I see that the School District has finally published the Superintendent Goals for the 2011-2012 school year.
http://www.mtlsd.org/district/stuff/2009/05_supt_performancegoals_20112012.pdf September 19 is certainly better than when they were published last year. It was in November.
Also at tonight's meeting, the Five Year Forecast , a Budget Presentation which included early discussions of the 2012-2013 Budget, and the Revenue Generating Team presented their findings. OK number crunchers, on your mark, get set, GO! What do you think about all this?
No number crunching Elaine, but some observations from a taxpayer if you don't mind an anonymous comment.
ReplyDeleteRevenue Generating Committee Idea:
"Create a magnet charter school for the arts"
That might not be a bad idea or at least one worthy of discussion. But gee we're reducing the size of the HS from 535,000 sq. ft. to 450,000 sq. ft. Where will we put it? I know... add back the deleted floor in G building!
Though it looks like the Revenue Generating Committee will have an uphill battle if they want to create a magnet charter school!
School Board President Posti Center Court Blog regarding charter schools:
"Wednesday, September 14, 2011-
Baldwin: Where Your Tax Dollars Are Going"
"Expansion of charter schools is not only a State issue but a Federal initiative that's heavily funded through the efforts of corporations and lobbyists. Read more about what's influencing educational legislation shifts and how it may impact the concept of public education."
"A district like Mt. Lebanon illuminates how hollow some of the arguments for School Choice ring, in my opinion. While I can appreciate parents' desire to send their children to schools other than our public schools - and pay for it - for personal, cultural or religious reasons, it would be difficult to make the argument that parents are sending them to charter schools like the Young Scholars program because they will receive a superior education and that tax dollars should be used to provide that choice."
Should be interesting to watch how this idea plays out!
Will save what the crunching of the numbers revealed in the "Five Year Forecast" last night tell us for later; however, what was not revealed last night was conspicuous in its absence.....the "To Be Determined" line for the required millage rates for each of the next 5 years.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, the millage rates for this very same "Forecast" dated 5/23/2011 are in fact included on page 57 of the now posted 198 page 2011-2012 Budget document on the District website ! The rates are obviously based on current assessments and not the coming 2012 reassessment.
Why try to hide this from the public last night ? Sure, the "Forecast" is subject to and undoubtedly will change, but why try to hide it....has there not been no update since 5/23/2011 based on latest information obtained or developed during the interim ?
Bill Lewis