the table. And every one leaves something behind. One can but hope that both of these things are positive.
It seems every day brings news of yet more layoffs and cutbacks. Businesses are adjusting to decreasing demand in nearly every corner. The layoffs are a natural result and to be expected.
There is little sense keeping extra employees and processes when there is no demand for the products they can produce in the immediate future. It makes sense to curb expenses to stretch critical resources hopefully until markets regain their footing.
Never an easy decision because real people and real lives are in the balance. But to survive at all, overhead must be trimmed.
Such was the case in Marietta City Schools several years ago when Mr. Backus arrived. He was faced with a system that had seen its student body shrink nearly in half with expenses continuing to grow each year and little recent adjustment for the declining enrollment.
The system continued to operate as it had when there were nearly twice as many students but having not trimmed expenses or closed any buildings in several years. There were nearly as many employees though some in different categories owing to changes in mandates and regulations. The writing was on the wall. Belt tightening was needed for survival.
What we are witnessing in the private sector now is what should have gone on in the public sector gradually over time as the student body dwindled. Reduce expenses to accommodate decreased attendance.
One of the things Mr. Backus left behind was the observation that education is the only business where you can go to bed Monday feeling good about your budget and wake up Tuesday to discover someone stole your money. Of course he was referring primarily to the state and federal governments, funding and regulations.
They have a way of changing the rules of the game in the middle of the game and schools are often the losers.
The other observation Mr. Backus left us is that there are three primary issues essential to operating schools. The B’s is what he called them. Beans, balls and buses.
Beans of course refers to food. And here we are fortunate. Or at least we have been since meals were put back in our schools after a 26-year diet.
Balls, of course refers to sports. We all can cite our list of stories of problems of one sort or another real or perceived by parents or athletes. Here too, we seem to be on firm footing. Recent changes have been a great step forward.
Buses have their own set of surprises from time to time. Long routes, crowding, or lack of riders, stops too far from homes, or changes from previous years. All those and more are reasons that concern parents and students, and by extension sometimes, board members. The bus business is difficult.
To this list I would add a fourth B. Buildings. Though parents and students don’t seem to have the same challenges with buildings as the other 3 B areas, teachers do. Custodians do. Information technology people do. Maintenance people do. And finance people do.
As our buildings age they serve us less well and cost more to maintain and operate. As population centers move or shrink it makes less sense to continue to operate some buildings. Can you imagine how many students Stanleyville school would serve were it open today? And at what cost per student?
Even in the best of times operating schools is not for the faint of heart.
It seems every day brings news of yet more layoffs and cutbacks. Businesses are adjusting to decreasing demand in nearly every corner. The layoffs are a natural result and to be expected.
There is little sense keeping extra employees and processes when there is no demand for the products they can produce in the immediate future. It makes sense to curb expenses to stretch critical resources hopefully until markets regain their footing.
Never an easy decision because real people and real lives are in the balance. But to survive at all, overhead must be trimmed.
Such was the case in Marietta City Schools several years ago when Mr. Backus arrived. He was faced with a system that had seen its student body shrink nearly in half with expenses continuing to grow each year and little recent adjustment for the declining enrollment.
The system continued to operate as it had when there were nearly twice as many students but having not trimmed expenses or closed any buildings in several years. There were nearly as many employees though some in different categories owing to changes in mandates and regulations. The writing was on the wall. Belt tightening was needed for survival.
What we are witnessing in the private sector now is what should have gone on in the public sector gradually over time as the student body dwindled. Reduce expenses to accommodate decreased attendance.
One of the things Mr. Backus left behind was the observation that education is the only business where you can go to bed Monday feeling good about your budget and wake up Tuesday to discover someone stole your money. Of course he was referring primarily to the state and federal governments, funding and regulations.
They have a way of changing the rules of the game in the middle of the game and schools are often the losers.
The other observation Mr. Backus left us is that there are three primary issues essential to operating schools. The B’s is what he called them. Beans, balls and buses.
Beans of course refers to food. And here we are fortunate. Or at least we have been since meals were put back in our schools after a 26-year diet.
Balls, of course refers to sports. We all can cite our list of stories of problems of one sort or another real or perceived by parents or athletes. Here too, we seem to be on firm footing. Recent changes have been a great step forward.
Buses have their own set of surprises from time to time. Long routes, crowding, or lack of riders, stops too far from homes, or changes from previous years. All those and more are reasons that concern parents and students, and by extension sometimes, board members. The bus business is difficult.
To this list I would add a fourth B. Buildings. Though parents and students don’t seem to have the same challenges with buildings as the other 3 B areas, teachers do. Custodians do. Information technology people do. Maintenance people do. And finance people do.
As our buildings age they serve us less well and cost more to maintain and operate. As population centers move or shrink it makes less sense to continue to operate some buildings. Can you imagine how many students Stanleyville school would serve were it open today? And at what cost per student?
Even in the best of times operating schools is not for the faint of heart.
Resolutions
What do you want to be thankful for this time next year? Reasonable question. The answers will vary by individual.
As a school board member I am now thankful we did not vote to spend the several million dollars voters granted to us in spring 2007.
We had plans for the money, but not the buildings. We had plans for projects, but not the future of the system. We had plans that would have consumed nearly all the funds but would have perpetuated the system without an adequate long range plan.
What your school board hopes to be thankful for this time next year is a view of our system as it exists and operates today. In addition, we would like the community to have a plan and a vision for the future of your schools and how to achieve that vision.
In recent work sessions dating back to June the board has been constructing a path forward. A map. It begins with an honest assessment of where we currently envision the system.
The end will be a best-case dream of what the entire community would wish in an ideal world with no limits on possibilities. And why not? Don’t our students and we deserve the best that can be?
Perhaps the best thing the board brings to the process of developing this vision is a true outsider’s view of the system as it exists. We are not a part of the system. We are not educators. We have no preconceptions. Like you, our only experience is personal. And dated.
One would hope our picture of present conditions resembles that of most of the rest of the community. If we are wrong we will be told in short order and adjustments can be made.
The challenge will be finding the courage to be brutally honest. To remove the polite veneer we all tend to use to cover over the blemishes. It is important to be accurate, not politically correct if we are to address the shortcomings.
Once the starting point and ending goal are clearly defined the steps needed to travel from beginning to end will become more obvious. Done correctly anyone in the community should be able to identify where we are and how much progress has been made.
This is far more detailed than just a statement of intent or mission statement. We are looking inside at all the parts. Transportation, curriculum, safety, buildings and grounds, information technology, organization and staffing, work standards, continuous improvement, accounting and finance. And more. The total of the pieces that make up the operation.
It’s a tall order but a necessary one. It will bring a focus and level of responsibility needed to assure a minimum of wasted effort and resources. It should instill confidence that the system is operating with maximum efficiency achieving desired results. And that there are steps being taken to address shortcomings.
The academic side of this process has been in development for over a year. The Professional Learning Community (PLC) process is designed to address the same issues from an academic standpoint.
PLCs seek to identify our current status and methods then identify and implement best methods to achieve optimal results. From there it is a continuous process of seeking yet better and more efficient methods.
This time next year it would be nice to be thankful for this process to have been successfully completed and implemented with the community at large supporting its ongoing development. There are a lot of steps between here and that result, but it’s within reach. How are your resolutions coming?
As a school board member I am now thankful we did not vote to spend the several million dollars voters granted to us in spring 2007.
We had plans for the money, but not the buildings. We had plans for projects, but not the future of the system. We had plans that would have consumed nearly all the funds but would have perpetuated the system without an adequate long range plan.
What your school board hopes to be thankful for this time next year is a view of our system as it exists and operates today. In addition, we would like the community to have a plan and a vision for the future of your schools and how to achieve that vision.
In recent work sessions dating back to June the board has been constructing a path forward. A map. It begins with an honest assessment of where we currently envision the system.
The end will be a best-case dream of what the entire community would wish in an ideal world with no limits on possibilities. And why not? Don’t our students and we deserve the best that can be?
Perhaps the best thing the board brings to the process of developing this vision is a true outsider’s view of the system as it exists. We are not a part of the system. We are not educators. We have no preconceptions. Like you, our only experience is personal. And dated.
One would hope our picture of present conditions resembles that of most of the rest of the community. If we are wrong we will be told in short order and adjustments can be made.
The challenge will be finding the courage to be brutally honest. To remove the polite veneer we all tend to use to cover over the blemishes. It is important to be accurate, not politically correct if we are to address the shortcomings.
Once the starting point and ending goal are clearly defined the steps needed to travel from beginning to end will become more obvious. Done correctly anyone in the community should be able to identify where we are and how much progress has been made.
This is far more detailed than just a statement of intent or mission statement. We are looking inside at all the parts. Transportation, curriculum, safety, buildings and grounds, information technology, organization and staffing, work standards, continuous improvement, accounting and finance. And more. The total of the pieces that make up the operation.
It’s a tall order but a necessary one. It will bring a focus and level of responsibility needed to assure a minimum of wasted effort and resources. It should instill confidence that the system is operating with maximum efficiency achieving desired results. And that there are steps being taken to address shortcomings.
The academic side of this process has been in development for over a year. The Professional Learning Community (PLC) process is designed to address the same issues from an academic standpoint.
PLCs seek to identify our current status and methods then identify and implement best methods to achieve optimal results. From there it is a continuous process of seeking yet better and more efficient methods.
This time next year it would be nice to be thankful for this process to have been successfully completed and implemented with the community at large supporting its ongoing development. There are a lot of steps between here and that result, but it’s within reach. How are your resolutions coming?
Thursday, January 1, 2009
It's Only 2 Cents
Long ago friend Dorothy Greacen was not a bit tolerant of the words, “It’s only.” One did not engage in conversations about government taxes or mandates that seemed trifling when there were pennies or fractions of a percent involved. She always did the math and pointed out how much was really at stake. “It’s only two cents” were fighting words in her presence.
I had reason to remember Dorothy as last Monday’s school board meeting saw us add $6,140. to the permitted expenditure for purchase of a new school bus. The original resolution to purchase the bus was made at the November meeting in the amount of $80,030.
In years passed the State of Ohio reimbursed nearly all the cost of buses. That is but a distant memory. The most recent bus reimbursement number is about $16,000. And the future of that amount is on shaky ground in light of today’s fiscal concerns at the state level.
The extra $6,000 was to cover the costs of a heavier duty engine and transmission, which are strongly advised owing to the hilly terrain our vehicles must travel. If we were on flatter ground we could get along with standard equipment. Our own past experience shows that investing in the heavier duty equipment now will save on maintenance costs over the expected ¼ million-mile lifetime of the bus.
But there was another amount hidden in the bid that went unmentioned until later in the discussion. Mr. Combs pointed out for board members that the base price of the bid was approximately $5,000 higher than a similar bus purchased the previous year. A tightening of emission standards had caused the increase.
If you do the math on this increase, it’s only about 2 cents per mile over the expected lifetime of the bus. Which sounds quite reasonable for a supposed reduction in pollution. And who can argue that we should not, as a school district or a nation, be in favor of reducing emissions at every opportunity?
The unfortunate factor here is that the increase must be paid for all at once. And up front. From a cash flow perspective, it is not 2 cents per mile spread over many years, but $5,000. Out of pocket today. Ouch.
There is another way to look at it that Dorothy might have pointed out. On any given day, our buses travel about 1,700 miles. At 2 cents per mile, that comes out to $34 per day. Or, over the school year of 180 days, $6,120.
So the trifling 2 cents per mile ends up costing the district over $6,000 per year assuming we will eventually absorb the added costs imposed on each new bus as we replace the fleet. And who is to pay? You, of course. But it’s only 2 cents.
Of course no one will argue against the expense. That would be irresponsible. We all must do the right thing. Yet it is the accumulation of right things that operate to drag the system down with added expenses over time.
Commonly referred to as unfunded mandates we all think we know what that means until we begin to look more closely and ask questions. This brief example is a mandate to comply with emissions regulations that ends up costing you, the taxpayer, money. Yet not an additional penny accompanies this mandate.
The money to cover the expense will have to come from current cash flows, which means something else will have to be cut to absorb the cost. This is but one simple example of which there are many. It’s only 2 cents.
I had reason to remember Dorothy as last Monday’s school board meeting saw us add $6,140. to the permitted expenditure for purchase of a new school bus. The original resolution to purchase the bus was made at the November meeting in the amount of $80,030.
In years passed the State of Ohio reimbursed nearly all the cost of buses. That is but a distant memory. The most recent bus reimbursement number is about $16,000. And the future of that amount is on shaky ground in light of today’s fiscal concerns at the state level.
The extra $6,000 was to cover the costs of a heavier duty engine and transmission, which are strongly advised owing to the hilly terrain our vehicles must travel. If we were on flatter ground we could get along with standard equipment. Our own past experience shows that investing in the heavier duty equipment now will save on maintenance costs over the expected ¼ million-mile lifetime of the bus.
But there was another amount hidden in the bid that went unmentioned until later in the discussion. Mr. Combs pointed out for board members that the base price of the bid was approximately $5,000 higher than a similar bus purchased the previous year. A tightening of emission standards had caused the increase.
If you do the math on this increase, it’s only about 2 cents per mile over the expected lifetime of the bus. Which sounds quite reasonable for a supposed reduction in pollution. And who can argue that we should not, as a school district or a nation, be in favor of reducing emissions at every opportunity?
The unfortunate factor here is that the increase must be paid for all at once. And up front. From a cash flow perspective, it is not 2 cents per mile spread over many years, but $5,000. Out of pocket today. Ouch.
There is another way to look at it that Dorothy might have pointed out. On any given day, our buses travel about 1,700 miles. At 2 cents per mile, that comes out to $34 per day. Or, over the school year of 180 days, $6,120.
So the trifling 2 cents per mile ends up costing the district over $6,000 per year assuming we will eventually absorb the added costs imposed on each new bus as we replace the fleet. And who is to pay? You, of course. But it’s only 2 cents.
Of course no one will argue against the expense. That would be irresponsible. We all must do the right thing. Yet it is the accumulation of right things that operate to drag the system down with added expenses over time.
Commonly referred to as unfunded mandates we all think we know what that means until we begin to look more closely and ask questions. This brief example is a mandate to comply with emissions regulations that ends up costing you, the taxpayer, money. Yet not an additional penny accompanies this mandate.
The money to cover the expense will have to come from current cash flows, which means something else will have to be cut to absorb the cost. This is but one simple example of which there are many. It’s only 2 cents.
Cautious Optimism
A new year. A fresh start. Time for change. Opportunity to begin again.
These are thoughts many have with the coming of a new year. The state of the economy and the constant reporting of bad news makes it particularly difficult to look ahead positively this year. But there is a light beginning to shine in education.
On the heels of 17 public forums on the subject of school funding conducted around the state, Governor Strickland has made some very strong assertions about the positive changes for education coming to Ohio. Even better, he has stated that “his direct personal involvement” is “appropriate” and demonstrates his “ownership of the initiative” as opposed to asking a commission to make the recommendations.
He has committed to speak about the changes in the “State of the State” address scheduled for January 28. He further promises, “…it will be clear the direction we are taking.” He expects to roll out the proposal early in the first quarter of 2009.
All of this is good news to those of us who have waited patiently for the fulfillment of campaign promises made over two years ago. None of us should doubt his sincerity having seen him now tie himself so closely to the process through the forums and ongoing discussions about education.
If, indeed, the state is going to make real progress on complying with four Supreme Court directives and the Constitution of the state it will be a welcome relief to many school districts, yours included. The disparities in funding yield far less than the constitutionally required equality of education across the state.
After Judge Tim Williams swore in new school board member Wendy Myers several months ago I asked only half jokingly if he thought her oath of office obliged her now to sue the state to make it comply with its own constitution. He, like the rest of us, could only give a look of bewilderment as to why the state has been out of compliance for so many years. Perhaps the mandated changes are upon us. One can but hope and give the Governor his opportunity.
Not to be forgotten in all of this is the role of our legislators who make the final determination on budget matters. Our Senators and Congressmen are culpable to date in failing to live up to the obligations and directives.
To her credit, your local Representative Jennifer Garrison has long stood for solving the school funding issue and has worked diligently in that direction. It would seem she now has a Governor who is equally determined and committed to reform.
It would be easy to be cynical about the outcome in light of comments about the condition of state funding and the pending cuts. Many have thought those comments and current conditions would ultimately be used as reason not to follow through with the stated education commitments.
Here, too, the Governor has taken a strong stand by stating, “We must proceed. There are always reasons not to do something. It is important to proceed.” He further speaks of “shared sacrifice” that all departments will have to make.
He acknowledges the Legislature’s part by saying he looks forward to working in a “bipartisan way to pass a bill that improves our schools.”
Your Marietta City Schools Board of Education members look forward with cautious optimism to the promised reforms. We will continue each month to examine and discuss our options and opportunities and responsibilities. Your attendance and participation at monthly meetings is welcome.
Quotes above were taken from the December 23 issue of Focus Education. Rotunda’s Education News.
These are thoughts many have with the coming of a new year. The state of the economy and the constant reporting of bad news makes it particularly difficult to look ahead positively this year. But there is a light beginning to shine in education.
On the heels of 17 public forums on the subject of school funding conducted around the state, Governor Strickland has made some very strong assertions about the positive changes for education coming to Ohio. Even better, he has stated that “his direct personal involvement” is “appropriate” and demonstrates his “ownership of the initiative” as opposed to asking a commission to make the recommendations.
He has committed to speak about the changes in the “State of the State” address scheduled for January 28. He further promises, “…it will be clear the direction we are taking.” He expects to roll out the proposal early in the first quarter of 2009.
All of this is good news to those of us who have waited patiently for the fulfillment of campaign promises made over two years ago. None of us should doubt his sincerity having seen him now tie himself so closely to the process through the forums and ongoing discussions about education.
If, indeed, the state is going to make real progress on complying with four Supreme Court directives and the Constitution of the state it will be a welcome relief to many school districts, yours included. The disparities in funding yield far less than the constitutionally required equality of education across the state.
After Judge Tim Williams swore in new school board member Wendy Myers several months ago I asked only half jokingly if he thought her oath of office obliged her now to sue the state to make it comply with its own constitution. He, like the rest of us, could only give a look of bewilderment as to why the state has been out of compliance for so many years. Perhaps the mandated changes are upon us. One can but hope and give the Governor his opportunity.
Not to be forgotten in all of this is the role of our legislators who make the final determination on budget matters. Our Senators and Congressmen are culpable to date in failing to live up to the obligations and directives.
To her credit, your local Representative Jennifer Garrison has long stood for solving the school funding issue and has worked diligently in that direction. It would seem she now has a Governor who is equally determined and committed to reform.
It would be easy to be cynical about the outcome in light of comments about the condition of state funding and the pending cuts. Many have thought those comments and current conditions would ultimately be used as reason not to follow through with the stated education commitments.
Here, too, the Governor has taken a strong stand by stating, “We must proceed. There are always reasons not to do something. It is important to proceed.” He further speaks of “shared sacrifice” that all departments will have to make.
He acknowledges the Legislature’s part by saying he looks forward to working in a “bipartisan way to pass a bill that improves our schools.”
Your Marietta City Schools Board of Education members look forward with cautious optimism to the promised reforms. We will continue each month to examine and discuss our options and opportunities and responsibilities. Your attendance and participation at monthly meetings is welcome.
Quotes above were taken from the December 23 issue of Focus Education. Rotunda’s Education News.
Too Much Information
Page 62 of the instruction manual for the video camera told me to “initialize the video card.” Sure glad it was a borrowed camera. I needed one of two things to help me get started.
An adult who had read, understood, worked with and knew about such things. Or a teen-ager who was born knowing how to run these machines and could teach me.
Last week seemed my week for Too Much Information (TMI) on virtually every front. It was board week. Lots of information had come with the agenda including the monthly list of “CHECKS OVER $1,000 FOR THE MONTH OF…….” in this case, October.
I’m always surprised by the dollars we must spend on services that did not exist during my school days. Occupational therapy is present every month. This month the charges totaled $7,155. Add to that Physical therapy at $3,185. To yet other vendors were charges for occupational, physical and aqua therapy for $7,385.72 and speech and physical therapy at $1,338.70. It adds up quickly.
Yes, various board members at various times have questioned the charges and determined that not only are they valid, but quite good prices have been negotiated and the services are mandated at various levels. And yes, some of it gets reimbursed from other sources, but it really is just your taxpayer money funneled through from another direction.
We had to pump out the oil pit at the bus garage to the tune of $1,912.50 and pay for garbage pick up in the amount of $3,043. And we bought diesel fuel totaling $27,525.16.
Probably some inquiring board member asked for this list to be generated many years ago and the tradition continues. I find it is of value in understanding where YOUR money goes.
We touched on the subject of special education and its costs many months ago after former President Bill Clinton mentioned it was time the federal government began to pay its fair share of the cost. It’s past time, but still not happening.
That comment rang in my ears as we passed a resolution to pay up to $22,729. to the Franklin County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disability for a special needs student who needs services beyond our local capability. Another mandate. Insufficient reimbursement.
I would have taken all of this in stride having seen much of it before and asked questions and gotten answers that basically tell me the expenses are legitimate, necessary and in most cases, mandated. But then I got some more information.
Seems your governor is on his way to Philadelphia to speak with our next President. He has a wish list in hand and is seeking money to help the State of Ohio with its financial needs. Getting in line with other Governors looking for the same thing.
What caught my eye about the material that gave me this information was reference to the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) money. It sounds as though that fund may come in to play in finding ways to keep the ship of state afloat.
You may ask, what is this OSFC thing? And rightly so. It is made up mostly of tobacco money and is the source of the state share of funding we seek to tap to build new schools for our students.
I’m holding my breath as this thing plays out and hoping we will not lose our place in line.
Back to the camera and the experts, I found both. But it was the teen who had me up and running without the book in one hand and the camera in the other. TMI.
An adult who had read, understood, worked with and knew about such things. Or a teen-ager who was born knowing how to run these machines and could teach me.
Last week seemed my week for Too Much Information (TMI) on virtually every front. It was board week. Lots of information had come with the agenda including the monthly list of “CHECKS OVER $1,000 FOR THE MONTH OF…….” in this case, October.
I’m always surprised by the dollars we must spend on services that did not exist during my school days. Occupational therapy is present every month. This month the charges totaled $7,155. Add to that Physical therapy at $3,185. To yet other vendors were charges for occupational, physical and aqua therapy for $7,385.72 and speech and physical therapy at $1,338.70. It adds up quickly.
Yes, various board members at various times have questioned the charges and determined that not only are they valid, but quite good prices have been negotiated and the services are mandated at various levels. And yes, some of it gets reimbursed from other sources, but it really is just your taxpayer money funneled through from another direction.
We had to pump out the oil pit at the bus garage to the tune of $1,912.50 and pay for garbage pick up in the amount of $3,043. And we bought diesel fuel totaling $27,525.16.
Probably some inquiring board member asked for this list to be generated many years ago and the tradition continues. I find it is of value in understanding where YOUR money goes.
We touched on the subject of special education and its costs many months ago after former President Bill Clinton mentioned it was time the federal government began to pay its fair share of the cost. It’s past time, but still not happening.
That comment rang in my ears as we passed a resolution to pay up to $22,729. to the Franklin County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disability for a special needs student who needs services beyond our local capability. Another mandate. Insufficient reimbursement.
I would have taken all of this in stride having seen much of it before and asked questions and gotten answers that basically tell me the expenses are legitimate, necessary and in most cases, mandated. But then I got some more information.
Seems your governor is on his way to Philadelphia to speak with our next President. He has a wish list in hand and is seeking money to help the State of Ohio with its financial needs. Getting in line with other Governors looking for the same thing.
What caught my eye about the material that gave me this information was reference to the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) money. It sounds as though that fund may come in to play in finding ways to keep the ship of state afloat.
You may ask, what is this OSFC thing? And rightly so. It is made up mostly of tobacco money and is the source of the state share of funding we seek to tap to build new schools for our students.
I’m holding my breath as this thing plays out and hoping we will not lose our place in line.
Back to the camera and the experts, I found both. But it was the teen who had me up and running without the book in one hand and the camera in the other. TMI.