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DECEMBER 9, 2009 | Testimony by NATHAN BENEFIELD
Costing-Out the Price of Education
In the last two years, Gov. Rendell has used the "costing-out" study to justify proposed increases in state education subsidies. Yet while costing-out or "adequacy" studies have been conducted in over 35 states to quantify the amount of education funding needed, in no case did spending increases result in dramatic improvement of adequacy standar
AUGUST 5, 2009 | Commentary by KARA LUZIK
Low Standards De-Value Diplomas
The U.S. dollar isn’t the only piece of paper plagued by inflation. While the Federal Reserve drives down the value of the greenback, low academic standards in Pennsylvania are decreasing the value of a high school diploma.
JULY 27, 2009 | Commentary by NATHAN BENEFIELD
Who's For the Children?
In the television comedy The Office, dim-witted boss Michael Scott remarks that he likes giving presents because they are “like this tangible thing that you can point to and say ‘Hey man, I love you this many dollars-worth.’” Gov. Rendell and many lawmakers apply this mentality to the state budget—only they
Recent Blog Posts
MARCH 16, 2010
The Green Schools Ruse
Yesterday the House passed Rep. Drucker's bill to exclude any costs associated with making a school building LEED certified from a possible taxpayer referendum.
Committee staff reported the department said there is a dollar amount threshold for referendums and green building costs can be excluded from that in order to avoid a referendum. Staff said, according to the department, if there is a referendum anyway, all projects will be included in the ballot question, including green construction. (PLS subscription)
With the cost of school construction and debt spending on the rise this bill could have wide implications. As noted in Nate Benefield's testimony on education spending:
Construction and debt spending grew 137% from 1996-97 to 2007-08, compared with 66% growth in instructional spending.
In committee, legislators debated whether green construction is more expensive and Rep. Drucker indicated responded the upfront costs are but the long-term costs are "significantly less". And Rep. Clymer hit the nail on the head when he asked why the exemption is needed if green technology is accepted by the taxpayers.
HB 689 hinders the ability of local taxpayers to gauge the true cost of school construction in their district and is just one more way government favors alternative energy companies at the expense of taxpayers.
posted by ELIZABETH BRYAN | 11:12 AM | 0 comment
FEBRUARY 24, 2010
Who's to Blame for the Rising Costs of Higher Ed?
Rendell's FY 2010-11 budget funds state related universities at the same level as FY 2009-10 budget. University officials claim they need an increase in state funding to keep tuition affordable. Penn State President Spainer said:
"There has been no increase in state financial support for the four state-related universities for the past 10 years, which is putting increased pressure on student tuition, since university costs for salaries, utilities, food and other things continue to rise."
True, but this is only part of the story. State subsidies for state-related institutions have remained fairly steady in the last ten years, but the amount of PHEAA grants, federal pell grants, subsidies for student loans, and research grants have increased dramatically. Yet tuition continues to rise.
Additionally Pennsylvania universities will receive millions in stimulus money. Here's a list of Penn State contracts, grant,s and loans funded by the stimulus as of October 2009 totaling, $67 million.
While state system schools are requesting more funds they are also looking at cost savings measures including consolidating unpopular majors and even eliminating programs at some schools.
The wealth, not the lack, of government subsidies is the true cause of rising higher education costs.
posted by ELIZABETH BRYAN | 00:36 PM | 0 comment
FEBRUARY 19, 2010
Pennsylvania School District Sued for Spying on Children
In a story that sounds like a George Orwell novel, the Lower Merion School District is being sued for using laptops to spy on children. The school district gave 1,800 high school students laptops for home usage. A male student was confronted by his teacher for inappropriate behavior at home; behavior which was captured in a picture taken from the laptop webcam.
Neither the students nor their parents realized the webcams on the laptops provided by the school could be activated without their knowledge. The boy's parents are suing the school for wiretapping children and invading privacy. The school district stated that the picture taking was a security feature that was only supposed to be used if a computer was stolen.
It begs the question who had access to activate the children's webcams and why were students and parents not aware of this "security feature" included on the laptops going into their homes? Apart from the invasion of privacy issue, is this a wise use of taxpayer's money? Most students who need internet have access to it at school, local libraries, and often private computers in their homes...without being secretly recorded.
posted by KATRINA CURRIE | 01:16 PM | 0 comment
