Happy Birthday, Lebo Citizens

One year and 422 posts ago, I wrote my first blog entry.  Lebo Citizens has been read in 1,043 cities or 52 countries across the world. The most popular post was Where is President Posti's integrity? 

Thank you, Lebo Citizens readers, for your support, your wealth of information, comments, and criticism.  I have learned so much from this experience. 

Thanks for reading Lebo Citizens.

Elaine

Want to have a block party? That will be $25, please.

For those of you not at the Commission Discussion Session last night, you missed a lively discussion about block party fees.  Unfortunately, my recorder went on the fritz, so I can't post the podcast.  Bonnie VanKirk proposed a $50 fee for block parties, to pay for Public Works to drop off and pick up the saw horses.  Matt Kluck, Bonnie VanKirk and Joe DeIuliis agreed to charge $25.   Dave Brumfield objected because having block parties in Mt. Lebanon is such a positive activity which brings neighborhoods together.  According to Tom Kelley, we had around 105 or 107 block parties last year.  Based on a $42 million budget, $2500 or so is such a small expense that it is hardly worth discussing, Dave felt. Joe DeIuliis said we could cut back on roads.  By this time, it was almost 11:30 p.m.  The final vote (5:3) was to charge $25 for block parties.  I wonder what would happen if people just blocked the roads with chairs or put up their own barriers. 

It was also brought up last night that the Youth Sports Alliance does not contribute to municipal fields as Dave Brumfield had pointed out at a previous meeting.  Steve Feller verified that using municipal fields does cost taxpayers since there are no fees being charged. 

Official announcement on District website

High School Project Bid Opening Date Moved Back

The bid opening for the high school project has been moved from December 7 to December 14, 2011.

State Budget Cuts Slice Local Education

Thanks to the reader who sent this to me today.

“You might think we could raise these funds locally, but this is made almost impossible by the limitation on real estate revenue from Act 1 of 2006 and Act 25 of 2011," said Dr. Timothy Steinhauer, superintendent of Mt. Lebanon School District. "It is concerning to us that as the state reduces its funding to schools. It places additional restrictions on schools so we cannot find revenues locally to pay for mandated services.”

Hmmmm, they weren't concerned enough not to increase salaries (and therefore PSERs obligations), accept additional vacation time, spend $13,000+ suing taxpayers so they could proceed with a $113 million Taj Mahal or hire $1,000/day consultants.

The board is crying about Corbett's cuts to education and the papers are believing their tears. But take a look at the state contribution to district revenue in the MTLSB 2011 budget.

http://www.mtlsd.org/district/budget/stuff/final201112.pdf

State: 

2009-10 - $11,668,913 (audited)
2010-11 - $13,614,495 (final budget)
2011-12 - $12,919,543 (final budget) [so even if Corbett did cut the budgeted amount by $1 million, it is still more than '09-10]

Federal:
2009-10: $1,693,172 (audited)
2010-11: $1,250,751 (final budget)


Even if Corbett cut $1 million, state money is still more than the previous year. Where you see a real cut is from the Feds. which the teachers' union and PSBA won't criticize.

State Budget Cuts Slice Local Education - Upper St. Clair, PA Patch

Bid opening IS December 14.

Josephine Posti was finally told that the bid opening has been postponed to December 14.  You read it here first.

Here is the email conversation a reader has shared with us.



Subject: RE: Bid opening
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:06:30 +0000
From: Josephine C. Posti <JPosti@mtlsd.net>


Mrs. (Removed),

It appears the CM did extend the deadline during Thanksgiving break due to requests from a few of the bidding contractors. This is not unusual and we offered an extension during the first round of bids. The new date is 12/14.


Best regards,
Josephine Posti
President
Mt. Lebanon School Board
412.667.1479

http://jposti.blogspot.com

Mission: To provide the best education possible for each and every student

 ******

Subject:RE: Bid opening
Date:Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:55:58 +0000
From:Josephine C. Posti <JPosti@mtlsd.net
To: (Removed)

Mr. (Removed), 

No, it's still scheduled for 7 December. 

Best regards, 

Josephine Posti 

President 

Mt. Lebanon School Board 

412.667.1479 

http://jposti.blogspot.com 

Mission: To provide the best education possible for each and every student

******
From: (Removed)

Sent: Saturday, November 26, 2011 4:38 PM 

To: Josephine C. Posti 

Subject: Bid opening

Mrs. Posti:
Has the public opening of bids solicited for the high school project been moved back to 14 December 2011?

Thank You,
Mr. Blog Reader

Another one of those pesky 'Poverty in Mt. Lebanon' articles

In today's Trib, Poverty has taken root in suburbs, Mt. Lebanon was mentioned. 

Jim Guffey, executive director of South Hills Interfaith Ministry, which serves people facing financial troubles, knows certain communities seem immune to poverty. Yet, the number of people living within the middle- to upper-class school districts of Baldwin-Whitehall, Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon, Keystone Oaks, Upper St. Clair and South Park whom the ministry serves each month has more than doubled to 1,051 during the past four years. At least 6,000 households in those districts are living at or below the poverty level, he said.
"They normally are not communities people associate with poverty," Guffey said.

Yep, another article about people losing their jobs or taking pay cuts, losing population, blah, blah, blah.
Like this one: Lebo Citizens: 15228 drops significantly in median household income
or this one: Lebo Citizens: Why Mt. Lebanon has a budget problem
or this one: Lebo Citizens: Everything you want to know about your zip code
or this one: Lebo Citizens: Get to know our new school board director

The last paragraph in the Trib article is pretty scary.

"As you lose population and taxes, the school system becomes threatened," he said. "The ability to attract new families erodes, and it creates a downward spiral."

So has it hit home yet?  It sure has here.  I said it at a school board meeting a year and a half ago.  I think that is going to be the next poll on this blog. I scheduled the poll to close on December 7, the date that Josephine Posti says the bid opening is taking place.  I hear it is December 14.  Anyone else hoping the bids come back too high again? 


 

Read more: Poverty has taken root in suburbs - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

15 School Choice Myths

FEBRUARY 16, 2011 | Policy Brief by COMMONWEALTH FOUNDATION

Thousands of children from needy and working-class families are currently trapped in failing schools simply because of where they live. Despite spending nearly $20,000 per student in some of Pennsylvania's chronically underperforming schools, academic achievement remains inadequate. In an attempt to thwart efforts to give children better educational opportunities, the public school establishment is trying to divert the attention of policymakers through a series of oft-repeated myths and half-truths. What follows are the top 15 school choice myths, expelled by 46 facts.

MYTH #1: PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE DOING WELL AND IMPROVING, SO SCHOOL CHOICE IS UNNECESSARY.
The underlying assumption in this argument seems to be that so long as some people are satisfied with their public schools, everyone should be. The point is not whether choice is "necessary" or not; the point is that it is everyone's right to choose based on their own measures of satisfaction. The needs of individual parents and students come before the maintenance of a system that, by many accounts, is not performing well for everyone.
THE FACTS:

• Can the public schools really improve on their own? According to Albert Shanker, former president of the American Federation of Teachers union, "It's time to admit that public education operates like a planned economy, a bureaucratic system in which everybody's role is spelled out in advance and there are few incentives for innovation and productivity. It's no surprise that our school system doesn't improve: It more resembles the communist economy than our own market economy." The worldwide failure of planned economies supports Shanker's contention that systemic change in our public school system is necessary for real improvement to occur. Only school choice will bring those necessary "incentives for innovation and productivity."

• The failure of "more time and more money." It's been 15 years since Gov. Tom Ridge first proposed school vouchers for children trapped in low-performing schools in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania State Education Association labor union and Pennsylvania School Boards Association vehemently opposed school choice then as they do now, arguing they simply needed more money and more time to fix the problems. They got both. Since 1996, public school spending has doubled to $26 billion per year. Today, Pennsylvania taxpayers spend more than $13,000 per student-$2,000 more than the national average and more than 39 other states. In some of our chronically underperforming public schools, taxpayers are paying nearly $20,000 per student.

• Stagnating performance. Despite dramatic increases in spending and adding more personnel to "help students," Pennsylvania's academic performance on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) exam has remained relatively unchanged for years. Only 40% of Pennsylvania 8th graders score at or above proficiency on the NAEP reading and mathematics exams. Pennsylvania ranks among the worst performing states in SAT college entrance exam scores.

MYTH #2: PARENTS ARE TO BLAME FOR STUDENT FAILURE, NOT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
To be fair, not all parents do a good job of preparing their children to learn and succeed in school. But the overwhelming majority of parents-including poor, minority, and under-educated moms and dads-understand that a good education is a child's ticket to a better life. But to say, as the Pennsylvania School Board Association has, "If you want to go to a good school, move to a good school district," ignores the daunting economic challenges facing many families.
THE FACTS:

• Failure of some parents shouldn't condemn all. Simply because there are some parents who neglect their parental responsibilities, doesn't mean all parents should be forced to sacrifice their children's education to schools not serving their needs.

• Schools can make a big difference. While family background has a large impact on student performance, it is outlandish to say schools cannot affect student outcomes because of poor parenting or socioeconomics. Indeed, many schools-private, charter, and even district-run-have overcome such challenges and been extremely successful in educating children coming from difficult situations. But one factor that has always aided school performance, regardless of demographics, is parental choice.

• Choice encourages responsibility. It is understandable why parents with children trapped in failing schools-lacking the financial ability to choose an alternative-would give up on the public school system. Just like "You can't beat City Hall," a parent in the Philadelphia, Pittsburgh or Harrisburg school district knows there's little they can do. It's not an excuse for their abdication of responsibility, but it's an understandable outcome when government has deprived you of any real options. Empowering parents with school choices for their children is an important step toward encouraging and restoring responsibility.

MYTH #3: PENNSYLVANIANS DO NOT WANT MORE SCHOOL CHOICE, THEY ALREADY HAVE IT.
It is true that many parents already have school choice: The wealthy buy expensive homes in good public school districts; middle-class families struggle and sacrifice to pay tuition at private schools; and many parents are choosing to educate their children at home at their own expense. But it's the working-class and poor families that cannot afford such choices. They are trapped by their income and their zip code. They are forbidden to transfer to another public school outside their district boundaries and are even prosecuted for doing so.
THE FACTS:

• Pennsylvanians support school choice. According to a Pulse Opinion Research poll on November 2010, 50% of Pennsylvanians support giving children "education vouchers, which help parents pay the costs at the school of their choice." Strongest support comes from those with incomes under $20,000 (64%) and African-Americans (69%).

The PSBA cites their own poll-without publicly providing the methodology or supporting data-claiming that Pennsylvanians oppose school choice. Analyses of polling data on vouchers have demonstrated how support for school choice, like all policy topics, depends greatly upon the wording of the question. Once the bias is taken out and those polled are aware of the issue, it is a fact that school choice has been growing in favor since the 1970s. To try to stop the movement towards choice, opponents have turned to asking leading questions.

• Choices are few and demand is high. It doesn't take a poll to see that parents are clamoring for more school choices for their children. Since the late 1990s, Pennsylvania lawmakers have created charter schools, cyber schools and private school scholarships through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. Yet, the supply of school choice options is not meeting parental demand as there are long waiting lists for these limited options. According to the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools, more than 25,000 children are on waiting lists to get into a charter school. A June 2010 Pew Study found that Philadelphia parents insist they need more educational options. Charter school enrollment is 170% higher than it was in 2000, and still 62% of parents surveyed said they want better choices.

• The public school establishment opposes school choice. The PSEA and PSBA claim to support school choice, but oppose and then try to hamstring every effort to give parents and children more educational options. The public school establishment's "support" for school choice is only in the context of maintaining their monopoly on funding and children, which provides no choice at all. This is akin to Henry Ford purportedly saying that customers could buy any color car they wanted-so long as it was black.

MYTH #4: SCHOOL CHOICE WILL DIVERT SCARCE RESOURCES FROM THE ALREADY UNDERFUNDED PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Pennsylvania public schools spend nearly $26 billion per year-that's more than $13,000 per student or $2,000 more than the national average and more than 39 other states. In our commonwealth's chronically underperforming public schools, taxpayers are paying upwards of $19,000 per student. Just how much will the public schools "lose"?
THE FACTS:

• Whose money is it anyway? Taxpayers support the education of children. This money is not the property of the public school system, but of the child. School choice changes the paradigm to put children's interests ahead of "the system's" interests.

• 99.5% still goes to the public schools. Senate Bill 1 would provide about $50 million for vouchers to low-income students in chronically failing schools, and another $75 million for scholarships through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit. In other words, the public school system would still receive more than $25 billion, or 99.5% of all education funding, and children making school choices would receive a total of $125 million, or 0.5% of all funding. Who again is truly being underfunded in this situation?

• School choice increases per-student public school funding. For example, the Pittsburgh School District spends approximately $19,634 per student. Under Senate Bill 1, a low-income student trapped in a chronically underperforming school would be eligible to utilize a state-funded voucher estimated at $8,498 to attend an alternative public or private school. Where does the remaining $11,136 go? It stays in the district; effectively increasing the amount of money per student for the remaining children. Further, if the receiving public or private school charges less in tuition than the voucher amount, the difference is transferred to a fund to pay for future expansions of school choice to more children. When children transfer from high-cost public schools to lower-cost schools of choice, there will be sufficient money to both increase the per student expenditure in the home district while also giving low-income families with children already in private schools the financial ability to stay.

• The "fixed costs" red herring. School districts argue that because students don't leave in neat groups of 22 they can't adequately reduce costs. An analysis of the details demonstrates this is another false argument against choice. Consider the Harrisburg School District, which is costing taxpayers about $17,700 per student-or approximately $390,000 for a classroom of 22 students. If five students chose to use an $8,800 voucher to attend a safer or better school, the school would "lose" $44,000. Per-student spending goes up over $20,300 for every child that chooses to stay because $8,900 was left behind by the voucher students. It is true that some costs such as debt, building maintenance, utilities, and transportation can't be immediately reduced because five children escaped for a better school. But analysis of Harrisburg School District suggests it has "fixed costs" of about 36%. But the unions have claimed "fixed costs" are as high as 60%. Taking the union's number-which is over 50% more than what we've identified-the class of 22 kids has a fixed cost of $234,000. So, even with the loss of five voucher kids, the classroom still has more than $110,000 above their fixed costs. Indeed, this suggests that this classroom of 22 kids could lose as many 17 students and still cover its "fixed costs"!

MYTH #5: SCHOOL CHOICE WILL INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES.

School choice doesn't increase property taxes. To suggest that a "loss" of 0.5% of a nearly $26 billion budget will force tax increases is a cop out. Indeed, an analysis of the so-called "fixed costs" problem (see Myth #8) demonstrates this is another false argument to prevent children from finding safer or better schools.
THE FACTS:

• School districts must continually deal with fluctuations in student enrollment. Giving a child a voucher to choose another school is no different. Furthermore, and more importantly, no child should be forcibly trapped in a school simply because some adults can't figure out how to manage a budget when children come and go from a school district.

• Focus on educating students, rather than the system. Instead of trying to prevent parents from finding a safer or better performing school for their children, school administrators and labor unions ought to be more concerned about how they can improve their schools so they become the school-of-choice.

• School choice can force more efficient and responsible public school spending. In the last decade, while student enrollment has declined, the public school system has added more than 30,000 new employees. Instead of adding costly salaries, health care, and pension benefits to the taxpayers' payrolls, public schools could be saving money by privatizing non-instructional support services such as janitorial, food, and transportation services. Competitive contracting can provide schools with the kind of expertise, flexibility, and cost efficiencies not always available with in-house service provision. Any savings in support services can be used to provide additional resources for the classroom or offset property tax increases. Properly designed and monitored, contracts between public schools and private providers can help school administrators do more with less, if they are willing.

MYTH #6: SCHOOL CHOICE DOES NOT IMPROVE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.
Nine of the 10 "gold standard" evaluations of voucher programs reported statistically significant gains in achievement for all or some voucher recipients. Students who remain in public schools also benefit from school choice.

THE FACTS:

• School choice benefits kids. Studies have shown that throughout the country, where families are offered a choice, student achievement and graduation rates improve in both sending and receiving school districts. Nine of the ten "gold standard" evaluations of voucher programs reported statistically significant gains in achievement for all or some voucher recipients. Students benefiting from school choice in Milwaukee, and Washington, D.C., post significantly higher graduation rates than conventional public schools. Children in Ohio's school choice program, the Cleveland Scholarship and Tutoring Program, showed a 7% increase in reading scores and a 15% increase in math scores over their conventional school peers. More importantly, there has never been a single study demonstrating that vouchers harmed either voucher students or public schools.

• School choice improves public schools. When parents can choose, public schools are forced to compete. This competition improves those affected public schools. In 18 out of 19 academically rigorous studies, vouchers had a positive impact on public school districts. There has never been a single study demonstrating that scholarships have a negative impact on district school performance or their ability to raise funds. In Milwaukee, schools facing the most competition--with two-thirds or more students eligible for vouchers--fourth-grade math test scores achieved an annual gain of 6.3 national percentile rank (NPR) points over four years. In contrast, the schools facing no competition saw an annual gain of only 3.5 points. In Pennsylvania, when the first K-12 cyber charter school opened in 2000, not a single public school district offered online classes. Forced to compete, at least 158 public school districts now offer online classes to retain or attract students. Competition works!

MYTH #7: SCHOOL CHOICE IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
School choice is about providing children with the best education available, not supporting one school or religion over another. The current public school system compels religious citizens to support schools that often do not reflect their values and beliefs. School choice will allow parents to exercise their right and responsibility to direct the educational development of their children according to their own values, whether religious or secular.

THE FACTS:

• Senate Bill 1 is constitutional. The Pennsylvania State Constitution states, "No money raised for the support of the public schools of the Commonwealth shall be appropriated to or used for the support of any sectarian school." General Fund revenue does not meet this definition as it is not raised for the purposes of funding public education. School district property taxes are raised for this purpose, and it is why Senate Bill 1 involves only state funding for private schools, and not local tax revenue. Furthermore, the transfer of funds to parents for the purpose of exercising school choice would be consistent with current U.S. and Pennsylvania precedent because scholarships would be given to parents who then make school choices, rather than money being given by the state to private schools.

• Other well established, government-funded voucher programs are constitutional. Food stamps and Medicaid are examples of voucher programs through which recipients can use taxpayer money at the grocery stores or hospitals of their choice. Social Security recipients are also constitutionally protected to put their entire check in the offering plate at a house of worship. Likewise, taxpayer money already flows to private and religious colleges and universities through various government loans and grants to students. In 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court in Zelman v Simmons-Harris declared the Cleveland voucher program constitutional because it gave money to parents of elementary and secondary schoolchildren rather than to specific institutions.

MYTH #8: PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE UNACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
Competition ensures that all schools are ultimately accountable to those who matter most-parents and students. Parents who have choices in education can "vote with their feet" by sending their children to another, better school when their current one is not serving their children's needs. Private schools are also subject to many of the same regulations as are public schools and are routinely held to the same or higher standards of performance than are the public schools because parents are customers rather than captive audiences.
THE FACTS:

• Public schools lack real accountability. Many people, particularly policymakers, confuse rules and regulations with accountability. While it is true that public schools must adhere to many laws, this fact has failed to make schools answerable to the public. Simply forcing students to take state tests does not create accountability. In fact, the "underperforming schools" defined in SB 1 force students to take the PSSA-and a majority of students fail. As long as children are unable to escape a school that is failing to meet their needs, real accountability will never exist in the public school system. Giving parents choices in how and where their children are educated creates a level of accountability that no law will ever generate. It is this fundamental component that prevents public schools from being truly accountable to taxpayers, parents, and children.

• Private schools already comply with essential government regulations. There is no basis in educational experience or research to suggest that regulation creates better schools; even so, private schools already meet the requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, provide essential fire and safety protection, observe compulsory attendance requirements, and cover core mandated subjects such as history, English, math and science.

• Private schools are transparent because it's good customer service. Unlike the public schools, private schools have to persuade parents to choose, and keep choosing, to put their children in their care. For this reason alone, private schools publicly communicate graduation rates, test scores, and other information demonstrating school performance. While many private schools choose not to participate in the Pennsylvania School System of Assessment because it is not an achievement test nor is it a test that assesses aptitude, they frequently utilize assessments such as the Stanford Achievement Test, Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Metropolitan Achievement Test, and the like.

MYTH #9: SCHOOL CHOICE IS ANTI-TEACHER.
The "anti-teacher" argument against school choice seems to assume that the public school system is nothing more than a big jobs program with education ranking second in importance. School choice makes the education of children the top priority. Indeed, many public school teachers themselves choose to place their children in private schools. So as long as demand for education exists, there will always be jobs for teachers.

THE FACTS:

• More choices for parents also mean more choices for teachers. Today, if a teacher believes he or she is underpaid, overburdened by red tape, not respected as a professional, or otherwise treated poorly by administrators, the only real option is to leave town and move to another school district. When parents are allowed to choose, schools not only will have to compete for students, they will have to compete for teachers. As a result, there will be increased pressure on school administrators to treat teachers well or risk losing them to other schools.

• Teachers win, forced unionism and union bosses lose. Labor unions like the PSEA and Pennsylvania Federation of Teachers vehemently oppose school choice out of their financial self-interest. They will claim to oppose choice "for the children," but the economic reality is that unions stand to lose millions of dollars of compulsory dues income as school choice grows. Why? The overwhelming majority of teachers in Pennsylvania are forced to pay hundreds of dollars in union dues every year as a condition of employment. However, most schools-of-choice are not unionized. Therefore, if enrollment increases at schools in which unions have been unable to gain a foothold, more teaching jobs in union-free schools will be available where teachers are not forced to give hundreds of dollars every year to a union so they can teach children.

MYTH #10: PRIVATE SCHOOLS WILL REJECT CERTAIN STUDENTS AND RECRUIT OTHERS.
This argument assumes two things: First, that private schools discriminate more in selecting students than do public schools and second, that public schools are open to all students. But neither of these assumptions is necessarily true. Public schools do not accept every student, and many private schools in fact accept a wide range of students. In addition, parents empowered with choice can select from all types of schools, private or public. Choice provides children with more educational opportunities, not fewer.

THE FACTS:

• The current "assignment" system already makes choices for parents. Public schools generally accept only those students who live in their districts. Wealthy suburban areas, for example, do not accept poor minority students from the inner city. Some public schools-particularly "magnet schools"-routinely screen students based on academic ability or whether or not they live in the "right" district.

• Private schools are not characterized by exclusivity. Although some private schools are exclusive, either by high tuition or selective entrance standards, the same can be said of public schools that enroll students only from exclusive or wealthy neighborhoods within their "districts" and reject students from other neighborhoods on the "wrong side" of a district boundary. On the other hand, the vast majority private schools are not exclusive. On average, Pennsylvania Catholic schools charge tuition of $3,500 for elementary children and $6,500 for high school students. Many of these schools, particularly those in urban areas, serve predominately low-income students and a large number of non-Catholics.

• School choice does not "cream" the best students from the public schools and leave the worst behind. The experience of charter schools and publicly funded voucher programs demonstrates that students who are behind or not being served in their assigned public school are the ones most likely to exercise choice, not the "best" students. Indeed, students who are falling through the cracks in the public school system-not the "cream of the crop"-are most likely to seek alternative educational opportunities. Why would the "best" students want to leave a school that is already serving their needs?

• School choice provides greater opportunity for all parents and children. School choice allows all parents to select the best schools for their children, not just the wealthy parents that can afford to move to better districts or pay tuition at an alternative school. Under the current system, the one-school-fits-all approach precludes equal opportunity and greater options for the majority of children. Greater school choice will allow poor parents the same choices already available to wealthier parents. Choice allows parents to select from a variety of schools-if one school does not work, there are others that may.

• Experience: The evidence that really matters. For the last 10 years, thousands of students have left traditional public schools to attend private schools all across the commonwealth thanks to scholarships provided by the Educational Improvement Tax Credit program. For 10 years, families have been seeking other educational options for their children in the state's private religious and non-sectarian schools. For 10 years there has been no evidence of widespread cases of families being refused admittance. Why? Because when parents have control, they seek the school that is going to best meet their child's individual educational needs. And as a result, there are all sorts of schools serving the diversity of student needs.

MYTH #11: PARENTS WILL MAKE BAD DECISIONS FOR THEIR KIDS.

Implicit in this argument are the assumptions that parents-particularly poor and minority parents-are not smart enough to know what is best for their children, and that government will make better school selection choices than parents. Common sense and experience, however, tell us that most parents in fact do make good decisions with their children's best interests in mind.

THE FACTS:

• Freedom to choose. Although some parents may make poor decisions, this is no argument for denying the freedom of choice to everyone. Freedom does not come without inherent risks, but freedom is certainly better than being forced to accept the poor choices of others.

• Minority and lower-income parents can be trusted to make good choices. Opponents of school choice often presume that minority and lower income parents do not know the difference between good and bad schools and therefore will often choose bad schools. This condescending assumption ignores the evidence that poor or uneducated parents are just as capable as higher income, better educated parents of distinguishing between good and bad schools. The problem is that poor parents are rarely given the opportunity to do so. When given full information regarding their choices and the opportunity to make them, they choose well and there is no doubt that they will continue to do so.

• Parents, who understand their children's needs best, should determine the criteria by which to judge schools. School choice has been criticized because some parents may decide that a school with an emphasis on team sports is better for their child than one that excels in, say, science. Others may disagree with such criteria for choosing a school, but the disapproval of others is no reason to deny all parents the right to make their own choices. If the government was the best decision maker, how did we get here in the first place?

• Information will help parents choose the best school. Competition among schools will cause an information market to arise. Schools themselves will generate informational material, appealing to parents on the basis of positive features their particular school has to offer and educating parents in the process. Many schools-even public schools-already promote themselves with marketing and advertising campaigns. Parents will have help determining which school will best serve their children's needs, just as consumers today have help (in the form of Consumer Reports and similar publications) understanding which automotive repair shop, restaurant, or grocery store best serves their needs.

MYTH #12: SCHOOL CHOICE LEAVES OUT THE MIDDLE CLASS.
Middle and working-class families are frequently too "rich" to access free government benefits and too "poor" to buy better products or services, including education for their children. But even with Pennsylvania's limited educational options, more choices exist and are increasing for children in these families.
THE FACTS:

• Charter schools. Charter schools are tuition-free, independent public schools that are given greater educational and operational freedom in exchange for fewer tax dollars. Pennsylvania's charter school law was passed in 1997; today there are 144 schools serving more than 61,000 students. A number of reforms, however, could make these educational options even more available to more parents-if not for PSEA and PSBA opposition.

• Public Cyber Schools. Cyber schools are statewide charter schools authorized by the Department of Education that provide an online individualized curriculum that students can access from anywhere in Pennsylvania. Cyber schools first opened in 2001; in 2009, there were 11 schools serving 24,000 students. Few policymakers knew at the time how popular and effective online learning would become with parents across Pennsylvania, but this is a great example of what happens when you begin to allow for an education marketplace to blossom.

• Educational Improvement Tax Credit Scholarships. EITC scholarships help parents pay tuition at their school of choice with private money from the taxable profits of Pennsylvania corporations. Scholarships are available to families with annual household incomes up to $50,000 + $10,000 for each child. The average scholarship amount is $1,100, and the average family income of those receiving a scholarship is $29,000. The EITC law passed in 2001; more than 38,000 students received EITC scholarships last year.

• More educational options to come? State Sens. Jeff Piccola and Tony Williams have introduced legislation (Senate Bill 1 of 2011) that would further expand eligibility for the EITC program and increase the amount of tax credits available for scholarships to $75 million. SB 1 would also provide vouchers for children in low-income families; combined with the expansion of the EITC scholarship program, this will provide even more educational options to middle class families.

MYTH #13: SCHOOL CHOICE WILL LEAD TO SEGREGATION.
It is a fallacy to think that the public school system brings together students from diverse backgrounds and that school choice will somehow disrupt this. The truth is that public schools are the most segregated schools in America.
THE FACTS:

• Public schools are the most segregated schools in America. The current system-whereby government assigns students to schools based on the neighborhoods in which they live-already has created a stratified school environment in which children are segregated by race and income. School choice removes or reduces the importance of geographic and political boundaries, thereby encouraging greater social, racial, and economic integration of students.

• Private schools are more racially, economically, and socially diversified. Many inner-city private schools already reflect greater diversity than their government counterparts because their student bodies are not determined by arbitrary political boundaries, but rather by parents of every background seeking the best education for their children. In fact, seven empirical studies on voucher programs in Milwaukee, Cleveland and Washington, D.C., found that participating private schools were much less segregated than public school districts.

MYTH #14: SCHOOL CHOICE DOES NOT ADDRESS SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS.
This argument again assumes that everyone should be denied the right to choose because only some might not be able to get exactly what they want in a particular school. School choice does not create an educational utopia, but it does give all families-including those with special education needs-more options than they are currently given.

THE FACTS:

• Private schools already serve special education students. In fact, public schools often turn to private schools to serve children with severe disabilities and behavioral problems. There is no reason to believe that private schools would not continue to serve these and other special-needs students in an increasing number under a school choice program.

• School choice only adds options for special needs students. If a family with a special needs child is unsatisfied with the current services they are receiving from their assigned school district, school choice offers them another option. It certainly wouldn't take away the choice to stay put.

• Experience: The evidence that matters most. Special needs children in Florida have benefited from the McKay Scholarship for Students with Disabilities Program for years. Today, more than 21,000 special needs students are being served in 985 private schools, nearly two-thirds of which are religious. Every year since the beginning of the program, more and more private schools are serving special needs students. What reason is there to believe that private schools in Pennsylvania will not also serve the needs of special education students?

• Many private schools tailor to special needs students. The Center School, for example, is a private school focused on serving student with dyslexia and related learning disabilities through language-based special education. Pennsylvania also has 30 Approved Private Schools which serve more than 4,000 students with severe disabilities. In fact, many school choice programs are exclusively for special needs students. Nationwide, seven of the 20 school choice programs are specifically tailored to serve children with special needs, benefiting more than 26,000 students.

MYTH #15: PARENTAL SATISFACTION IS NOT AN ADEQUATE MEASURE OF STUDENT OR SCHOOL SUCCESS OR ACCOUNTABILITY.
Many people, particularly policymakers, confuse rules and regulations with accountability. While it is true that public schools must adhere to many laws, this fact has failed to make schools answerable to the public. As long as children are unable to escape a school that is failing to meet their needs, real accountability will never exist in the public school system. Giving parents choices in how and where their children are educated creates a level of accountability that no law will ever generate. It is this fundamental component that prevents public schools from being truly accountable to taxpayers, parents and children.
THE FACTS:

• Nobody cares more about children than their parents. In general, parents have their children's best interests in mind more so than does the government or even a caring teacher. Under the current system, parents lack control and influence over the education of their children. With choice, parents have the opportunity to remove their children from a poorly performing or otherwise unsatisfactory school and to place them in other schools. Schools that fail to respond to parental concerns will constantly face the prospect of losing students to other schools that do.

• School choice is a powerful incentive. Private schools survive and thrive only because they attract and retain parents who are willing to pay for their children's education twice-once in taxes for schools they don't use, and again in tuition for the school that is actually educating their children. Parents who are paying for their children's education expect a return on their investment. So it is unnecessary to impose the government-run model on private schools as each school will supply the demands of parents-or they will eventually go out of business. On the other hand, public schools continue to get more tax dollars and never go out of business, regardless of test results or parental dissatisfaction.

# # #

For more on School Choice, visit CommonwealthFoundation.org/SchoolChoiceThe Commonwealth Foundation is an independent, non-profit research and educational institute.

 To download the full PDF version, please click here

More Info: Academic Achievement School Choice Education Spending Teacher Unions Education 

Click this to view on the web : http://www.commonwealthfoundation.org/research/detail/15-school-choice-myths

Josephine, we're on to you.

How tough is it to do this? Charter schools are unaffordable, underperforming and unaccountable And yet, on Josephine Posti's latest blog entry, Stand Up For Public Education, you won't find it.  Not citing your sources again, young lady.

Josephine writes: 

It's important to recognize that the budget issues Mt. Lebanon faces would exist regardless of whether we were engaged in the high school renovation project.

No kidding, Josephine.  This is why we have been resistant to a $113.3 million project at this time - because of these budget issues.  Your problems are not because of charter schools.  Believe me.

Former MTL Commissioner wishes she lived in USC.

How's that for an attention grabber?  In today's Trib, Matt Santoni ran this article, Mt. Lebanon Board rethinks deer culling program.  Of all quotes to use, Carolyn Byham's was singled out - one of the few, if not the only, proculling comment made at the Budget Hearing.  I had given Matt contact information of four members of the coalition for neighborhood safety and of a commissioner elect who has a nonlethal plan to address the deer population, but none were quoted.

A little birdie told me...

The bid opening has been delayed one week.  So now, it is the Day of Infamy plus seven - December 14.  No explanation was given.  Word is that bidders are less in number this time around for the high school renovation. 

Schools to watch

For the second time in three years (2008 and 2011), both Fort Couch Middle School and Boyce Middle School were on the PA Schools to Watch list.  Pennsylvania currently has 21 Schools To Watch. As the Upper St. Clair Patch reports in Fort Couch Middle Named a 'School to Watch,' Again

Based on an analysis of academics—as well as attention to developmental and social challenges—the designation recognizes Fort Couch as one of nine schools in the state making noteworthy strides toward educational excellence.
Boyce Middle School also received the award this year.

As a grandmother, I am proud to say that my grandson was a student at both schools when they received this designation.  I am one of the 70% of the households that do not have children in Mt. Lebanon Schools.  How do the remaining 30% feel about our school system?  Aren't you tired of hearing about USC always beating MtL?  As a parent, I would demand more from the District. I wanted my kids to get the best education in the area.  I am glad my kids are doing the same for their kids.

Has there been a review team established to study what USC is doing, that we are not?  Do they have a PTA that is more concerned about education than sending political emails or having underage drinking parties?  The 70%'ers faithfully pay our taxes for above average education, but why do the remaining 30%'ers tolerate this?  Why aren't you demanding excellence?  Where is the outrage?

Kids, pay no attention to what is happening on PTA.

Just a week before this apology was written, PTA Apologizes to Cannon, the PTA Council president's home was busted for underage drinking.  Twelve high school students were arrested. http://pd.mtlebanon.org/blotter/police-blotter-111011-111611.pdf
So how many PTA resignations are in order now?  I am counting two, but the numbers seem to grow every day.  Karen Morris, Hoover president for circulating an eblast about the school board candidates. Now the Council president for underage drinking in her home.
Just a side note, she was also treasurer for This Way Forward, the Posti/Gardner campaign. Word on the street is that it was Josephine who wrote the nasty email about her brother, but that is just a rumor.  We do know that Josephine isn't good about citing her sources. 
Not a very good example for our kids. But, hey, I'm not the child advocate or so I have been told.

Public Safety Building Update

A follow up to the Public Safety Building repairs, as described in I have pajamas older than this!, the Commissioners met in executive session yesterday to discuss construction issues related to the Public Safety Building. I hope they can resolve this so that we can recoup some of the $250,000 it is costing us to correct the problem.

Shop Small Movement

Saturday is Shop Small Saturday.  Last year was the first year for Shop Small.  Black Friday, which seems to have started already, is the biggest day of the year for retailers.  The newspapers are filled with Black Friday ads and it is a day that could mean make it or break it for their entire year.  We also have Cyber Monday which seems to be getting a jump start on Sundays too.  While people are waiting outside at 3:00 AM Friday morning to get that TV or what have you, this is also a very important time for small business owners. 

This Saturday, shop at local businesses.  They are the lifeblood of our community.  Make a pledge to shop at small businesses this Saturday.  If we all do it, it will be huge for our neighbors. 

Here is a letter to the editor that appeared in a Moultrie, Georgia newspaper.  I think it says it all.

MOULTRIE — Dear editor:

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods --merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?

Everyone -- yes everyone gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamines on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you really need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine. This is the new American Christmas tradition. Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?

Gerald Psalmond

Moultrie GA

There is something really fishy going on here.

The five year forecast dated 5/23/2011 (the first link below) shows AUDITED revenues for 2009-10 at $74.8+ million. BUT, in a prior report dated 5/16/2011 (the second link) the AUDITED revenues number for 2009-10 is $72.1 million.


How does one gain over $2.75 million in revenue in one week in an audited school year???


http://www.mtlsd.org/district/budget/stuff/04_fiveyearforecast_2011.pdf

http://www.mtlsd.org/district/budget/stuff/final201112.pdf

A Mt. Lebanon Christmas Carol

Thanks to "Ebeneezer" for making this chart.

Update: There was a typo on the chart and has been corrected.

An updated update: Another typo and has been corrected. ;) 

I have been quiet about the deer culling until now.

I was at the Budget Hearing on Monday night and listened to the speakers who were pro deer culling and those who were against a deer culling. Then I read the article in the PG.  Mt. Lebanon again at odds over deer population. It brought back painful memories. 

Since deer were killed right next to my house two years in a row, I remember the sleepless nights I had from November until April waiting for the gunshots.  They were loud.  I remember being afraid to let my dog out at night for fear I would see something I would regret seeing for the rest of my life. I remember seeing the pick up truck speeding towards the park with a man standing in the back aiming his high powered rifle at deer in a park that was used for residents who had no driveways and worked night shift.  I remember screaming at a high school student returning to his home at 10 PM, who was riding his bike through the park and wearing a black hoodie during the deer culling.  I remember begging for a heads up when Wildlife Services would be in the area and was told that I couldn't get that information.  All I wanted to do was leave my home, not stage a protest.  I remember lying in bed in my vinyl siding addition hoping that any deer shot, didn't take off towards my house knowing the shooters would continue to shoot.  I remember the non English speaking woman who had just moved from her homeland, not knowing how to contact the police and was in tears because it reminded her of her country that was at war.  I remember the endless emails I sent to my commissioner and then finally to all the commissioners begging for them to stop the shooting next to my house.  I remember crying on the phone to Tom Kelley, only to hear that he was acting on commissioners' orders.  I remember hearing the stories of deer gasping for air after being shot.  I remember seeing Wildlife Services baiting with rotten apples in the same place where children went sled riding that night.  I remember speaking at meeting after meeting saying how the deer culling was unsafe.  I remember Susan Morgans asking me, "How many times are you going to say the same thing?" My last time at the microphone was when I presented the accident report of at least seven accidents that Wildlife Services failed to report to President Colby when he asked if there were any accidents.  I remember witnessing Dan Miller interrogating Wildlife Services about counting bullets after the Lindendale deer traveled 100 yards and bled to death in the front yard of one of his constituents.  I remember how angry I was at the people who could afford landscapers, and yet wanted to use public money to shoot deer next to my house. 

That was a time I do not want to relive. 

What has changed?

On Feb. 6, 2011, I posted this thread, Conflict of Interest???  At the February 8 meeting, Joe DeIuliis voted in favor of all requests made concerning the high school project.  The Solicitor as well as Joe explained how there was no conflict of interest even though Joe was the business development manager, Pittsburgh region for dck worldwide.  dck worldwide bid on the high school renovation.

Fast forward to the 11/14/11 meeting.  Joe DeIuliis would not introduce or vote on item 12 of the 11/14/11 Commission meeting agenda.  His employer, dck worldwide, was bidding on the project.  Would someone please explain to me why it is a conflict of interest now, but it wasn't a conflict of interest when dck worldwide bid on the high school project?

More on the staff planning team

For those of us who do not receive the Almanac, this appeared in the 11-16 issue.  In hindsight, it may have been more helpful to consider what we are spending in bricks and mortar "and then have the staffing team take a look. In addition to the impact on programs, we have contractual obligations that would need to be touched on." Like an over the top high school renovation, Josephine.


Mt. Lebanon team explores HR savings

Mt. Lebanon schools could save more than $5 million through radical reorganization, according to a presentation at the Nov. 14 meeting.

The presentation was made by the district's staffing review team, a committee cochaired by director of human resources Steve Scheurer and assistant superintendent Dr. Deborah Allen. The team was tasked with examining human resources deployment across the district and coming up with suggestions for cost savings.

"We asked them to consider everything, keep everything on the table, even if it might be uncomfortable," said school superintendent Dr. Tim Steinhauer.

Suggestions were broken down into three broad categories: low, medium and high impact options. The low-impact category contained everything from "gimme" savings resulting from the high school renovation (from reduced square footage) to a one-year pay freeze for employees.

The other end of the spectrum, the high-impact range, included the closing of an elementary school and redistricting of remaining buildings. That plan would create three K-two schools and three other grade three-five buildings.

The option of combining both the English grammar and literature curricula into a single program of study was also suggested.

Steinhauer stressed that the presentation consisted of ideas and ideas alone--administration would not be implementing the committee's findings next school year, if ever. In effect it amounted to a "blue sky" brainstorming session.

"These are difficult conversations to have," he said, "but that's the task we gave them."

School board president Jo Posti said, "in hindsight it may have been more helpful to first review programs and then have the staffing team take a look. In addition to the impact on programs, we have contractual obligations that would need to be touched on."

The staffing review is the latest in an ongoing series of reports, which have examined everything from utility efficiency to revenue generation. A murky legislative climate and future pension obligations are applying financial pressure to districts all over the state, though to date Mt. Lebanon has been spared any painful cost-cutting.

Following the presentation, board members stressed the need to preserve student programming.

"These recommendations need to be a last resort," said director Elaine Cappucci. "They could negate our positive student outcomes."

As with the other reports, the superintendent will conduct a comprehensive review of the committee's findings before making any recommendations. Neither the board nor administration is required to implement any of the options mentioned in the report.

The staffing review team's presentation is available on the district's website.

Robb Hollow Park is a dump

The following letter headlined in the 11/16/11 edition of the Almanac.  I am reprinting it here since the Almanac does not archive its letters.

Robb Hollow Park is a dump

I feel compelled to respond to the Oct. 12, article, "ML mulls what to do with leaves in Robb Hollow Park."

Tom Kelly, director of public works, is stated as saying the annual composting taking place in a Mt. Lebanon, "park" is a "conservational activity." While there is validity to his remark, I know of no other community that operates a composting facility within public grounds, clearly identified as a park.

To even call Robb Hollow a 'park' is a travesty for Mt. Lebanon taxpayers. Once upon a time, someone spent taxpayer money to erect a picnic shelter and built a fire pit in a remote location of Mt. Lebanon that not many knew existed and even fewer bothered to visit. The shelter fell victim to neglect and was eventually demolished.

For the unfamiliar, Robb Hollow 'Park' consists of several dirt paths winding through a wooded area that lead to the composting dump, a torn down shelter and an oft-used fire pit. The location is secluded and the police appear reluctant to patrol the area on a consistent basis.

Unlike other public space in Mt. Lebanon, and primarily for that reason, it has become a clandestine spot for underage drinking and recreational drug use, occurring after the 'park' closes at 9 p.m.

The area is strewn with cases of empty beer cans and frequently, smoldering ash in the fire pit. Coupled with the obvious hazards of open flame surrounded by decaying leaves, the entire location is a complete disgrace.

For Mr. Kelly to trivialize this matter by saying, "one or two families moved into the area, realized there was a composting facility behind their homes and they wanted the activity to stop" is appalling.

There are a number of private residences on Robb Hollow Road that have been subjected and forced to endure the stench and noise generated by the composting and leaf dumping since its inception. Many of these individuals have lived there for decades, some their entire lives, and are 2nd and 3rd generation owners. They have watched a previously well maintained property and driveway turned into an access road (owned by Mt. Lebanon) fall into disrepair and become overgrown.

They have also witnessed incidences of illegal dumping on those same grounds. Their calls to officials are frequently met with indifference and dismissive attitudes. A fleet of dump trucks haul debris nonstop beginning at sunrise and continuing until late afternoon on a daily basis, including Saturdays, for most of the year. It can best be described as being trapped in a perpetual construction zone. The obtrusive sound of the vehicles is exceeded only by the acrid smell emitted from the rotting leaves, which permeate the entire neighborhood. During the composting period homeowners are unable to keep windows open or sit outside, the smell so caustic it burns your eyes and throat.

Hardly the idyllic vision one has about living in our fine community and certainly not what residents pay premium taxes for. The community has spoken against this misuse of public space and yet the leaf dumping continues.

Our tax dollars are paying Mr. Kelly to find an amenable solution. It is his job to work for the public and resolve this issue to our satisfaction. I am confident Mr. Kelly lives nowhere near the compost dump. If it were in his backyard, I'm most certain the operation would cease immediately.

Luanne M. Palazzo

Mt. Lebanon

I know this will fall on deaf ears for sure.

This letter to the editor will just be ignored, but I hope that some day, the School Board will realize what we have been saying for two years. I don't want to see a letter like this in the Almanac about the cost of our high school renovation.

Cost of Bethel school is overwhelming

There is an old saying...the glass is half full or half empty.

Of course, we all want to be optimistic about the new high school construction...but the glass is getting too full and overflowing with higher and higher costs, which are drowning us, something none of us wanted.

The original bid for the new building was about $78M. Then, some things were upgraded, such as floors to be terrazzo instead of linoleum, etc. Slowly the new cost became $81M, and we were told by some board members that it would be not a dime over $81M. What worthless assurance that was because at the writing of this article, the new figure is now $91M...with no end in sight.

The administration now tells us that there is $6M dollars left over and that we are under budget. How can that be, when $81M is now $91M? Aren't the figures being confused?

A bond issue was taken out for about $93M (and that was excessive for a $78M bid). Then added to that were several millions more of our hard earned taxpayers' dollars, leftover, after a previous bond issue was satisfied. These dollars should have been returned to us taxpayers by lowering the millage rate, but it was not. Therefore, the funds available for this project grew to about $98M dollars.

A lot of money had to be used to correct some really huge problems on the site upon which the new building now sits. The administration/school board were warned many times about the excessive waters under the ground and that it was very unsuitable as a construction site for the new high school, but they ignored it. As a result, hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent in trying to correct this problem, such as buying limestone to dry up the dirt, as well as installing a manhole inside the building (which is a rarity) that is equipped with a sump pump for water drainage. All of this added change order after change order, which seems to have been a regular pattern throughout this construction project.

In addition to all of this, and yet to come, is the most difficult chore of all...the demolition of the campus style buildings, which can be full of surprises. Since those buildings have been sitting there for many decades, no one will predict what can happen. How many more change orders will result?

To attend these monthly board meetings and witness these soaring costs of the new Bethel Park High School is indeed frustrating, as well as frightening. For many, it has been difficult to accept especially when the consent of the people, via a referendum vote, was never allowed to occur. So, now we ask, if the sump pump fails and the tax dollars dry up...then what?

Nita Potocar

Bethel Park

Here's an idea from the staff planning team - close an elementary school.

The Staff Planning Team made their recommendations last night after a ten month study.  Here is the 15 page Program and Operations proposal made by an eight member planning team.  Options include wage freezes for one year, closing an elementary school, increase class sizes in the high school, and reconfiguring the elementary schools.
Does this sound like a school district in trouble?  Why are we still gung ho on spending $113 million+ on a high school?  I think the Planning Team is made up of "fear mongers." What do you think, Rob?

Is mentoring such a good idea on the school board?

As per last night's meeting agenda,  a School Board Member Mentorship Program was discussed.  I thought Josephine Posti was going to mentor students on how to plagiarize and get away with it.  I was wrong.  Sitting Board Members are to "mentor" the newly elected SB members before they are sworn in.  Does School Board Disease come to mind?  Is this when School Board Elect Scott Goldman and Bill Cooper are told how to think? 

Symptoms of School Board Disease:
• Disrespect of public thought
• Listening only to those who agree with you
• Illegal executive sessions protected by lawsuits against moms
• Rejection of other board members’ viewpoints
• Groupthink
• Unity Voting – the most deadly symptom

Do we really need 9-0 votes? Does anyone else think this is a bad idea?  I know one resident spoke against this idea. I don't think, "It's a good thing." 

Every dime the School Board doesn't take from us...

Every dime the School Board doesn't take from us, the new County administration will take.  Allegheny County tax hike pondered  Funny, they waited for the election to pass to announce that.

An FYI, the Commission introduced an ordinance last night (Bill No. 24-11) to raise the millage by .71 mills to a total of  5.47 mills. The uncertainty of the reassessment process will require future modifications to this rate.

After the December 7 opening of the bids for the high school project, I am counting on money experts out there to analyze what they mean in terms of tax increases. 

Bottom line, my Dress 4 Work service project next year may be intended for Mt. Lebanon residents. Something has to give.

Why Mt. Lebanon has a budget problem

A reader sent me this breakdown of Mt. Lebanon by zipcode as it appears on the Coldwell Banker website.  Thank you, John.

Mount Lebanon Neighborhood Information From Coldwell Banker Website, November 11, 2011

Summary of Neighborhoods

Population Growth 0% to -12%

Median Age 37-47

Married 41%-52%

Median Income $47,592-$77,864

Households with Children 24%-29%

About 15216

Population Growth -11%

Median Age 37

Married 41%

Median Income $47,592

Households with Children 24%

About 15228

Population Growth  -5%

Median Age 41

Married 48%

Median Income $75,338

Households with Children 30%

About 15234
Population Growth – 12%

Median Age 41

Married 46%

Median Income $51,159

Households with Children 26%

About 15243

Population Growth 0%.

Median Age 47

Married 52%

Median Income $77,864

Households with Children 29%