That is not an attempt to be arrogant or cocky, but simply to suggest that the findings of the focus group study closely mirror the comments made in the comment section of the Vanguard. Based on these findings, I am skeptical that a parcel tax can pass in November.
The major findings of the focus group study suggests that there is a deep distrust of local government among focus group participants. Notably they do not distinguish between the performance of the City Council and that of the school district (something that we noted in fact on the campaign trail as well). They believe that the District has the incentive to continually increase the budget year to year and that any funding from a parcel tax will become part of the larger pot of funding expectations and expenditures that cannot be tracked. Accountability is a huge concern for the focus group.
These participants were aware of the state budget crisis and the local impact on schools, but were very reluctant to increase taxes locally. They want assurances that money raised in Davis stays local and is not taken by the state. They are also concerned that money raised locally would simply result in the district getting lower amounts of funding from state (they do not understand in other words how funding for schools works and that is an important component of any campaign to educate the public). What I found interesting, is that Jay Ziegler mentioned that they were more likely to pass a short-term sales tax rather than a parcel tax.
Accountability again is a key issue. They want a set of specific funding priorities that can be measured and tracked. The longer the duration of the parcel tax, the more accountability is required, since they were concerned that as time goes on voters would forget about what was promised. They want a community-led, independent assessment of the district’s funding priorities and benchmarks. They would trust independent financial experts to audit the status of the parcel tax and make recommendations to the district and the public.
There is a segment of the public that simply does not want to raise taxes. That shows up on the Vanguard every time I post on this topic and it represents about 31% of the voting population according to polling. Given that you have to get 66.7% support to win a parcel tax, that does not leave much margin for error.
The polling shows that this is a winnable election–that people if convinced that the school district could be held accountable, if the tax proposal is for a limited time period, if sold this issue, two-thirds of the public would vote for it.
But here is the problem: November is not the time for convincing.
Here’s why.
The polling that you see is the result of around six months of concentrated news coverage in which the schools’ budget crisis was the top news story and the top concern for many in the public. From January until at least April, the issue dominated the news. And even now it remains high on people’s minds.
Even after this long period of sustained coverage, the polling results show that if the election were held today, the parcel tax would fail. And we need to remember that is with essentially a margin of error of plus or minor 8. That means actual support at the $80 could be anywhere from 54% to 70% and the actual support of the $140 could be anywhere from 49% to 66%.
There is worse news. Schools are not going to be the top concern on people’s minds this fall. That is because almost everyone is very concerned about the Presidential election. The national media which will drip onto the Davis Enterprise’s front page will compete with local news. Even on the Vanguard, the Presidential Election will likely from time to time penetrate onto our blog.
In addition, we expect a bitterly contested contest for State Senate between Lois Wolk and Greg Aghazarian. There are eleven initiatives on the ballot including things such as gay marriage and parental consent for abortion. There are several environmental initiatives as well. All of these will diffuse attention from various constituencies.
The first four months of the year saw the direct threat of teacher firings, school closures, and student marches. However, between September and November, the budget will be a more distant threat. The threat will not be looming around the corner, it will not be the focus of the school board, the papers, the community like it was last winter and early spring, and as a result there will not be the concerted coverage and the urgency that we saw.
The community did rally behind the schools, but to sustain that effort is more difficult. To get beyond the 30% of the public to the 85% that may turnout will be difficult. It will take organization, money, and people. That may happen, but many of the people who would ordinarily walk for the schools, will instead focus on Barack Obama, Lois Wolk, and some even people like Charlie Brown.
If we could not get to two-thirds after the type of sustained attention this received this winter and spring, how are we going to do it now during perhaps the most important Presidential election of some people’s lives? It is a prospect to be sure.
I think Janice Bridge last Monday raised an excellent point–it would be a great advantage come January to know that the money will be there for the teachers and the programs when they start working on the next budget. The more I think about it, the more I think it will be a great advantage to passing the parcel tax when the public sees that if they do not pass the parcel tax in March, the district will be laying off 100 teachers in May. That level of urgency is unfair to the teachers and the employees of the district, but necessary for the students, the parents, and the public to once again rally around the schools, this time not to raise money through a campaign for schools but rather to go out into the community and convince them why they should vote to give the school district an additional $80 to $140 per year.
In March, again we’d be looking at the 30% core school supporting turnout that has passed parcel tax after parcel tax. The parcel tax would be the only issue for consideration. The newspapers can focus on the issue too, lowering the cost.
The more I think about it, the more I believe the school district is making a big mistake pushing through for November. The more I think March is the best window to pass this thing.
The thought by the school district is that if they don’t pass the parcel tax in November, they can do it again for March. That sounds good in theory, but they are relying on the efforts and energy of volunteers. The more you wear out volunteer efforts, the less return you get. If you push people in November trying to pass a parcel tax, you will not get the same energy coming back in March.
For all of these reasons, at the end of the day, I think the school board needs to re-think their decision to go for it in November. The public needs to be sold on this, and trying to teach 85% of the public in November is an overwhelmingly daunting task that does not have to be attempted.
—Doug Paul Davis reporting
School parcel taxes only pass when there is no organized opposition. Continued coverage about the negatives to the parcel tax will doom its passage. If it doesn’t pass, then the community will deserve the cuts to programs and the closure of schools that will have to be done as a result. I, for one, will have no sympathy for any protests or marches or whathaveyou.
If you want the parcel tax to pass, DPD, I suggest you get on the bandwagon and start educating the public on why we need the tax to pass.
School parcel taxes only pass when there is no organized opposition. Continued coverage about the negatives to the parcel tax will doom its passage. If it doesn’t pass, then the community will deserve the cuts to programs and the closure of schools that will have to be done as a result. I, for one, will have no sympathy for any protests or marches or whathaveyou.
If you want the parcel tax to pass, DPD, I suggest you get on the bandwagon and start educating the public on why we need the tax to pass.
School parcel taxes only pass when there is no organized opposition. Continued coverage about the negatives to the parcel tax will doom its passage. If it doesn’t pass, then the community will deserve the cuts to programs and the closure of schools that will have to be done as a result. I, for one, will have no sympathy for any protests or marches or whathaveyou.
If you want the parcel tax to pass, DPD, I suggest you get on the bandwagon and start educating the public on why we need the tax to pass.
School parcel taxes only pass when there is no organized opposition. Continued coverage about the negatives to the parcel tax will doom its passage. If it doesn’t pass, then the community will deserve the cuts to programs and the closure of schools that will have to be done as a result. I, for one, will have no sympathy for any protests or marches or whathaveyou.
If you want the parcel tax to pass, DPD, I suggest you get on the bandwagon and start educating the public on why we need the tax to pass.
“School parcel taxes only pass when there is no organized opposition.”
Not entirely true. Some early past parcel taxes (maybe late 80’s, early 90’s) had organized opposition and they still passed anyway.
“School parcel taxes only pass when there is no organized opposition.”
Not entirely true. Some early past parcel taxes (maybe late 80’s, early 90’s) had organized opposition and they still passed anyway.
“School parcel taxes only pass when there is no organized opposition.”
Not entirely true. Some early past parcel taxes (maybe late 80’s, early 90’s) had organized opposition and they still passed anyway.
“School parcel taxes only pass when there is no organized opposition.”
Not entirely true. Some early past parcel taxes (maybe late 80’s, early 90’s) had organized opposition and they still passed anyway.
What really bothers me about this discussion is that it delves into strategy, and does not look at the bigger picture. And why assume the voter is stupid or apathetic, instead of addressing the real problem? The parcel tax is not getting the support it needs because the School Board has not done the one thing they should do – tell us specifically what the needs are, and how a parcel tax is going to address those needs.
An example would be the closure of Emerson. This is a hot button issue, and does not sit well with the community, just as the closure of VO did not. What minimal amount of funding is needed to keep Emerson legally open? Not a fantasy wish list to make it look like Shangri-La (the vaunted propaganda that $16 million was necessary to make it come “up to code” – if the $16 million is not spent, can it be opened for less? How much less?)
So far, the only thing the School Board has been willing to do is stick their collective fingers in the wind to see how much they can soak the taxpayers for. That is insulting to the citizens of Davis, and not a persuasive “public education campaign”.
There is deep skepticism about how money is being spent on our schools – so convince us otherwise. Don’t just figure out how much you think you can get away with asking for.
What really bothers me about this discussion is that it delves into strategy, and does not look at the bigger picture. And why assume the voter is stupid or apathetic, instead of addressing the real problem? The parcel tax is not getting the support it needs because the School Board has not done the one thing they should do – tell us specifically what the needs are, and how a parcel tax is going to address those needs.
An example would be the closure of Emerson. This is a hot button issue, and does not sit well with the community, just as the closure of VO did not. What minimal amount of funding is needed to keep Emerson legally open? Not a fantasy wish list to make it look like Shangri-La (the vaunted propaganda that $16 million was necessary to make it come “up to code” – if the $16 million is not spent, can it be opened for less? How much less?)
So far, the only thing the School Board has been willing to do is stick their collective fingers in the wind to see how much they can soak the taxpayers for. That is insulting to the citizens of Davis, and not a persuasive “public education campaign”.
There is deep skepticism about how money is being spent on our schools – so convince us otherwise. Don’t just figure out how much you think you can get away with asking for.
What really bothers me about this discussion is that it delves into strategy, and does not look at the bigger picture. And why assume the voter is stupid or apathetic, instead of addressing the real problem? The parcel tax is not getting the support it needs because the School Board has not done the one thing they should do – tell us specifically what the needs are, and how a parcel tax is going to address those needs.
An example would be the closure of Emerson. This is a hot button issue, and does not sit well with the community, just as the closure of VO did not. What minimal amount of funding is needed to keep Emerson legally open? Not a fantasy wish list to make it look like Shangri-La (the vaunted propaganda that $16 million was necessary to make it come “up to code” – if the $16 million is not spent, can it be opened for less? How much less?)
So far, the only thing the School Board has been willing to do is stick their collective fingers in the wind to see how much they can soak the taxpayers for. That is insulting to the citizens of Davis, and not a persuasive “public education campaign”.
There is deep skepticism about how money is being spent on our schools – so convince us otherwise. Don’t just figure out how much you think you can get away with asking for.
What really bothers me about this discussion is that it delves into strategy, and does not look at the bigger picture. And why assume the voter is stupid or apathetic, instead of addressing the real problem? The parcel tax is not getting the support it needs because the School Board has not done the one thing they should do – tell us specifically what the needs are, and how a parcel tax is going to address those needs.
An example would be the closure of Emerson. This is a hot button issue, and does not sit well with the community, just as the closure of VO did not. What minimal amount of funding is needed to keep Emerson legally open? Not a fantasy wish list to make it look like Shangri-La (the vaunted propaganda that $16 million was necessary to make it come “up to code” – if the $16 million is not spent, can it be opened for less? How much less?)
So far, the only thing the School Board has been willing to do is stick their collective fingers in the wind to see how much they can soak the taxpayers for. That is insulting to the citizens of Davis, and not a persuasive “public education campaign”.
There is deep skepticism about how money is being spent on our schools – so convince us otherwise. Don’t just figure out how much you think you can get away with asking for.
I’ve have a number of these commentaries that have delved into the issues you address. However, one of the first decisions that needs to be is a strategic one–when on the ballot. I feel the board is making a mistake by rushing this up there.
“And why assume the voter is stupid or apathetic, instead of addressing the real problem?”
Well because in part, the polling shows that the voter doesn’t know much about the district or local governance. We don’t have to assume anything, we have our evidence right here.
For one thing they are concerned about accountability, but everything they suggested was already in place for the previous parcel tax. Most did not know that we had a parcel tax and almost no one knew how much they were paying.
This is an education campaign that is needed. I would like to see everyone get the facts and make their own decision. I don’t believe that can happen in a November election this year. So it is all part and parcel to the same issue.
I’ve have a number of these commentaries that have delved into the issues you address. However, one of the first decisions that needs to be is a strategic one–when on the ballot. I feel the board is making a mistake by rushing this up there.
“And why assume the voter is stupid or apathetic, instead of addressing the real problem?”
Well because in part, the polling shows that the voter doesn’t know much about the district or local governance. We don’t have to assume anything, we have our evidence right here.
For one thing they are concerned about accountability, but everything they suggested was already in place for the previous parcel tax. Most did not know that we had a parcel tax and almost no one knew how much they were paying.
This is an education campaign that is needed. I would like to see everyone get the facts and make their own decision. I don’t believe that can happen in a November election this year. So it is all part and parcel to the same issue.
I’ve have a number of these commentaries that have delved into the issues you address. However, one of the first decisions that needs to be is a strategic one–when on the ballot. I feel the board is making a mistake by rushing this up there.
“And why assume the voter is stupid or apathetic, instead of addressing the real problem?”
Well because in part, the polling shows that the voter doesn’t know much about the district or local governance. We don’t have to assume anything, we have our evidence right here.
For one thing they are concerned about accountability, but everything they suggested was already in place for the previous parcel tax. Most did not know that we had a parcel tax and almost no one knew how much they were paying.
This is an education campaign that is needed. I would like to see everyone get the facts and make their own decision. I don’t believe that can happen in a November election this year. So it is all part and parcel to the same issue.
I’ve have a number of these commentaries that have delved into the issues you address. However, one of the first decisions that needs to be is a strategic one–when on the ballot. I feel the board is making a mistake by rushing this up there.
“And why assume the voter is stupid or apathetic, instead of addressing the real problem?”
Well because in part, the polling shows that the voter doesn’t know much about the district or local governance. We don’t have to assume anything, we have our evidence right here.
For one thing they are concerned about accountability, but everything they suggested was already in place for the previous parcel tax. Most did not know that we had a parcel tax and almost no one knew how much they were paying.
This is an education campaign that is needed. I would like to see everyone get the facts and make their own decision. I don’t believe that can happen in a November election this year. So it is all part and parcel to the same issue.
“If you want the parcel tax to pass, DPD, I suggest you get on the bandwagon and start educating the public on why we need the tax to pass.”
I’m sorry but I don’t believe that’s my job and I believe I have made a case as to why we need to parcel tax. But as I said above, I don’t think November is the time to do it.
“If you want the parcel tax to pass, DPD, I suggest you get on the bandwagon and start educating the public on why we need the tax to pass.”
I’m sorry but I don’t believe that’s my job and I believe I have made a case as to why we need to parcel tax. But as I said above, I don’t think November is the time to do it.
“If you want the parcel tax to pass, DPD, I suggest you get on the bandwagon and start educating the public on why we need the tax to pass.”
I’m sorry but I don’t believe that’s my job and I believe I have made a case as to why we need to parcel tax. But as I said above, I don’t think November is the time to do it.
“If you want the parcel tax to pass, DPD, I suggest you get on the bandwagon and start educating the public on why we need the tax to pass.”
I’m sorry but I don’t believe that’s my job and I believe I have made a case as to why we need to parcel tax. But as I said above, I don’t think November is the time to do it.
OK. Then vote NO
However, don’t be surprised when Emerson is shut and class sizes are increased, electives at all schools disappear.
If you want to know what the budget is and what the schools are spending their money on – go to the district website and read it, attend one of the many public meetings where the budget is discussed, attend a PTA meeting where the budget is discussed.
Why must the information be spoon-fed to you?
OK. Then vote NO
However, don’t be surprised when Emerson is shut and class sizes are increased, electives at all schools disappear.
If you want to know what the budget is and what the schools are spending their money on – go to the district website and read it, attend one of the many public meetings where the budget is discussed, attend a PTA meeting where the budget is discussed.
Why must the information be spoon-fed to you?
OK. Then vote NO
However, don’t be surprised when Emerson is shut and class sizes are increased, electives at all schools disappear.
If you want to know what the budget is and what the schools are spending their money on – go to the district website and read it, attend one of the many public meetings where the budget is discussed, attend a PTA meeting where the budget is discussed.
Why must the information be spoon-fed to you?
OK. Then vote NO
However, don’t be surprised when Emerson is shut and class sizes are increased, electives at all schools disappear.
If you want to know what the budget is and what the schools are spending their money on – go to the district website and read it, attend one of the many public meetings where the budget is discussed, attend a PTA meeting where the budget is discussed.
Why must the information be spoon-fed to you?
“Continued coverage about the negatives to the parcel tax will doom its passage. If it doesn’t pass, then the community will deserve the cuts to programs and the closure of schools that will have to be done as a result. I, for one, will have no sympathy for any protests or marches or whathaveyou.”
So what are you saying, that the parcel tax will not pass because selfish people have been saying negative things? Good grief, where have you been? There is not enough support for the parcel tax because of fiscal mismanagement that is still ongoing. For instance, how much did they pay the consultant for the survey?
“Continued coverage about the negatives to the parcel tax will doom its passage. If it doesn’t pass, then the community will deserve the cuts to programs and the closure of schools that will have to be done as a result. I, for one, will have no sympathy for any protests or marches or whathaveyou.”
So what are you saying, that the parcel tax will not pass because selfish people have been saying negative things? Good grief, where have you been? There is not enough support for the parcel tax because of fiscal mismanagement that is still ongoing. For instance, how much did they pay the consultant for the survey?
“Continued coverage about the negatives to the parcel tax will doom its passage. If it doesn’t pass, then the community will deserve the cuts to programs and the closure of schools that will have to be done as a result. I, for one, will have no sympathy for any protests or marches or whathaveyou.”
So what are you saying, that the parcel tax will not pass because selfish people have been saying negative things? Good grief, where have you been? There is not enough support for the parcel tax because of fiscal mismanagement that is still ongoing. For instance, how much did they pay the consultant for the survey?
“Continued coverage about the negatives to the parcel tax will doom its passage. If it doesn’t pass, then the community will deserve the cuts to programs and the closure of schools that will have to be done as a result. I, for one, will have no sympathy for any protests or marches or whathaveyou.”
So what are you saying, that the parcel tax will not pass because selfish people have been saying negative things? Good grief, where have you been? There is not enough support for the parcel tax because of fiscal mismanagement that is still ongoing. For instance, how much did they pay the consultant for the survey?
76.77
165.90
144.60
598.24
——-
985.51
what do those numbers represent? the $ amounts for DJUSD on my yolo county tax bill…I bought my house in 1998.
November or 2009 — doesn’t matter to me, enough of my money goes to DJUSD already
76.77
165.90
144.60
598.24
——-
985.51
what do those numbers represent? the $ amounts for DJUSD on my yolo county tax bill…I bought my house in 1998.
November or 2009 — doesn’t matter to me, enough of my money goes to DJUSD already
76.77
165.90
144.60
598.24
——-
985.51
what do those numbers represent? the $ amounts for DJUSD on my yolo county tax bill…I bought my house in 1998.
November or 2009 — doesn’t matter to me, enough of my money goes to DJUSD already
76.77
165.90
144.60
598.24
——-
985.51
what do those numbers represent? the $ amounts for DJUSD on my yolo county tax bill…I bought my house in 1998.
November or 2009 — doesn’t matter to me, enough of my money goes to DJUSD already
I’m with 1000 is enough. I don’t want to pay for your Tiffany’s music and french lessons or your Blake’s hopeful football career. Foot your own bills for the frills. Doesn’t matter when you time it, my answer is still no.
I’m with 1000 is enough. I don’t want to pay for your Tiffany’s music and french lessons or your Blake’s hopeful football career. Foot your own bills for the frills. Doesn’t matter when you time it, my answer is still no.
I’m with 1000 is enough. I don’t want to pay for your Tiffany’s music and french lessons or your Blake’s hopeful football career. Foot your own bills for the frills. Doesn’t matter when you time it, my answer is still no.
I’m with 1000 is enough. I don’t want to pay for your Tiffany’s music and french lessons or your Blake’s hopeful football career. Foot your own bills for the frills. Doesn’t matter when you time it, my answer is still no.
I agree with old timer. The requirements for UC don’t allow much room for electives anyway. I would rather my child only attend six required periods and then we can decide what type of “electives” to choose outside of school, on my dime. I don’t want to soak every taxpayer in Davis to fund my child’s electives. I feel that the taxpayer is already being very generous by helping pay for my child’s basic education.
I agree with old timer. The requirements for UC don’t allow much room for electives anyway. I would rather my child only attend six required periods and then we can decide what type of “electives” to choose outside of school, on my dime. I don’t want to soak every taxpayer in Davis to fund my child’s electives. I feel that the taxpayer is already being very generous by helping pay for my child’s basic education.
I agree with old timer. The requirements for UC don’t allow much room for electives anyway. I would rather my child only attend six required periods and then we can decide what type of “electives” to choose outside of school, on my dime. I don’t want to soak every taxpayer in Davis to fund my child’s electives. I feel that the taxpayer is already being very generous by helping pay for my child’s basic education.
I agree with old timer. The requirements for UC don’t allow much room for electives anyway. I would rather my child only attend six required periods and then we can decide what type of “electives” to choose outside of school, on my dime. I don’t want to soak every taxpayer in Davis to fund my child’s electives. I feel that the taxpayer is already being very generous by helping pay for my child’s basic education.
The parcel tax increase is a cheap price to pay to keep home values in Davis high. Property owner should all support the parcel tax, because the high quality of Davis schools is one of the main factors leading to excess demand for housing in Davis, and therefore propping up property values.
The parcel tax increase is a cheap price to pay to keep home values in Davis high. Property owner should all support the parcel tax, because the high quality of Davis schools is one of the main factors leading to excess demand for housing in Davis, and therefore propping up property values.
The parcel tax increase is a cheap price to pay to keep home values in Davis high. Property owner should all support the parcel tax, because the high quality of Davis schools is one of the main factors leading to excess demand for housing in Davis, and therefore propping up property values.
The parcel tax increase is a cheap price to pay to keep home values in Davis high. Property owner should all support the parcel tax, because the high quality of Davis schools is one of the main factors leading to excess demand for housing in Davis, and therefore propping up property values.
I had a very good public education complete with art, music, PE, libraries and other “frills” as well as the basics, and I am happy to return the favor to the next generation. Vote yes on the parcel tax.
I had a very good public education complete with art, music, PE, libraries and other “frills” as well as the basics, and I am happy to return the favor to the next generation. Vote yes on the parcel tax.
I had a very good public education complete with art, music, PE, libraries and other “frills” as well as the basics, and I am happy to return the favor to the next generation. Vote yes on the parcel tax.
I had a very good public education complete with art, music, PE, libraries and other “frills” as well as the basics, and I am happy to return the favor to the next generation. Vote yes on the parcel tax.
As an owner of several properties across the state I would rather see property prices go down. It makes is easier for myself and first time home buyers to purchase property. The lower the price the less money I can put down percentage-wise and still have my renters cover the mortgage. I then have more money left over for more downs on other property. It works out better for all. Those of you who have paper equity in your house still can’t afford to move up to bigger houses. Your retirements should not be funded by your primary residence. You will just end up trading your home to the state to get into a nursing home and your heirs will never see the money.
As an owner of several properties across the state I would rather see property prices go down. It makes is easier for myself and first time home buyers to purchase property. The lower the price the less money I can put down percentage-wise and still have my renters cover the mortgage. I then have more money left over for more downs on other property. It works out better for all. Those of you who have paper equity in your house still can’t afford to move up to bigger houses. Your retirements should not be funded by your primary residence. You will just end up trading your home to the state to get into a nursing home and your heirs will never see the money.
As an owner of several properties across the state I would rather see property prices go down. It makes is easier for myself and first time home buyers to purchase property. The lower the price the less money I can put down percentage-wise and still have my renters cover the mortgage. I then have more money left over for more downs on other property. It works out better for all. Those of you who have paper equity in your house still can’t afford to move up to bigger houses. Your retirements should not be funded by your primary residence. You will just end up trading your home to the state to get into a nursing home and your heirs will never see the money.
As an owner of several properties across the state I would rather see property prices go down. It makes is easier for myself and first time home buyers to purchase property. The lower the price the less money I can put down percentage-wise and still have my renters cover the mortgage. I then have more money left over for more downs on other property. It works out better for all. Those of you who have paper equity in your house still can’t afford to move up to bigger houses. Your retirements should not be funded by your primary residence. You will just end up trading your home to the state to get into a nursing home and your heirs will never see the money.
To the poster who said “why does information have to be spoonfed to you?”, the answer is simple:
Because THAT’s the only way DJUSD is going to get any support.
If a parcel tax is going to pass in this economic climate, then DJUSD is going to be VERY CLEAR as to:
(1) Why the money is needed
(2) How it will SPECIFICALLY be applied
(3) What it will PAY for
(4) What it will do for students and the community
This is not asking much. In fact, it’s the very LEAST the district needs to do if they are asking the community to pony up…yet again.
All this talk about openness and transparency is nonsense until we have laid out in front of us EXACTLY what a new parcel tax will do.
To the board members, you are going to have to sell this measure to us in a huge way. Don’t expect us to willingly open our wallets to you – we’ve done it in the past and yet more money is needed. Okay – we understand that the California state budget it the problem…so clearly explain to us what this money is going to be used for.
(1) Write a clear Op-Ed for the Davis Enterprise and bullet-point the specific targets of this tax.
(2) Show accountability
(3) Create a website speficially for your parcel tax and point out every dollar you will use
If you want our money, we want to know where it is going. I still maintain that Shelia Allen was wildly off when she stated at a recent board meeting that the Davis community gave their total support to the “Dollar-A-Day” program. $1.7 million raised did not reach the $4 million goal. On top of that, several very large donations helped carry the fundraising to $1.7 million.
To the poster who said “why does information have to be spoonfed to you?”, the answer is simple:
Because THAT’s the only way DJUSD is going to get any support.
If a parcel tax is going to pass in this economic climate, then DJUSD is going to be VERY CLEAR as to:
(1) Why the money is needed
(2) How it will SPECIFICALLY be applied
(3) What it will PAY for
(4) What it will do for students and the community
This is not asking much. In fact, it’s the very LEAST the district needs to do if they are asking the community to pony up…yet again.
All this talk about openness and transparency is nonsense until we have laid out in front of us EXACTLY what a new parcel tax will do.
To the board members, you are going to have to sell this measure to us in a huge way. Don’t expect us to willingly open our wallets to you – we’ve done it in the past and yet more money is needed. Okay – we understand that the California state budget it the problem…so clearly explain to us what this money is going to be used for.
(1) Write a clear Op-Ed for the Davis Enterprise and bullet-point the specific targets of this tax.
(2) Show accountability
(3) Create a website speficially for your parcel tax and point out every dollar you will use
If you want our money, we want to know where it is going. I still maintain that Shelia Allen was wildly off when she stated at a recent board meeting that the Davis community gave their total support to the “Dollar-A-Day” program. $1.7 million raised did not reach the $4 million goal. On top of that, several very large donations helped carry the fundraising to $1.7 million.
To the poster who said “why does information have to be spoonfed to you?”, the answer is simple:
Because THAT’s the only way DJUSD is going to get any support.
If a parcel tax is going to pass in this economic climate, then DJUSD is going to be VERY CLEAR as to:
(1) Why the money is needed
(2) How it will SPECIFICALLY be applied
(3) What it will PAY for
(4) What it will do for students and the community
This is not asking much. In fact, it’s the very LEAST the district needs to do if they are asking the community to pony up…yet again.
All this talk about openness and transparency is nonsense until we have laid out in front of us EXACTLY what a new parcel tax will do.
To the board members, you are going to have to sell this measure to us in a huge way. Don’t expect us to willingly open our wallets to you – we’ve done it in the past and yet more money is needed. Okay – we understand that the California state budget it the problem…so clearly explain to us what this money is going to be used for.
(1) Write a clear Op-Ed for the Davis Enterprise and bullet-point the specific targets of this tax.
(2) Show accountability
(3) Create a website speficially for your parcel tax and point out every dollar you will use
If you want our money, we want to know where it is going. I still maintain that Shelia Allen was wildly off when she stated at a recent board meeting that the Davis community gave their total support to the “Dollar-A-Day” program. $1.7 million raised did not reach the $4 million goal. On top of that, several very large donations helped carry the fundraising to $1.7 million.
To the poster who said “why does information have to be spoonfed to you?”, the answer is simple:
Because THAT’s the only way DJUSD is going to get any support.
If a parcel tax is going to pass in this economic climate, then DJUSD is going to be VERY CLEAR as to:
(1) Why the money is needed
(2) How it will SPECIFICALLY be applied
(3) What it will PAY for
(4) What it will do for students and the community
This is not asking much. In fact, it’s the very LEAST the district needs to do if they are asking the community to pony up…yet again.
All this talk about openness and transparency is nonsense until we have laid out in front of us EXACTLY what a new parcel tax will do.
To the board members, you are going to have to sell this measure to us in a huge way. Don’t expect us to willingly open our wallets to you – we’ve done it in the past and yet more money is needed. Okay – we understand that the California state budget it the problem…so clearly explain to us what this money is going to be used for.
(1) Write a clear Op-Ed for the Davis Enterprise and bullet-point the specific targets of this tax.
(2) Show accountability
(3) Create a website speficially for your parcel tax and point out every dollar you will use
If you want our money, we want to know where it is going. I still maintain that Shelia Allen was wildly off when she stated at a recent board meeting that the Davis community gave their total support to the “Dollar-A-Day” program. $1.7 million raised did not reach the $4 million goal. On top of that, several very large donations helped carry the fundraising to $1.7 million.
“OK. Then vote NO
However, don’t be surprised when Emerson is shut and class sizes are increased, electives at all schools disappear.”
Emerson is slated for closure anyway, even if we pass the parcel tax. Remember, they said it was necessary to come up with something like $16 million to bring Emerson “up to code”. The parcel tax will not nearly cover that amount. Read between the lines.
“Well because in part, the polling shows that the voter doesn’t know much about the district or local governance. We don’t have to assume anything, we have our evidence right here.”
I vaguely remember that the people polled were not really a representative sample of the citizens of Davis. They were seniors and students, from what I read. Correct me if I am wrong.
If I am right, this would skew the results considerably – and it could be very understandable if those polled might not understand the mechanics of a parcel tax. Students in particular would not – they are too busy getting an education. Seniors are not necessarily following school issues since they are not likely to have children/grandchildren in the public school system.
I think the consultant picked these two groups thinking they would be more apt to be supportive of another parcel tax. Students would not have to pay it, nor would low income seniors. Nor seniors who live in facilities. The consultants/School Board/District were hoisted by their own strategy – and surprised at the negative results.
What bothers me is the idea that the School Board should wait until another crisis situation can be engineered, to put pressure of voters to pass another parcel tax. We have been doing that for years, and look what we have gotten for our trouble? To pay another parcel tax, without some accountability, is not going to result in any change – just business as usual. I don’t want to encourage that sort of thinking. It has been going on for far too long.
“OK. Then vote NO
However, don’t be surprised when Emerson is shut and class sizes are increased, electives at all schools disappear.”
Emerson is slated for closure anyway, even if we pass the parcel tax. Remember, they said it was necessary to come up with something like $16 million to bring Emerson “up to code”. The parcel tax will not nearly cover that amount. Read between the lines.
“Well because in part, the polling shows that the voter doesn’t know much about the district or local governance. We don’t have to assume anything, we have our evidence right here.”
I vaguely remember that the people polled were not really a representative sample of the citizens of Davis. They were seniors and students, from what I read. Correct me if I am wrong.
If I am right, this would skew the results considerably – and it could be very understandable if those polled might not understand the mechanics of a parcel tax. Students in particular would not – they are too busy getting an education. Seniors are not necessarily following school issues since they are not likely to have children/grandchildren in the public school system.
I think the consultant picked these two groups thinking they would be more apt to be supportive of another parcel tax. Students would not have to pay it, nor would low income seniors. Nor seniors who live in facilities. The consultants/School Board/District were hoisted by their own strategy – and surprised at the negative results.
What bothers me is the idea that the School Board should wait until another crisis situation can be engineered, to put pressure of voters to pass another parcel tax. We have been doing that for years, and look what we have gotten for our trouble? To pay another parcel tax, without some accountability, is not going to result in any change – just business as usual. I don’t want to encourage that sort of thinking. It has been going on for far too long.
“OK. Then vote NO
However, don’t be surprised when Emerson is shut and class sizes are increased, electives at all schools disappear.”
Emerson is slated for closure anyway, even if we pass the parcel tax. Remember, they said it was necessary to come up with something like $16 million to bring Emerson “up to code”. The parcel tax will not nearly cover that amount. Read between the lines.
“Well because in part, the polling shows that the voter doesn’t know much about the district or local governance. We don’t have to assume anything, we have our evidence right here.”
I vaguely remember that the people polled were not really a representative sample of the citizens of Davis. They were seniors and students, from what I read. Correct me if I am wrong.
If I am right, this would skew the results considerably – and it could be very understandable if those polled might not understand the mechanics of a parcel tax. Students in particular would not – they are too busy getting an education. Seniors are not necessarily following school issues since they are not likely to have children/grandchildren in the public school system.
I think the consultant picked these two groups thinking they would be more apt to be supportive of another parcel tax. Students would not have to pay it, nor would low income seniors. Nor seniors who live in facilities. The consultants/School Board/District were hoisted by their own strategy – and surprised at the negative results.
What bothers me is the idea that the School Board should wait until another crisis situation can be engineered, to put pressure of voters to pass another parcel tax. We have been doing that for years, and look what we have gotten for our trouble? To pay another parcel tax, without some accountability, is not going to result in any change – just business as usual. I don’t want to encourage that sort of thinking. It has been going on for far too long.
“OK. Then vote NO
However, don’t be surprised when Emerson is shut and class sizes are increased, electives at all schools disappear.”
Emerson is slated for closure anyway, even if we pass the parcel tax. Remember, they said it was necessary to come up with something like $16 million to bring Emerson “up to code”. The parcel tax will not nearly cover that amount. Read between the lines.
“Well because in part, the polling shows that the voter doesn’t know much about the district or local governance. We don’t have to assume anything, we have our evidence right here.”
I vaguely remember that the people polled were not really a representative sample of the citizens of Davis. They were seniors and students, from what I read. Correct me if I am wrong.
If I am right, this would skew the results considerably – and it could be very understandable if those polled might not understand the mechanics of a parcel tax. Students in particular would not – they are too busy getting an education. Seniors are not necessarily following school issues since they are not likely to have children/grandchildren in the public school system.
I think the consultant picked these two groups thinking they would be more apt to be supportive of another parcel tax. Students would not have to pay it, nor would low income seniors. Nor seniors who live in facilities. The consultants/School Board/District were hoisted by their own strategy – and surprised at the negative results.
What bothers me is the idea that the School Board should wait until another crisis situation can be engineered, to put pressure of voters to pass another parcel tax. We have been doing that for years, and look what we have gotten for our trouble? To pay another parcel tax, without some accountability, is not going to result in any change – just business as usual. I don’t want to encourage that sort of thinking. It has been going on for far too long.
“
(1) Why the money is needed
(2) How it will SPECIFICALLY be applied
(3) What it will PAY for
(4) What it will do for students and the community”
(5) How much property owners are already paying. Also, renters need to understand that this is a factor in their rent.
“
(1) Why the money is needed
(2) How it will SPECIFICALLY be applied
(3) What it will PAY for
(4) What it will do for students and the community”
(5) How much property owners are already paying. Also, renters need to understand that this is a factor in their rent.
“
(1) Why the money is needed
(2) How it will SPECIFICALLY be applied
(3) What it will PAY for
(4) What it will do for students and the community”
(5) How much property owners are already paying. Also, renters need to understand that this is a factor in their rent.
“
(1) Why the money is needed
(2) How it will SPECIFICALLY be applied
(3) What it will PAY for
(4) What it will do for students and the community”
(5) How much property owners are already paying. Also, renters need to understand that this is a factor in their rent.
‘I vaguely remember that the people polled were not really a representative sample of the citizens of Davis. They were seniors and students, from what I read. Correct me if I am wrong’
That IS Davis. You have the aging core with a light, fluffy topping of students.
‘I vaguely remember that the people polled were not really a representative sample of the citizens of Davis. They were seniors and students, from what I read. Correct me if I am wrong’
That IS Davis. You have the aging core with a light, fluffy topping of students.
‘I vaguely remember that the people polled were not really a representative sample of the citizens of Davis. They were seniors and students, from what I read. Correct me if I am wrong’
That IS Davis. You have the aging core with a light, fluffy topping of students.
‘I vaguely remember that the people polled were not really a representative sample of the citizens of Davis. They were seniors and students, from what I read. Correct me if I am wrong’
That IS Davis. You have the aging core with a light, fluffy topping of students.
We will have the largest turnout in November and it will be the most accurate measure of the political will of the Davis voters. A March low turn-out strategy to pass a school parcel tax is unacceptably cynical and anti-democratic. I am reminded of a political democratic -principles illustration that was
represented as circular rather than linear; The Left and Right meeting next to each other with regard to antidemocratic “strategy”.
We will have the largest turnout in November and it will be the most accurate measure of the political will of the Davis voters. A March low turn-out strategy to pass a school parcel tax is unacceptably cynical and anti-democratic. I am reminded of a political democratic -principles illustration that was
represented as circular rather than linear; The Left and Right meeting next to each other with regard to antidemocratic “strategy”.
We will have the largest turnout in November and it will be the most accurate measure of the political will of the Davis voters. A March low turn-out strategy to pass a school parcel tax is unacceptably cynical and anti-democratic. I am reminded of a political democratic -principles illustration that was
represented as circular rather than linear; The Left and Right meeting next to each other with regard to antidemocratic “strategy”.
We will have the largest turnout in November and it will be the most accurate measure of the political will of the Davis voters. A March low turn-out strategy to pass a school parcel tax is unacceptably cynical and anti-democratic. I am reminded of a political democratic -principles illustration that was
represented as circular rather than linear; The Left and Right meeting next to each other with regard to antidemocratic “strategy”.
1000 is enough –
It looks like you may have a house in a Mello-Roos area. Your tax bill is higher because your house was 10’s of thousands of dollars cheaper than other areas of town where the developer paid required fees and included it in purchase price of the house at the time of the purchase. Your developer chose to have the homeowner pay the fees.
1000 is enough –
It looks like you may have a house in a Mello-Roos area. Your tax bill is higher because your house was 10’s of thousands of dollars cheaper than other areas of town where the developer paid required fees and included it in purchase price of the house at the time of the purchase. Your developer chose to have the homeowner pay the fees.
1000 is enough –
It looks like you may have a house in a Mello-Roos area. Your tax bill is higher because your house was 10’s of thousands of dollars cheaper than other areas of town where the developer paid required fees and included it in purchase price of the house at the time of the purchase. Your developer chose to have the homeowner pay the fees.
1000 is enough –
It looks like you may have a house in a Mello-Roos area. Your tax bill is higher because your house was 10’s of thousands of dollars cheaper than other areas of town where the developer paid required fees and included it in purchase price of the house at the time of the purchase. Your developer chose to have the homeowner pay the fees.
“I’m with 1000 is enough. I don’t want to pay for your Tiffany’s music and french lessons or your Blake’s hopeful football career. Foot your own bills for the frills. Doesn’t matter when you time it, my answer is still no.”
This is really the genisis of the issue. What are frills, and what are basics? We have many parents in Davis who believe Mandarin Chinese is not a frill. Yet these same folks didn’t bat much of an eye when Valley Oak closed. VO provided a basic education to our most at-risk students.
Now the school district is talking about closing Emerson. Finally the fiscal mismanagement is coming home to roost where it really hurts everyone. The closure of Emerson will impact everybody in town – crowding both junior highs and the high school. Overcrowding is, in itself, an issue. I used to teach in a portable classroom with 42 students. They did fine. Is classroom size consideration a frill or necessity? Some of it is state mandated, so I would guess a necessity.
“I had a very good public education complete with art, music, PE, libraries and other “frills” as well as the basics, and I am happy to return the favor to the next generation. Vote yes on the parcel tax.”
What you are failing to understand is that basics are going to go, while frills are paid for. From what I can see, Emerson is slated for closure, while the parcel tax will be used for God only knows what.
“If a parcel tax is going to pass in this economic climate, then DJUSD is going to be VERY CLEAR as to:
(1) Why the money is needed
(2) How it will SPECIFICALLY be applied
(3) What it will PAY for
(4) What it will do for students and the community”
Amen, sister! Take a look at the previous parcel tax, and what it was going to be “used for”. The claim was for some sort of nutrition program as one of the items. But look at the language that appeared in the Davis Enterprise as to what this nutrition program entailed:
1) “teaching students to…eat…fruits and veggies”
2) “reinforce…recycling”
3) “teaching…gardening programs”
4) “teaching…edible ethics”
5) “establishing a ‘Crunch Lunch’…program…[of] nutritional and educational value”
6) “garden coordinator” who will facilitate elementary school children to “display…impressively large 35-pound cabbage[s]…grown by…third grader[s]”
Most parents were under the impression the nutrition program was for making sure school lunches contained local fresh fruits and vegetables. The mush above couldn’t be more unclear and nonspecific, not to mention downright frilly. Is this what you want to spend your taxpayer dollars on? But this is the sort of thing parcel tax funding goes to pay for, among other things. Specificity is key to support for another parcel tax. If citizens don’t want to pay for it, they will let you know by their vote. But be up front about it.
“I’m with 1000 is enough. I don’t want to pay for your Tiffany’s music and french lessons or your Blake’s hopeful football career. Foot your own bills for the frills. Doesn’t matter when you time it, my answer is still no.”
This is really the genisis of the issue. What are frills, and what are basics? We have many parents in Davis who believe Mandarin Chinese is not a frill. Yet these same folks didn’t bat much of an eye when Valley Oak closed. VO provided a basic education to our most at-risk students.
Now the school district is talking about closing Emerson. Finally the fiscal mismanagement is coming home to roost where it really hurts everyone. The closure of Emerson will impact everybody in town – crowding both junior highs and the high school. Overcrowding is, in itself, an issue. I used to teach in a portable classroom with 42 students. They did fine. Is classroom size consideration a frill or necessity? Some of it is state mandated, so I would guess a necessity.
“I had a very good public education complete with art, music, PE, libraries and other “frills” as well as the basics, and I am happy to return the favor to the next generation. Vote yes on the parcel tax.”
What you are failing to understand is that basics are going to go, while frills are paid for. From what I can see, Emerson is slated for closure, while the parcel tax will be used for God only knows what.
“If a parcel tax is going to pass in this economic climate, then DJUSD is going to be VERY CLEAR as to:
(1) Why the money is needed
(2) How it will SPECIFICALLY be applied
(3) What it will PAY for
(4) What it will do for students and the community”
Amen, sister! Take a look at the previous parcel tax, and what it was going to be “used for”. The claim was for some sort of nutrition program as one of the items. But look at the language that appeared in the Davis Enterprise as to what this nutrition program entailed:
1) “teaching students to…eat…fruits and veggies”
2) “reinforce…recycling”
3) “teaching…gardening programs”
4) “teaching…edible ethics”
5) “establishing a ‘Crunch Lunch’…program…[of] nutritional and educational value”
6) “garden coordinator” who will facilitate elementary school children to “display…impressively large 35-pound cabbage[s]…grown by…third grader[s]”
Most parents were under the impression the nutrition program was for making sure school lunches contained local fresh fruits and vegetables. The mush above couldn’t be more unclear and nonspecific, not to mention downright frilly. Is this what you want to spend your taxpayer dollars on? But this is the sort of thing parcel tax funding goes to pay for, among other things. Specificity is key to support for another parcel tax. If citizens don’t want to pay for it, they will let you know by their vote. But be up front about it.
“I’m with 1000 is enough. I don’t want to pay for your Tiffany’s music and french lessons or your Blake’s hopeful football career. Foot your own bills for the frills. Doesn’t matter when you time it, my answer is still no.”
This is really the genisis of the issue. What are frills, and what are basics? We have many parents in Davis who believe Mandarin Chinese is not a frill. Yet these same folks didn’t bat much of an eye when Valley Oak closed. VO provided a basic education to our most at-risk students.
Now the school district is talking about closing Emerson. Finally the fiscal mismanagement is coming home to roost where it really hurts everyone. The closure of Emerson will impact everybody in town – crowding both junior highs and the high school. Overcrowding is, in itself, an issue. I used to teach in a portable classroom with 42 students. They did fine. Is classroom size consideration a frill or necessity? Some of it is state mandated, so I would guess a necessity.
“I had a very good public education complete with art, music, PE, libraries and other “frills” as well as the basics, and I am happy to return the favor to the next generation. Vote yes on the parcel tax.”
What you are failing to understand is that basics are going to go, while frills are paid for. From what I can see, Emerson is slated for closure, while the parcel tax will be used for God only knows what.
“If a parcel tax is going to pass in this economic climate, then DJUSD is going to be VERY CLEAR as to:
(1) Why the money is needed
(2) How it will SPECIFICALLY be applied
(3) What it will PAY for
(4) What it will do for students and the community”
Amen, sister! Take a look at the previous parcel tax, and what it was going to be “used for”. The claim was for some sort of nutrition program as one of the items. But look at the language that appeared in the Davis Enterprise as to what this nutrition program entailed:
1) “teaching students to…eat…fruits and veggies”
2) “reinforce…recycling”
3) “teaching…gardening programs”
4) “teaching…edible ethics”
5) “establishing a ‘Crunch Lunch’…program…[of] nutritional and educational value”
6) “garden coordinator” who will facilitate elementary school children to “display…impressively large 35-pound cabbage[s]…grown by…third grader[s]”
Most parents were under the impression the nutrition program was for making sure school lunches contained local fresh fruits and vegetables. The mush above couldn’t be more unclear and nonspecific, not to mention downright frilly. Is this what you want to spend your taxpayer dollars on? But this is the sort of thing parcel tax funding goes to pay for, among other things. Specificity is key to support for another parcel tax. If citizens don’t want to pay for it, they will let you know by their vote. But be up front about it.
“I’m with 1000 is enough. I don’t want to pay for your Tiffany’s music and french lessons or your Blake’s hopeful football career. Foot your own bills for the frills. Doesn’t matter when you time it, my answer is still no.”
This is really the genisis of the issue. What are frills, and what are basics? We have many parents in Davis who believe Mandarin Chinese is not a frill. Yet these same folks didn’t bat much of an eye when Valley Oak closed. VO provided a basic education to our most at-risk students.
Now the school district is talking about closing Emerson. Finally the fiscal mismanagement is coming home to roost where it really hurts everyone. The closure of Emerson will impact everybody in town – crowding both junior highs and the high school. Overcrowding is, in itself, an issue. I used to teach in a portable classroom with 42 students. They did fine. Is classroom size consideration a frill or necessity? Some of it is state mandated, so I would guess a necessity.
“I had a very good public education complete with art, music, PE, libraries and other “frills” as well as the basics, and I am happy to return the favor to the next generation. Vote yes on the parcel tax.”
What you are failing to understand is that basics are going to go, while frills are paid for. From what I can see, Emerson is slated for closure, while the parcel tax will be used for God only knows what.
“If a parcel tax is going to pass in this economic climate, then DJUSD is going to be VERY CLEAR as to:
(1) Why the money is needed
(2) How it will SPECIFICALLY be applied
(3) What it will PAY for
(4) What it will do for students and the community”
Amen, sister! Take a look at the previous parcel tax, and what it was going to be “used for”. The claim was for some sort of nutrition program as one of the items. But look at the language that appeared in the Davis Enterprise as to what this nutrition program entailed:
1) “teaching students to…eat…fruits and veggies”
2) “reinforce…recycling”
3) “teaching…gardening programs”
4) “teaching…edible ethics”
5) “establishing a ‘Crunch Lunch’…program…[of] nutritional and educational value”
6) “garden coordinator” who will facilitate elementary school children to “display…impressively large 35-pound cabbage[s]…grown by…third grader[s]”
Most parents were under the impression the nutrition program was for making sure school lunches contained local fresh fruits and vegetables. The mush above couldn’t be more unclear and nonspecific, not to mention downright frilly. Is this what you want to spend your taxpayer dollars on? But this is the sort of thing parcel tax funding goes to pay for, among other things. Specificity is key to support for another parcel tax. If citizens don’t want to pay for it, they will let you know by their vote. But be up front about it.
Anon,
I do not have any mello-roos taxes…all line items specifically state DJUSD. My house was not 10’s of thousands cheaper — we looked all over Davis and it was actually more than the rest of Davis.
What minimal amount of funding is needed to keep Emerson legally open? Not a fantasy wish list to make it look like Shangri-La (the vaunted propaganda that $16 million was necessary to make it come “up to code” – if the $16 million is not spent, can it be opened for less? How much less?)
The biggest misconception is that salary money and building costs is interchangeable money. They’re not. Salary money cannot be used to bring buildings up to code or to build new schools. The district cannot sell off property (Grande or Nugget fields for instance), and pay salaries. If the district did, then it would violate state law and maybe risk being taken over by the county.
The basic rule to upgrading is once you start, you have to bring the entire thing up to code — all the codes that have taken effect since Emerson (or whichever school) opened.
Building/upgrade moneys usually are raised from a bond measure (either state or local) or sometimes state grants. Not from parcel taxes.
Anon,
I do not have any mello-roos taxes…all line items specifically state DJUSD. My house was not 10’s of thousands cheaper — we looked all over Davis and it was actually more than the rest of Davis.
What minimal amount of funding is needed to keep Emerson legally open? Not a fantasy wish list to make it look like Shangri-La (the vaunted propaganda that $16 million was necessary to make it come “up to code” – if the $16 million is not spent, can it be opened for less? How much less?)
The biggest misconception is that salary money and building costs is interchangeable money. They’re not. Salary money cannot be used to bring buildings up to code or to build new schools. The district cannot sell off property (Grande or Nugget fields for instance), and pay salaries. If the district did, then it would violate state law and maybe risk being taken over by the county.
The basic rule to upgrading is once you start, you have to bring the entire thing up to code — all the codes that have taken effect since Emerson (or whichever school) opened.
Building/upgrade moneys usually are raised from a bond measure (either state or local) or sometimes state grants. Not from parcel taxes.
Anon,
I do not have any mello-roos taxes…all line items specifically state DJUSD. My house was not 10’s of thousands cheaper — we looked all over Davis and it was actually more than the rest of Davis.
What minimal amount of funding is needed to keep Emerson legally open? Not a fantasy wish list to make it look like Shangri-La (the vaunted propaganda that $16 million was necessary to make it come “up to code” – if the $16 million is not spent, can it be opened for less? How much less?)
The biggest misconception is that salary money and building costs is interchangeable money. They’re not. Salary money cannot be used to bring buildings up to code or to build new schools. The district cannot sell off property (Grande or Nugget fields for instance), and pay salaries. If the district did, then it would violate state law and maybe risk being taken over by the county.
The basic rule to upgrading is once you start, you have to bring the entire thing up to code — all the codes that have taken effect since Emerson (or whichever school) opened.
Building/upgrade moneys usually are raised from a bond measure (either state or local) or sometimes state grants. Not from parcel taxes.
Anon,
I do not have any mello-roos taxes…all line items specifically state DJUSD. My house was not 10’s of thousands cheaper — we looked all over Davis and it was actually more than the rest of Davis.
What minimal amount of funding is needed to keep Emerson legally open? Not a fantasy wish list to make it look like Shangri-La (the vaunted propaganda that $16 million was necessary to make it come “up to code” – if the $16 million is not spent, can it be opened for less? How much less?)
The biggest misconception is that salary money and building costs is interchangeable money. They’re not. Salary money cannot be used to bring buildings up to code or to build new schools. The district cannot sell off property (Grande or Nugget fields for instance), and pay salaries. If the district did, then it would violate state law and maybe risk being taken over by the county.
The basic rule to upgrading is once you start, you have to bring the entire thing up to code — all the codes that have taken effect since Emerson (or whichever school) opened.
Building/upgrade moneys usually are raised from a bond measure (either state or local) or sometimes state grants. Not from parcel taxes.
We could go back to a 6 period day. I’m sure the students would love it. Start at 9:00 am and end at 3:00 pm. They would take Math, English, Social Science (History, Government, Economics), Science, PE, and Foreign Language. Juniors and Seniors would have an opportunity to take UC required Fine Arts (music, art, etc.) once the P.E. requirement is completed after 10th grade.
We would have to change the graduation requirements so that things like Health, Practical Arts, etc. were no longer a requirement as there would be no opportunity for all students to take these. There would be no need for most electives – Psychology, Journalism, Ag courses, auto shop, woodworking, stagecraft, Work experience, drafting, etc. No need for both a concert & symphonic band, no need for two orchestras since it would only be juniors & seniors participating.
Doesn’t that sound exciting?
We could go back to a 6 period day. I’m sure the students would love it. Start at 9:00 am and end at 3:00 pm. They would take Math, English, Social Science (History, Government, Economics), Science, PE, and Foreign Language. Juniors and Seniors would have an opportunity to take UC required Fine Arts (music, art, etc.) once the P.E. requirement is completed after 10th grade.
We would have to change the graduation requirements so that things like Health, Practical Arts, etc. were no longer a requirement as there would be no opportunity for all students to take these. There would be no need for most electives – Psychology, Journalism, Ag courses, auto shop, woodworking, stagecraft, Work experience, drafting, etc. No need for both a concert & symphonic band, no need for two orchestras since it would only be juniors & seniors participating.
Doesn’t that sound exciting?
We could go back to a 6 period day. I’m sure the students would love it. Start at 9:00 am and end at 3:00 pm. They would take Math, English, Social Science (History, Government, Economics), Science, PE, and Foreign Language. Juniors and Seniors would have an opportunity to take UC required Fine Arts (music, art, etc.) once the P.E. requirement is completed after 10th grade.
We would have to change the graduation requirements so that things like Health, Practical Arts, etc. were no longer a requirement as there would be no opportunity for all students to take these. There would be no need for most electives – Psychology, Journalism, Ag courses, auto shop, woodworking, stagecraft, Work experience, drafting, etc. No need for both a concert & symphonic band, no need for two orchestras since it would only be juniors & seniors participating.
Doesn’t that sound exciting?
We could go back to a 6 period day. I’m sure the students would love it. Start at 9:00 am and end at 3:00 pm. They would take Math, English, Social Science (History, Government, Economics), Science, PE, and Foreign Language. Juniors and Seniors would have an opportunity to take UC required Fine Arts (music, art, etc.) once the P.E. requirement is completed after 10th grade.
We would have to change the graduation requirements so that things like Health, Practical Arts, etc. were no longer a requirement as there would be no opportunity for all students to take these. There would be no need for most electives – Psychology, Journalism, Ag courses, auto shop, woodworking, stagecraft, Work experience, drafting, etc. No need for both a concert & symphonic band, no need for two orchestras since it would only be juniors & seniors participating.
Doesn’t that sound exciting?
The November vote for the parcel tax increase will come after an especially long and brutal summer/fall fire fighting season and a bitter and protracted State budget crisis for FY 2008-09. The resulting negative political climate will be an especially poor stage for supporters of the tax increase to plead their case. The cause-weary voters of the City of Davis will vote it down!
The November vote for the parcel tax increase will come after an especially long and brutal summer/fall fire fighting season and a bitter and protracted State budget crisis for FY 2008-09. The resulting negative political climate will be an especially poor stage for supporters of the tax increase to plead their case. The cause-weary voters of the City of Davis will vote it down!
The November vote for the parcel tax increase will come after an especially long and brutal summer/fall fire fighting season and a bitter and protracted State budget crisis for FY 2008-09. The resulting negative political climate will be an especially poor stage for supporters of the tax increase to plead their case. The cause-weary voters of the City of Davis will vote it down!
The November vote for the parcel tax increase will come after an especially long and brutal summer/fall fire fighting season and a bitter and protracted State budget crisis for FY 2008-09. The resulting negative political climate will be an especially poor stage for supporters of the tax increase to plead their case. The cause-weary voters of the City of Davis will vote it down!
Pay or lay off the staff. If the schools can’t find more money maybe they can get the Davis Schools Foundation to panhandle another couple of million. If both the parcel tax fails and the rich are tired of paying for what the taxpayers refuse to pay then the schools go down.
Pay or lay off the staff. If the schools can’t find more money maybe they can get the Davis Schools Foundation to panhandle another couple of million. If both the parcel tax fails and the rich are tired of paying for what the taxpayers refuse to pay then the schools go down.
Pay or lay off the staff. If the schools can’t find more money maybe they can get the Davis Schools Foundation to panhandle another couple of million. If both the parcel tax fails and the rich are tired of paying for what the taxpayers refuse to pay then the schools go down.
Pay or lay off the staff. If the schools can’t find more money maybe they can get the Davis Schools Foundation to panhandle another couple of million. If both the parcel tax fails and the rich are tired of paying for what the taxpayers refuse to pay then the schools go down.
Most parents were under the impression the nutrition program was for making sure school lunches contained local fresh fruits and vegetables. The mush above couldn’t be more unclear and nonspecific, not to mention downright frilly. Is this what you want to spend your taxpayer dollars on? But this is the sort of thing parcel tax funding goes to pay for, among other things. Specificity is key to support for another parcel tax. If citizens don’t want to pay for it, they will let you know by their vote. But be up front about it.
The first sentence is correct. Much of the other prose in your comment is Jeff Hudson probably interviewing overly optimistic supporters.
Here’s some more specificity for Measure Q from the district website.
Most parents were under the impression the nutrition program was for making sure school lunches contained local fresh fruits and vegetables. The mush above couldn’t be more unclear and nonspecific, not to mention downright frilly. Is this what you want to spend your taxpayer dollars on? But this is the sort of thing parcel tax funding goes to pay for, among other things. Specificity is key to support for another parcel tax. If citizens don’t want to pay for it, they will let you know by their vote. But be up front about it.
The first sentence is correct. Much of the other prose in your comment is Jeff Hudson probably interviewing overly optimistic supporters.
Here’s some more specificity for Measure Q from the district website.
Most parents were under the impression the nutrition program was for making sure school lunches contained local fresh fruits and vegetables. The mush above couldn’t be more unclear and nonspecific, not to mention downright frilly. Is this what you want to spend your taxpayer dollars on? But this is the sort of thing parcel tax funding goes to pay for, among other things. Specificity is key to support for another parcel tax. If citizens don’t want to pay for it, they will let you know by their vote. But be up front about it.
The first sentence is correct. Much of the other prose in your comment is Jeff Hudson probably interviewing overly optimistic supporters.
Here’s some more specificity for Measure Q from the district website.
Most parents were under the impression the nutrition program was for making sure school lunches contained local fresh fruits and vegetables. The mush above couldn’t be more unclear and nonspecific, not to mention downright frilly. Is this what you want to spend your taxpayer dollars on? But this is the sort of thing parcel tax funding goes to pay for, among other things. Specificity is key to support for another parcel tax. If citizens don’t want to pay for it, they will let you know by their vote. But be up front about it.
The first sentence is correct. Much of the other prose in your comment is Jeff Hudson probably interviewing overly optimistic supporters.
Here’s some more specificity for Measure Q from the district website.
I fully support the school parcel tax proposal, at the $140 range.
If the state budget restores some of the taken money (fat chance), there should be a contingency in the tax that somehow reduces it.
November is going to see a huge turnout, and I think the tax will do just fine, if the public is educated about it, and the campaign is a good one.
I fully support the school parcel tax proposal, at the $140 range.
If the state budget restores some of the taken money (fat chance), there should be a contingency in the tax that somehow reduces it.
November is going to see a huge turnout, and I think the tax will do just fine, if the public is educated about it, and the campaign is a good one.
I fully support the school parcel tax proposal, at the $140 range.
If the state budget restores some of the taken money (fat chance), there should be a contingency in the tax that somehow reduces it.
November is going to see a huge turnout, and I think the tax will do just fine, if the public is educated about it, and the campaign is a good one.
I fully support the school parcel tax proposal, at the $140 range.
If the state budget restores some of the taken money (fat chance), there should be a contingency in the tax that somehow reduces it.
November is going to see a huge turnout, and I think the tax will do just fine, if the public is educated about it, and the campaign is a good one.
A parcel tax vote authorizes the board of trustees to levy the tax, up to the amount specified. The board of trustees then vote each year on whether to levy the tax and by how much. This is done as part of developing the budget.
This year’s vote took place in the June 18 school board meeting, near the end of the meeting. You can see this in the digital archives, near the very end of that meeting.
Under these rules, hypothetically, if the board of trustees decided that it had more than enough money for the budget, it could choose not to collect the tax for that year, or to collect a reduced amount.
The same thing is done for CFD assessments, and that also took place at the June 18 meeting.
A parcel tax vote authorizes the board of trustees to levy the tax, up to the amount specified. The board of trustees then vote each year on whether to levy the tax and by how much. This is done as part of developing the budget.
This year’s vote took place in the June 18 school board meeting, near the end of the meeting. You can see this in the digital archives, near the very end of that meeting.
Under these rules, hypothetically, if the board of trustees decided that it had more than enough money for the budget, it could choose not to collect the tax for that year, or to collect a reduced amount.
The same thing is done for CFD assessments, and that also took place at the June 18 meeting.
A parcel tax vote authorizes the board of trustees to levy the tax, up to the amount specified. The board of trustees then vote each year on whether to levy the tax and by how much. This is done as part of developing the budget.
This year’s vote took place in the June 18 school board meeting, near the end of the meeting. You can see this in the digital archives, near the very end of that meeting.
Under these rules, hypothetically, if the board of trustees decided that it had more than enough money for the budget, it could choose not to collect the tax for that year, or to collect a reduced amount.
The same thing is done for CFD assessments, and that also took place at the June 18 meeting.
A parcel tax vote authorizes the board of trustees to levy the tax, up to the amount specified. The board of trustees then vote each year on whether to levy the tax and by how much. This is done as part of developing the budget.
This year’s vote took place in the June 18 school board meeting, near the end of the meeting. You can see this in the digital archives, near the very end of that meeting.
Under these rules, hypothetically, if the board of trustees decided that it had more than enough money for the budget, it could choose not to collect the tax for that year, or to collect a reduced amount.
The same thing is done for CFD assessments, and that also took place at the June 18 meeting.
anonymous 8:02 am – DPD has been educating the public on why we need a parcel tax. It appears that he is giving his honest assessment.
I personally value his assessment, because he’s not just “going along to get along.” He knows it doesn’t look good and wants the board to do what’s best for our children and the community.
anonymous 8:02 am – DPD has been educating the public on why we need a parcel tax. It appears that he is giving his honest assessment.
I personally value his assessment, because he’s not just “going along to get along.” He knows it doesn’t look good and wants the board to do what’s best for our children and the community.
anonymous 8:02 am – DPD has been educating the public on why we need a parcel tax. It appears that he is giving his honest assessment.
I personally value his assessment, because he’s not just “going along to get along.” He knows it doesn’t look good and wants the board to do what’s best for our children and the community.
anonymous 8:02 am – DPD has been educating the public on why we need a parcel tax. It appears that he is giving his honest assessment.
I personally value his assessment, because he’s not just “going along to get along.” He knows it doesn’t look good and wants the board to do what’s best for our children and the community.
“What you are failing to understand is that basics are going to go, while frills are paid for. From what I can see, Emerson is slated for closure, while the parcel tax will be used for God only knows what.”
What you are failing to understand is that money to pay for the renovation of Emerson comes from a different pot of money (facilities money) than either ADA or the parcel tax. You can’t use ongoing money (parcel tax/ADA) to renovate a facility.
How is voting down the parcel tax going to save Emerson? It isn’t.
“What you are failing to understand is that basics are going to go, while frills are paid for. From what I can see, Emerson is slated for closure, while the parcel tax will be used for God only knows what.”
What you are failing to understand is that money to pay for the renovation of Emerson comes from a different pot of money (facilities money) than either ADA or the parcel tax. You can’t use ongoing money (parcel tax/ADA) to renovate a facility.
How is voting down the parcel tax going to save Emerson? It isn’t.
“What you are failing to understand is that basics are going to go, while frills are paid for. From what I can see, Emerson is slated for closure, while the parcel tax will be used for God only knows what.”
What you are failing to understand is that money to pay for the renovation of Emerson comes from a different pot of money (facilities money) than either ADA or the parcel tax. You can’t use ongoing money (parcel tax/ADA) to renovate a facility.
How is voting down the parcel tax going to save Emerson? It isn’t.
“What you are failing to understand is that basics are going to go, while frills are paid for. From what I can see, Emerson is slated for closure, while the parcel tax will be used for God only knows what.”
What you are failing to understand is that money to pay for the renovation of Emerson comes from a different pot of money (facilities money) than either ADA or the parcel tax. You can’t use ongoing money (parcel tax/ADA) to renovate a facility.
How is voting down the parcel tax going to save Emerson? It isn’t.
what i find interesting is how strong an overlap there seems to be between the 30% conservative antitax population in town (the 25% republican population – assorted liberal republicans + roughly 5% or so assorted independents and democrats) and the comments threads on the flagship of davis’ self-styled progressive community.
i’ve noticed similar confluences from time to time in the flatlander and people stumping against sales taxes at the farmer’s market.
it does bring to mind certain questions about how we might define “progressive.” opposing school bonds strikes me as the very opposite of how i’d define the term, but YMMV.
what i find interesting is how strong an overlap there seems to be between the 30% conservative antitax population in town (the 25% republican population – assorted liberal republicans + roughly 5% or so assorted independents and democrats) and the comments threads on the flagship of davis’ self-styled progressive community.
i’ve noticed similar confluences from time to time in the flatlander and people stumping against sales taxes at the farmer’s market.
it does bring to mind certain questions about how we might define “progressive.” opposing school bonds strikes me as the very opposite of how i’d define the term, but YMMV.
what i find interesting is how strong an overlap there seems to be between the 30% conservative antitax population in town (the 25% republican population – assorted liberal republicans + roughly 5% or so assorted independents and democrats) and the comments threads on the flagship of davis’ self-styled progressive community.
i’ve noticed similar confluences from time to time in the flatlander and people stumping against sales taxes at the farmer’s market.
it does bring to mind certain questions about how we might define “progressive.” opposing school bonds strikes me as the very opposite of how i’d define the term, but YMMV.
what i find interesting is how strong an overlap there seems to be between the 30% conservative antitax population in town (the 25% republican population – assorted liberal republicans + roughly 5% or so assorted independents and democrats) and the comments threads on the flagship of davis’ self-styled progressive community.
i’ve noticed similar confluences from time to time in the flatlander and people stumping against sales taxes at the farmer’s market.
it does bring to mind certain questions about how we might define “progressive.” opposing school bonds strikes me as the very opposite of how i’d define the term, but YMMV.
and to be clear, this is not about the blog itself, but the comments. DPD’s been pretty clear about his support for schools (as well as holding the school board accountable for poor performance).
the amount people get in benefits far exceeds what they pay out in taxes. $140 is a pittance to keep a good school system running.
and to be clear, this is not about the blog itself, but the comments. DPD’s been pretty clear about his support for schools (as well as holding the school board accountable for poor performance).
the amount people get in benefits far exceeds what they pay out in taxes. $140 is a pittance to keep a good school system running.
and to be clear, this is not about the blog itself, but the comments. DPD’s been pretty clear about his support for schools (as well as holding the school board accountable for poor performance).
the amount people get in benefits far exceeds what they pay out in taxes. $140 is a pittance to keep a good school system running.
and to be clear, this is not about the blog itself, but the comments. DPD’s been pretty clear about his support for schools (as well as holding the school board accountable for poor performance).
the amount people get in benefits far exceeds what they pay out in taxes. $140 is a pittance to keep a good school system running.
Wu Ming,
Good observation. That’s because a good contingent of the Davis “Progressives” just use no growth and purported environmental/ag land preservation arguments to support their conservative economic policies.
Wu Ming,
Good observation. That’s because a good contingent of the Davis “Progressives” just use no growth and purported environmental/ag land preservation arguments to support their conservative economic policies.
Wu Ming,
Good observation. That’s because a good contingent of the Davis “Progressives” just use no growth and purported environmental/ag land preservation arguments to support their conservative economic policies.
Wu Ming,
Good observation. That’s because a good contingent of the Davis “Progressives” just use no growth and purported environmental/ag land preservation arguments to support their conservative economic policies.
“I don’t want to pay for your Tiffany’s music and french lessons or your Blake’s hopeful football career. Foot your own bills for the frills.”
The secondary football program is already largely paid for by student fees — mostly for uniform, equipment, and travel. The district pays minimal stipends (a few thousand dollars) for a coach and someone with specialty in sports medicine to monitor sports injuries. The program takes place after school hours, and is probably the minimal amount that the district can pay out and still have a football program.
French and music classes are driven by enrollment (if the enrollment isn’t adequate, the class doesn’t happen) and are standard college prep courses that colleges and universities (including UC Davis) require for admission. French and German have been seeing declining enrollment in the district. Language classes with growing enrollments are Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, the two most widely spoke first languages in Davis and the rest of the world.
For almost 30 years, California has not funded K-12 education adequately compared compared to most other states. California is below the national average in funding K-12 education, and DJUSD is below the state average in funding K-12 education.
The strength of our future economy and community depends, in part, on what we’re willing to pay for public education.
“I don’t want to pay for your Tiffany’s music and french lessons or your Blake’s hopeful football career. Foot your own bills for the frills.”
The secondary football program is already largely paid for by student fees — mostly for uniform, equipment, and travel. The district pays minimal stipends (a few thousand dollars) for a coach and someone with specialty in sports medicine to monitor sports injuries. The program takes place after school hours, and is probably the minimal amount that the district can pay out and still have a football program.
French and music classes are driven by enrollment (if the enrollment isn’t adequate, the class doesn’t happen) and are standard college prep courses that colleges and universities (including UC Davis) require for admission. French and German have been seeing declining enrollment in the district. Language classes with growing enrollments are Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, the two most widely spoke first languages in Davis and the rest of the world.
For almost 30 years, California has not funded K-12 education adequately compared compared to most other states. California is below the national average in funding K-12 education, and DJUSD is below the state average in funding K-12 education.
The strength of our future economy and community depends, in part, on what we’re willing to pay for public education.
“I don’t want to pay for your Tiffany’s music and french lessons or your Blake’s hopeful football career. Foot your own bills for the frills.”
The secondary football program is already largely paid for by student fees — mostly for uniform, equipment, and travel. The district pays minimal stipends (a few thousand dollars) for a coach and someone with specialty in sports medicine to monitor sports injuries. The program takes place after school hours, and is probably the minimal amount that the district can pay out and still have a football program.
French and music classes are driven by enrollment (if the enrollment isn’t adequate, the class doesn’t happen) and are standard college prep courses that colleges and universities (including UC Davis) require for admission. French and German have been seeing declining enrollment in the district. Language classes with growing enrollments are Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, the two most widely spoke first languages in Davis and the rest of the world.
For almost 30 years, California has not funded K-12 education adequately compared compared to most other states. California is below the national average in funding K-12 education, and DJUSD is below the state average in funding K-12 education.
The strength of our future economy and community depends, in part, on what we’re willing to pay for public education.
“I don’t want to pay for your Tiffany’s music and french lessons or your Blake’s hopeful football career. Foot your own bills for the frills.”
The secondary football program is already largely paid for by student fees — mostly for uniform, equipment, and travel. The district pays minimal stipends (a few thousand dollars) for a coach and someone with specialty in sports medicine to monitor sports injuries. The program takes place after school hours, and is probably the minimal amount that the district can pay out and still have a football program.
French and music classes are driven by enrollment (if the enrollment isn’t adequate, the class doesn’t happen) and are standard college prep courses that colleges and universities (including UC Davis) require for admission. French and German have been seeing declining enrollment in the district. Language classes with growing enrollments are Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, the two most widely spoke first languages in Davis and the rest of the world.
For almost 30 years, California has not funded K-12 education adequately compared compared to most other states. California is below the national average in funding K-12 education, and DJUSD is below the state average in funding K-12 education.
The strength of our future economy and community depends, in part, on what we’re willing to pay for public education.
wu ming said:
“what i find interesting is how strong an overlap there seems to be between the 30% conservative antitax population in town (the 25% republican population – assorted liberal republicans + roughly 5% or so assorted independents and democrats) and the comments threads on the flagship of davis’ self-styled progressive community.”
I think it is pretty obvious that many of the comments posted here in recent months come from people who hold views quite the opposite of “progressive.” Some of those people are trolls – lurkers who enjoy posting irritating comments designed to piss off most readers of the blog. That’s life in the Internet age.
It would be a mistake to assume that the distribution of opinions expressed in the comments are quantitatively reflective of the blog’s readership.
wu ming said:
“what i find interesting is how strong an overlap there seems to be between the 30% conservative antitax population in town (the 25% republican population – assorted liberal republicans + roughly 5% or so assorted independents and democrats) and the comments threads on the flagship of davis’ self-styled progressive community.”
I think it is pretty obvious that many of the comments posted here in recent months come from people who hold views quite the opposite of “progressive.” Some of those people are trolls – lurkers who enjoy posting irritating comments designed to piss off most readers of the blog. That’s life in the Internet age.
It would be a mistake to assume that the distribution of opinions expressed in the comments are quantitatively reflective of the blog’s readership.
wu ming said:
“what i find interesting is how strong an overlap there seems to be between the 30% conservative antitax population in town (the 25% republican population – assorted liberal republicans + roughly 5% or so assorted independents and democrats) and the comments threads on the flagship of davis’ self-styled progressive community.”
I think it is pretty obvious that many of the comments posted here in recent months come from people who hold views quite the opposite of “progressive.” Some of those people are trolls – lurkers who enjoy posting irritating comments designed to piss off most readers of the blog. That’s life in the Internet age.
It would be a mistake to assume that the distribution of opinions expressed in the comments are quantitatively reflective of the blog’s readership.
wu ming said:
“what i find interesting is how strong an overlap there seems to be between the 30% conservative antitax population in town (the 25% republican population – assorted liberal republicans + roughly 5% or so assorted independents and democrats) and the comments threads on the flagship of davis’ self-styled progressive community.”
I think it is pretty obvious that many of the comments posted here in recent months come from people who hold views quite the opposite of “progressive.” Some of those people are trolls – lurkers who enjoy posting irritating comments designed to piss off most readers of the blog. That’s life in the Internet age.
It would be a mistake to assume that the distribution of opinions expressed in the comments are quantitatively reflective of the blog’s readership.
on reflection, i think that’s probably right.
on reflection, i think that’s probably right.
on reflection, i think that’s probably right.
on reflection, i think that’s probably right.
“What you are failing to understand is that money to pay for the renovation of Emerson comes from a different pot of money (facilities money) than either ADA or the parcel tax. You can’t use ongoing money (parcel tax/ADA) to renovate a facility.
How is voting down the parcel tax going to save Emerson? It isn’t.”
You make good points, so let me better explain. I want to know the minimum amount it will require so that students can legally attend Emerson (facilities money), and how much it will take to staff Emerson (operating expenses). If it turns out that Emerson can get away without any renovations for the moment, and legally stay open, then how much will it take in operating expenses to keep running? If the amount is $600,000, the amount that was allegedly going to be saved by closing Emerson, then I would suspect no one in Davis would have a problem ponying up that amount of parcel tax to keep Emerson open.
But the School District/Board is arguing the Emerson will require $16 million to “come up to code” as if it doesn’t come up to code, it will have to close. I suspect that is not the case. Emerson’s need for major and expensive renovations did not come up to the extent it has until we had a budget crisis, and the School Board had to find a way to make major budget cuts.
I want an honest assessment of the needs, and how the parcel tax is going to address those needs. For instance, if Emerson is going to be closed anyway, because there is not enough in the facilities funding to keep it legally open, then that will free up $600,000 according to the School District. $600,000 in operating expense money we do not need to come up with in a parcel tax.
From what I can tell, in the past, the parcel tax has tended to be used for a lot of senseless frills, expemplified by the nonsense about the nutrition program. If Jeff Hudson’s article on the subject was inaccurate, then why didn’t the School Board take him to task in its own editorial?
“It would be a mistake to assume that the distribution of opinions expressed in the comments are quantitatively reflective of the blog’s readership.”
That is one way to be dismissive of your opposition, without addressing the issues.
“What you are failing to understand is that money to pay for the renovation of Emerson comes from a different pot of money (facilities money) than either ADA or the parcel tax. You can’t use ongoing money (parcel tax/ADA) to renovate a facility.
How is voting down the parcel tax going to save Emerson? It isn’t.”
You make good points, so let me better explain. I want to know the minimum amount it will require so that students can legally attend Emerson (facilities money), and how much it will take to staff Emerson (operating expenses). If it turns out that Emerson can get away without any renovations for the moment, and legally stay open, then how much will it take in operating expenses to keep running? If the amount is $600,000, the amount that was allegedly going to be saved by closing Emerson, then I would suspect no one in Davis would have a problem ponying up that amount of parcel tax to keep Emerson open.
But the School District/Board is arguing the Emerson will require $16 million to “come up to code” as if it doesn’t come up to code, it will have to close. I suspect that is not the case. Emerson’s need for major and expensive renovations did not come up to the extent it has until we had a budget crisis, and the School Board had to find a way to make major budget cuts.
I want an honest assessment of the needs, and how the parcel tax is going to address those needs. For instance, if Emerson is going to be closed anyway, because there is not enough in the facilities funding to keep it legally open, then that will free up $600,000 according to the School District. $600,000 in operating expense money we do not need to come up with in a parcel tax.
From what I can tell, in the past, the parcel tax has tended to be used for a lot of senseless frills, expemplified by the nonsense about the nutrition program. If Jeff Hudson’s article on the subject was inaccurate, then why didn’t the School Board take him to task in its own editorial?
“It would be a mistake to assume that the distribution of opinions expressed in the comments are quantitatively reflective of the blog’s readership.”
That is one way to be dismissive of your opposition, without addressing the issues.
“What you are failing to understand is that money to pay for the renovation of Emerson comes from a different pot of money (facilities money) than either ADA or the parcel tax. You can’t use ongoing money (parcel tax/ADA) to renovate a facility.
How is voting down the parcel tax going to save Emerson? It isn’t.”
You make good points, so let me better explain. I want to know the minimum amount it will require so that students can legally attend Emerson (facilities money), and how much it will take to staff Emerson (operating expenses). If it turns out that Emerson can get away without any renovations for the moment, and legally stay open, then how much will it take in operating expenses to keep running? If the amount is $600,000, the amount that was allegedly going to be saved by closing Emerson, then I would suspect no one in Davis would have a problem ponying up that amount of parcel tax to keep Emerson open.
But the School District/Board is arguing the Emerson will require $16 million to “come up to code” as if it doesn’t come up to code, it will have to close. I suspect that is not the case. Emerson’s need for major and expensive renovations did not come up to the extent it has until we had a budget crisis, and the School Board had to find a way to make major budget cuts.
I want an honest assessment of the needs, and how the parcel tax is going to address those needs. For instance, if Emerson is going to be closed anyway, because there is not enough in the facilities funding to keep it legally open, then that will free up $600,000 according to the School District. $600,000 in operating expense money we do not need to come up with in a parcel tax.
From what I can tell, in the past, the parcel tax has tended to be used for a lot of senseless frills, expemplified by the nonsense about the nutrition program. If Jeff Hudson’s article on the subject was inaccurate, then why didn’t the School Board take him to task in its own editorial?
“It would be a mistake to assume that the distribution of opinions expressed in the comments are quantitatively reflective of the blog’s readership.”
That is one way to be dismissive of your opposition, without addressing the issues.
“What you are failing to understand is that money to pay for the renovation of Emerson comes from a different pot of money (facilities money) than either ADA or the parcel tax. You can’t use ongoing money (parcel tax/ADA) to renovate a facility.
How is voting down the parcel tax going to save Emerson? It isn’t.”
You make good points, so let me better explain. I want to know the minimum amount it will require so that students can legally attend Emerson (facilities money), and how much it will take to staff Emerson (operating expenses). If it turns out that Emerson can get away without any renovations for the moment, and legally stay open, then how much will it take in operating expenses to keep running? If the amount is $600,000, the amount that was allegedly going to be saved by closing Emerson, then I would suspect no one in Davis would have a problem ponying up that amount of parcel tax to keep Emerson open.
But the School District/Board is arguing the Emerson will require $16 million to “come up to code” as if it doesn’t come up to code, it will have to close. I suspect that is not the case. Emerson’s need for major and expensive renovations did not come up to the extent it has until we had a budget crisis, and the School Board had to find a way to make major budget cuts.
I want an honest assessment of the needs, and how the parcel tax is going to address those needs. For instance, if Emerson is going to be closed anyway, because there is not enough in the facilities funding to keep it legally open, then that will free up $600,000 according to the School District. $600,000 in operating expense money we do not need to come up with in a parcel tax.
From what I can tell, in the past, the parcel tax has tended to be used for a lot of senseless frills, expemplified by the nonsense about the nutrition program. If Jeff Hudson’s article on the subject was inaccurate, then why didn’t the School Board take him to task in its own editorial?
“It would be a mistake to assume that the distribution of opinions expressed in the comments are quantitatively reflective of the blog’s readership.”
That is one way to be dismissive of your opposition, without addressing the issues.
The parcel tax issue illuminates an unhappy reality in Davis that most are unwilling to mention because it’s not PC: the schools are absolutely wonderful for about 20-25% of the kids. They are indifferent to a large number of kids who do not have the family or financial support to access the enrichment programs DJUSD offers. They are downright hostile environments to a smaller but significant percentage of kids. This latter group gets pushed to the edge of the school culture until by the time they are in middle school, they are pushed out of district schools. If you want to see where some of Davis’ entrollment numbers are going, check out the number of Davis kids who attend Jesuit, Christian Bros., Loreto, St. Francis, Woodland Christian, Merry Hill etc. Each of these families has decided they would rather spend a great deal of $ for private school rather than stay in DJSUD because for whatever reason, they feel their children’s needs are not being met.
And those folks won’t be voting for a parcel tax, and neither will their friends and relatives . . . a little self-examination by DJUSD would be useful in bringing these families and others back into the fold. After all, most of them moved to Davis thinking their kids would be in public school. This is one aspect of the parcel tax problem, and it won’t be addressed if the PC position is “our schools are wonderful – don’t change anything – just give us more money.” I don’t mean to sound negative. I’d very much like to see the schools supported. But the support for the schools among many is like the curriculum – a mile wide and an inch deep.
The parcel tax issue illuminates an unhappy reality in Davis that most are unwilling to mention because it’s not PC: the schools are absolutely wonderful for about 20-25% of the kids. They are indifferent to a large number of kids who do not have the family or financial support to access the enrichment programs DJUSD offers. They are downright hostile environments to a smaller but significant percentage of kids. This latter group gets pushed to the edge of the school culture until by the time they are in middle school, they are pushed out of district schools. If you want to see where some of Davis’ entrollment numbers are going, check out the number of Davis kids who attend Jesuit, Christian Bros., Loreto, St. Francis, Woodland Christian, Merry Hill etc. Each of these families has decided they would rather spend a great deal of $ for private school rather than stay in DJSUD because for whatever reason, they feel their children’s needs are not being met.
And those folks won’t be voting for a parcel tax, and neither will their friends and relatives . . . a little self-examination by DJUSD would be useful in bringing these families and others back into the fold. After all, most of them moved to Davis thinking their kids would be in public school. This is one aspect of the parcel tax problem, and it won’t be addressed if the PC position is “our schools are wonderful – don’t change anything – just give us more money.” I don’t mean to sound negative. I’d very much like to see the schools supported. But the support for the schools among many is like the curriculum – a mile wide and an inch deep.
The parcel tax issue illuminates an unhappy reality in Davis that most are unwilling to mention because it’s not PC: the schools are absolutely wonderful for about 20-25% of the kids. They are indifferent to a large number of kids who do not have the family or financial support to access the enrichment programs DJUSD offers. They are downright hostile environments to a smaller but significant percentage of kids. This latter group gets pushed to the edge of the school culture until by the time they are in middle school, they are pushed out of district schools. If you want to see where some of Davis’ entrollment numbers are going, check out the number of Davis kids who attend Jesuit, Christian Bros., Loreto, St. Francis, Woodland Christian, Merry Hill etc. Each of these families has decided they would rather spend a great deal of $ for private school rather than stay in DJSUD because for whatever reason, they feel their children’s needs are not being met.
And those folks won’t be voting for a parcel tax, and neither will their friends and relatives . . . a little self-examination by DJUSD would be useful in bringing these families and others back into the fold. After all, most of them moved to Davis thinking their kids would be in public school. This is one aspect of the parcel tax problem, and it won’t be addressed if the PC position is “our schools are wonderful – don’t change anything – just give us more money.” I don’t mean to sound negative. I’d very much like to see the schools supported. But the support for the schools among many is like the curriculum – a mile wide and an inch deep.
The parcel tax issue illuminates an unhappy reality in Davis that most are unwilling to mention because it’s not PC: the schools are absolutely wonderful for about 20-25% of the kids. They are indifferent to a large number of kids who do not have the family or financial support to access the enrichment programs DJUSD offers. They are downright hostile environments to a smaller but significant percentage of kids. This latter group gets pushed to the edge of the school culture until by the time they are in middle school, they are pushed out of district schools. If you want to see where some of Davis’ entrollment numbers are going, check out the number of Davis kids who attend Jesuit, Christian Bros., Loreto, St. Francis, Woodland Christian, Merry Hill etc. Each of these families has decided they would rather spend a great deal of $ for private school rather than stay in DJSUD because for whatever reason, they feel their children’s needs are not being met.
And those folks won’t be voting for a parcel tax, and neither will their friends and relatives . . . a little self-examination by DJUSD would be useful in bringing these families and others back into the fold. After all, most of them moved to Davis thinking their kids would be in public school. This is one aspect of the parcel tax problem, and it won’t be addressed if the PC position is “our schools are wonderful – don’t change anything – just give us more money.” I don’t mean to sound negative. I’d very much like to see the schools supported. But the support for the schools among many is like the curriculum – a mile wide and an inch deep.
I’m going to throw the flag here. We are bending the definition of PC beyond usability. I think you have a valid point, but it’s not an issue of PC. It’s an issue that people in Davis do not want to acknowledge the darker side of Davis.
I’m going to throw the flag here. We are bending the definition of PC beyond usability. I think you have a valid point, but it’s not an issue of PC. It’s an issue that people in Davis do not want to acknowledge the darker side of Davis.
I’m going to throw the flag here. We are bending the definition of PC beyond usability. I think you have a valid point, but it’s not an issue of PC. It’s an issue that people in Davis do not want to acknowledge the darker side of Davis.
I’m going to throw the flag here. We are bending the definition of PC beyond usability. I think you have a valid point, but it’s not an issue of PC. It’s an issue that people in Davis do not want to acknowledge the darker side of Davis.
“Emerson’s need for major and expensive renovations did not come up to the extent it has until we had a budget crisis, and the School Board had to find a way to make major budget cuts.”
First of all, I would say this is not true. It may not have been on the general public’s radar, but I heard a BOE member say 2+ years ago, after touring Emerson, that it would be easier and cheaper to level the place and start over rather than trying to fix it.
I would also like to know what “over 1000” is paying for on his tax bill because I bought my house in 2002, and my DJUSD expenses do not even come close to that number. I am somewhere between $300-$400 which strikes me as pretty good.
As for my opinion, I have not seen a lot of fiscal mismanagement as far as programming is concerned– I understand that there are issues with the facilities and possibly administration– I concede on David Murphy. I think we have definitely been guilty of spending one-time monies for on-going programs that many kids have benefitted from. I think the BOE and the public should have been asking why Davis could continue to offer so many different programs while surrounding districts were cutting back, and then maybe we would not be in deficit spending; but we would have been making program cuts a lot sooner.
And, finally, California does a pathetic job funding education. It is the most important investment that our commmunity and state can make for the future– if we donot fund education, we had better get ready to keep funding prisons. So, if California is not going to step up, then we need to do it for our kids and our neighbors kids. I suggest that you ask friends and relatives who do not live in CA what there local property taxes look like. I would guess that any community that looks like Davis is taking a lot more money to fund their very successful schools. I know in CA we are supposed to complain about high taxes, but compared to my East Coast cohorts, I don’t see it.
I do not think this parcel tax is asking too much. If we need to educate the public, then let’s do it.
“Emerson’s need for major and expensive renovations did not come up to the extent it has until we had a budget crisis, and the School Board had to find a way to make major budget cuts.”
First of all, I would say this is not true. It may not have been on the general public’s radar, but I heard a BOE member say 2+ years ago, after touring Emerson, that it would be easier and cheaper to level the place and start over rather than trying to fix it.
I would also like to know what “over 1000” is paying for on his tax bill because I bought my house in 2002, and my DJUSD expenses do not even come close to that number. I am somewhere between $300-$400 which strikes me as pretty good.
As for my opinion, I have not seen a lot of fiscal mismanagement as far as programming is concerned– I understand that there are issues with the facilities and possibly administration– I concede on David Murphy. I think we have definitely been guilty of spending one-time monies for on-going programs that many kids have benefitted from. I think the BOE and the public should have been asking why Davis could continue to offer so many different programs while surrounding districts were cutting back, and then maybe we would not be in deficit spending; but we would have been making program cuts a lot sooner.
And, finally, California does a pathetic job funding education. It is the most important investment that our commmunity and state can make for the future– if we donot fund education, we had better get ready to keep funding prisons. So, if California is not going to step up, then we need to do it for our kids and our neighbors kids. I suggest that you ask friends and relatives who do not live in CA what there local property taxes look like. I would guess that any community that looks like Davis is taking a lot more money to fund their very successful schools. I know in CA we are supposed to complain about high taxes, but compared to my East Coast cohorts, I don’t see it.
I do not think this parcel tax is asking too much. If we need to educate the public, then let’s do it.
“Emerson’s need for major and expensive renovations did not come up to the extent it has until we had a budget crisis, and the School Board had to find a way to make major budget cuts.”
First of all, I would say this is not true. It may not have been on the general public’s radar, but I heard a BOE member say 2+ years ago, after touring Emerson, that it would be easier and cheaper to level the place and start over rather than trying to fix it.
I would also like to know what “over 1000” is paying for on his tax bill because I bought my house in 2002, and my DJUSD expenses do not even come close to that number. I am somewhere between $300-$400 which strikes me as pretty good.
As for my opinion, I have not seen a lot of fiscal mismanagement as far as programming is concerned– I understand that there are issues with the facilities and possibly administration– I concede on David Murphy. I think we have definitely been guilty of spending one-time monies for on-going programs that many kids have benefitted from. I think the BOE and the public should have been asking why Davis could continue to offer so many different programs while surrounding districts were cutting back, and then maybe we would not be in deficit spending; but we would have been making program cuts a lot sooner.
And, finally, California does a pathetic job funding education. It is the most important investment that our commmunity and state can make for the future– if we donot fund education, we had better get ready to keep funding prisons. So, if California is not going to step up, then we need to do it for our kids and our neighbors kids. I suggest that you ask friends and relatives who do not live in CA what there local property taxes look like. I would guess that any community that looks like Davis is taking a lot more money to fund their very successful schools. I know in CA we are supposed to complain about high taxes, but compared to my East Coast cohorts, I don’t see it.
I do not think this parcel tax is asking too much. If we need to educate the public, then let’s do it.
“Emerson’s need for major and expensive renovations did not come up to the extent it has until we had a budget crisis, and the School Board had to find a way to make major budget cuts.”
First of all, I would say this is not true. It may not have been on the general public’s radar, but I heard a BOE member say 2+ years ago, after touring Emerson, that it would be easier and cheaper to level the place and start over rather than trying to fix it.
I would also like to know what “over 1000” is paying for on his tax bill because I bought my house in 2002, and my DJUSD expenses do not even come close to that number. I am somewhere between $300-$400 which strikes me as pretty good.
As for my opinion, I have not seen a lot of fiscal mismanagement as far as programming is concerned– I understand that there are issues with the facilities and possibly administration– I concede on David Murphy. I think we have definitely been guilty of spending one-time monies for on-going programs that many kids have benefitted from. I think the BOE and the public should have been asking why Davis could continue to offer so many different programs while surrounding districts were cutting back, and then maybe we would not be in deficit spending; but we would have been making program cuts a lot sooner.
And, finally, California does a pathetic job funding education. It is the most important investment that our commmunity and state can make for the future– if we donot fund education, we had better get ready to keep funding prisons. So, if California is not going to step up, then we need to do it for our kids and our neighbors kids. I suggest that you ask friends and relatives who do not live in CA what there local property taxes look like. I would guess that any community that looks like Davis is taking a lot more money to fund their very successful schools. I know in CA we are supposed to complain about high taxes, but compared to my East Coast cohorts, I don’t see it.
I do not think this parcel tax is asking too much. If we need to educate the public, then let’s do it.
“The cat is out of the bag”. The closing of Valley Oak and the torpedoing of the charter school plan revealed that those with more political/economic power in our community get to determine DJUSD policies for Davis kids. Given that, rather than a parcel tax, a sales tax where the more you have and spend more accurately parallels the political power exerted on DJUSD decisions is more equitable..
“The cat is out of the bag”. The closing of Valley Oak and the torpedoing of the charter school plan revealed that those with more political/economic power in our community get to determine DJUSD policies for Davis kids. Given that, rather than a parcel tax, a sales tax where the more you have and spend more accurately parallels the political power exerted on DJUSD decisions is more equitable..
“The cat is out of the bag”. The closing of Valley Oak and the torpedoing of the charter school plan revealed that those with more political/economic power in our community get to determine DJUSD policies for Davis kids. Given that, rather than a parcel tax, a sales tax where the more you have and spend more accurately parallels the political power exerted on DJUSD decisions is more equitable..
“The cat is out of the bag”. The closing of Valley Oak and the torpedoing of the charter school plan revealed that those with more political/economic power in our community get to determine DJUSD policies for Davis kids. Given that, rather than a parcel tax, a sales tax where the more you have and spend more accurately parallels the political power exerted on DJUSD decisions is more equitable..
Obviously in your world if someone is in favor of closing a school and opposing a charter school petition, then there must be sinister and unethical intent, and there can be no other way to look at it. Enough of this!
Ignore the fact that during that period the school board went through an election in which the two winners were publicly in favor of closing Valley Oak.
Maybe the Valley Oak Charter just wasn’t strong enough to pass muster.
I don’t think any charter school petition should be acceptetd just because a few community members get together and think it’s a good idea.
To me this just represents an emotional attachment to sentimental nostalgia rather than economic reality. Starbucks is closing 600 stores. It’s called downsizing. If the district decides its appropriate to close Emerson, then maybe it could be a good idea under these tough economic times.
The products of the school district are the teachers and programs, not the brick building architecture. Make sure to keep the teachers and programs! If we have to sacrifice some brick and mortar, to do that, so be it.
Obviously in your world if someone is in favor of closing a school and opposing a charter school petition, then there must be sinister and unethical intent, and there can be no other way to look at it. Enough of this!
Ignore the fact that during that period the school board went through an election in which the two winners were publicly in favor of closing Valley Oak.
Maybe the Valley Oak Charter just wasn’t strong enough to pass muster.
I don’t think any charter school petition should be acceptetd just because a few community members get together and think it’s a good idea.
To me this just represents an emotional attachment to sentimental nostalgia rather than economic reality. Starbucks is closing 600 stores. It’s called downsizing. If the district decides its appropriate to close Emerson, then maybe it could be a good idea under these tough economic times.
The products of the school district are the teachers and programs, not the brick building architecture. Make sure to keep the teachers and programs! If we have to sacrifice some brick and mortar, to do that, so be it.
Obviously in your world if someone is in favor of closing a school and opposing a charter school petition, then there must be sinister and unethical intent, and there can be no other way to look at it. Enough of this!
Ignore the fact that during that period the school board went through an election in which the two winners were publicly in favor of closing Valley Oak.
Maybe the Valley Oak Charter just wasn’t strong enough to pass muster.
I don’t think any charter school petition should be acceptetd just because a few community members get together and think it’s a good idea.
To me this just represents an emotional attachment to sentimental nostalgia rather than economic reality. Starbucks is closing 600 stores. It’s called downsizing. If the district decides its appropriate to close Emerson, then maybe it could be a good idea under these tough economic times.
The products of the school district are the teachers and programs, not the brick building architecture. Make sure to keep the teachers and programs! If we have to sacrifice some brick and mortar, to do that, so be it.
Obviously in your world if someone is in favor of closing a school and opposing a charter school petition, then there must be sinister and unethical intent, and there can be no other way to look at it. Enough of this!
Ignore the fact that during that period the school board went through an election in which the two winners were publicly in favor of closing Valley Oak.
Maybe the Valley Oak Charter just wasn’t strong enough to pass muster.
I don’t think any charter school petition should be acceptetd just because a few community members get together and think it’s a good idea.
To me this just represents an emotional attachment to sentimental nostalgia rather than economic reality. Starbucks is closing 600 stores. It’s called downsizing. If the district decides its appropriate to close Emerson, then maybe it could be a good idea under these tough economic times.
The products of the school district are the teachers and programs, not the brick building architecture. Make sure to keep the teachers and programs! If we have to sacrifice some brick and mortar, to do that, so be it.
“To me this just represents an emotional attachment to sentimental nostalgia rather than economic reality. Starbucks is closing 600 stores. It’s called downsizing. If the district decides its appropriate to close Emerson, then maybe it could be a good idea under these tough economic times.”
How do you feel about the closure of YOUR neighborhood school? Or do you not have any children that go to school? Or do you have school children that you ferry in a big fancy SUV, that many low income families cannot afford? And get real about the “necessity” of closing Valley Oak. It was closed because one too many elementary schools were built to carry out developer promises. Emerson is being closed because Harper should not have been built. There was not enough in operating expenses to do so. So the policy now is to open up schools in new developments, and close up those in older neighborhoods. Fine, if you don’t happen to live in an older neighborhood.
“The products of the school district are the teachers and programs, not the brick building architecture. Make sure to keep the teachers and programs! If we have to sacrifice some brick and mortar, to do that, so be it.”
Excuse me, but the EL program at Valley Oak was lost – one that best served our most at-risk students. So how did closing VO “save our programs”? Your logic escapes me!
“To me this just represents an emotional attachment to sentimental nostalgia rather than economic reality. Starbucks is closing 600 stores. It’s called downsizing. If the district decides its appropriate to close Emerson, then maybe it could be a good idea under these tough economic times.”
How do you feel about the closure of YOUR neighborhood school? Or do you not have any children that go to school? Or do you have school children that you ferry in a big fancy SUV, that many low income families cannot afford? And get real about the “necessity” of closing Valley Oak. It was closed because one too many elementary schools were built to carry out developer promises. Emerson is being closed because Harper should not have been built. There was not enough in operating expenses to do so. So the policy now is to open up schools in new developments, and close up those in older neighborhoods. Fine, if you don’t happen to live in an older neighborhood.
“The products of the school district are the teachers and programs, not the brick building architecture. Make sure to keep the teachers and programs! If we have to sacrifice some brick and mortar, to do that, so be it.”
Excuse me, but the EL program at Valley Oak was lost – one that best served our most at-risk students. So how did closing VO “save our programs”? Your logic escapes me!
“To me this just represents an emotional attachment to sentimental nostalgia rather than economic reality. Starbucks is closing 600 stores. It’s called downsizing. If the district decides its appropriate to close Emerson, then maybe it could be a good idea under these tough economic times.”
How do you feel about the closure of YOUR neighborhood school? Or do you not have any children that go to school? Or do you have school children that you ferry in a big fancy SUV, that many low income families cannot afford? And get real about the “necessity” of closing Valley Oak. It was closed because one too many elementary schools were built to carry out developer promises. Emerson is being closed because Harper should not have been built. There was not enough in operating expenses to do so. So the policy now is to open up schools in new developments, and close up those in older neighborhoods. Fine, if you don’t happen to live in an older neighborhood.
“The products of the school district are the teachers and programs, not the brick building architecture. Make sure to keep the teachers and programs! If we have to sacrifice some brick and mortar, to do that, so be it.”
Excuse me, but the EL program at Valley Oak was lost – one that best served our most at-risk students. So how did closing VO “save our programs”? Your logic escapes me!
“To me this just represents an emotional attachment to sentimental nostalgia rather than economic reality. Starbucks is closing 600 stores. It’s called downsizing. If the district decides its appropriate to close Emerson, then maybe it could be a good idea under these tough economic times.”
How do you feel about the closure of YOUR neighborhood school? Or do you not have any children that go to school? Or do you have school children that you ferry in a big fancy SUV, that many low income families cannot afford? And get real about the “necessity” of closing Valley Oak. It was closed because one too many elementary schools were built to carry out developer promises. Emerson is being closed because Harper should not have been built. There was not enough in operating expenses to do so. So the policy now is to open up schools in new developments, and close up those in older neighborhoods. Fine, if you don’t happen to live in an older neighborhood.
“The products of the school district are the teachers and programs, not the brick building architecture. Make sure to keep the teachers and programs! If we have to sacrifice some brick and mortar, to do that, so be it.”
Excuse me, but the EL program at Valley Oak was lost – one that best served our most at-risk students. So how did closing VO “save our programs”? Your logic escapes me!
“How do you feel about the closure of YOUR neighborhood school?”
Fiscal responsibility isn’t about catering to your feelings. Or to my feelings. It’s about reducing costs while finding the best way to preserve the overall quality of the product.
VO Elementary teachers and staff will get rehired at other schools where they are needed. If this district kept 9 elementary schools running next year, the district would have to find another $400,000 at least to pay all the extra staff required to keep an extra elementary open.
Because of budget cuts and spring fundraising, no elementary teachers were laid off in the end. You can be thankful that the wonderful staff who made the EL program possible at VO can remain employed in the district if they choose to.
In case you didn’t know, there were already fine EL programs at other elementary schools in the district, so the EL program in the district hasn’t shut down because VO closed. That’s a bogus argument.
You like to suggest that if someone disagrees with your position, then they must be some out of touch, childless, yuppie. How about sticking to the merits of the argument instead of desperate personal attacks?
If you take the time to look around, you will learn that there are other concentrations of lower income families outside the VO neighborhood who use the district’s EL services.
“How do you feel about the closure of YOUR neighborhood school?”
Fiscal responsibility isn’t about catering to your feelings. Or to my feelings. It’s about reducing costs while finding the best way to preserve the overall quality of the product.
VO Elementary teachers and staff will get rehired at other schools where they are needed. If this district kept 9 elementary schools running next year, the district would have to find another $400,000 at least to pay all the extra staff required to keep an extra elementary open.
Because of budget cuts and spring fundraising, no elementary teachers were laid off in the end. You can be thankful that the wonderful staff who made the EL program possible at VO can remain employed in the district if they choose to.
In case you didn’t know, there were already fine EL programs at other elementary schools in the district, so the EL program in the district hasn’t shut down because VO closed. That’s a bogus argument.
You like to suggest that if someone disagrees with your position, then they must be some out of touch, childless, yuppie. How about sticking to the merits of the argument instead of desperate personal attacks?
If you take the time to look around, you will learn that there are other concentrations of lower income families outside the VO neighborhood who use the district’s EL services.
“How do you feel about the closure of YOUR neighborhood school?”
Fiscal responsibility isn’t about catering to your feelings. Or to my feelings. It’s about reducing costs while finding the best way to preserve the overall quality of the product.
VO Elementary teachers and staff will get rehired at other schools where they are needed. If this district kept 9 elementary schools running next year, the district would have to find another $400,000 at least to pay all the extra staff required to keep an extra elementary open.
Because of budget cuts and spring fundraising, no elementary teachers were laid off in the end. You can be thankful that the wonderful staff who made the EL program possible at VO can remain employed in the district if they choose to.
In case you didn’t know, there were already fine EL programs at other elementary schools in the district, so the EL program in the district hasn’t shut down because VO closed. That’s a bogus argument.
You like to suggest that if someone disagrees with your position, then they must be some out of touch, childless, yuppie. How about sticking to the merits of the argument instead of desperate personal attacks?
If you take the time to look around, you will learn that there are other concentrations of lower income families outside the VO neighborhood who use the district’s EL services.
“How do you feel about the closure of YOUR neighborhood school?”
Fiscal responsibility isn’t about catering to your feelings. Or to my feelings. It’s about reducing costs while finding the best way to preserve the overall quality of the product.
VO Elementary teachers and staff will get rehired at other schools where they are needed. If this district kept 9 elementary schools running next year, the district would have to find another $400,000 at least to pay all the extra staff required to keep an extra elementary open.
Because of budget cuts and spring fundraising, no elementary teachers were laid off in the end. You can be thankful that the wonderful staff who made the EL program possible at VO can remain employed in the district if they choose to.
In case you didn’t know, there were already fine EL programs at other elementary schools in the district, so the EL program in the district hasn’t shut down because VO closed. That’s a bogus argument.
You like to suggest that if someone disagrees with your position, then they must be some out of touch, childless, yuppie. How about sticking to the merits of the argument instead of desperate personal attacks?
If you take the time to look around, you will learn that there are other concentrations of lower income families outside the VO neighborhood who use the district’s EL services.
“Fiscal responsibility isn’t about catering to your feelings. Or to my feelings. It’s about reducing costs while finding the best way to preserve the overall quality of the product. VO Elementary teachers and staff will get rehired at other schools where they are needed.”
This statement is so wrong on so many levels. If we cannot close an alleged fiscal gap of something like $$2.5 million, then teachers will be laid off unless DSF goes into high gear again – since the suggested parcel taxes will not cover the alleged shortfall. So how is the School Board being fiscally responsible? Our Supt. is the highest paid in the county – yet we in Davis are the only ones who suggested laying off a whopping 110 teachers. What is to stop the problem of developer driven schools again and again? Absolutely nothing.
VO had the most successful EL program in the Davis schools. The most successful – the one that garnered the highest scores. Yet how much did we really save by closing VO? It was reopened as an “education center”, so not as much as was touted. And yet the best EL program in Davis was irreparably lost, as was a neighborhood school. How much was that worth? Ask the parents of VO students, how they feel about having to cart their kids to another school farther off?
Furthermore, if Emerson is closed, how do you think that is going to effect all junior and the senior high in this town? Or the traffic patterns and number of cars on the road? Kids who used to go to Emerson can’t take the bus, bc the Unitrans route that would have served them has been cancelled. There are cascading effects when the School Board chooses to close schools, just as there are cascading effects when laying off teachers.
I don’t see the School Board doing anything substantive to make sure these things do not happen again. The only thing they have done so far is put their collective hands out. At what point do you say enough is enough?
“Fiscal responsibility isn’t about catering to your feelings. Or to my feelings. It’s about reducing costs while finding the best way to preserve the overall quality of the product. VO Elementary teachers and staff will get rehired at other schools where they are needed.”
This statement is so wrong on so many levels. If we cannot close an alleged fiscal gap of something like $$2.5 million, then teachers will be laid off unless DSF goes into high gear again – since the suggested parcel taxes will not cover the alleged shortfall. So how is the School Board being fiscally responsible? Our Supt. is the highest paid in the county – yet we in Davis are the only ones who suggested laying off a whopping 110 teachers. What is to stop the problem of developer driven schools again and again? Absolutely nothing.
VO had the most successful EL program in the Davis schools. The most successful – the one that garnered the highest scores. Yet how much did we really save by closing VO? It was reopened as an “education center”, so not as much as was touted. And yet the best EL program in Davis was irreparably lost, as was a neighborhood school. How much was that worth? Ask the parents of VO students, how they feel about having to cart their kids to another school farther off?
Furthermore, if Emerson is closed, how do you think that is going to effect all junior and the senior high in this town? Or the traffic patterns and number of cars on the road? Kids who used to go to Emerson can’t take the bus, bc the Unitrans route that would have served them has been cancelled. There are cascading effects when the School Board chooses to close schools, just as there are cascading effects when laying off teachers.
I don’t see the School Board doing anything substantive to make sure these things do not happen again. The only thing they have done so far is put their collective hands out. At what point do you say enough is enough?
“Fiscal responsibility isn’t about catering to your feelings. Or to my feelings. It’s about reducing costs while finding the best way to preserve the overall quality of the product. VO Elementary teachers and staff will get rehired at other schools where they are needed.”
This statement is so wrong on so many levels. If we cannot close an alleged fiscal gap of something like $$2.5 million, then teachers will be laid off unless DSF goes into high gear again – since the suggested parcel taxes will not cover the alleged shortfall. So how is the School Board being fiscally responsible? Our Supt. is the highest paid in the county – yet we in Davis are the only ones who suggested laying off a whopping 110 teachers. What is to stop the problem of developer driven schools again and again? Absolutely nothing.
VO had the most successful EL program in the Davis schools. The most successful – the one that garnered the highest scores. Yet how much did we really save by closing VO? It was reopened as an “education center”, so not as much as was touted. And yet the best EL program in Davis was irreparably lost, as was a neighborhood school. How much was that worth? Ask the parents of VO students, how they feel about having to cart their kids to another school farther off?
Furthermore, if Emerson is closed, how do you think that is going to effect all junior and the senior high in this town? Or the traffic patterns and number of cars on the road? Kids who used to go to Emerson can’t take the bus, bc the Unitrans route that would have served them has been cancelled. There are cascading effects when the School Board chooses to close schools, just as there are cascading effects when laying off teachers.
I don’t see the School Board doing anything substantive to make sure these things do not happen again. The only thing they have done so far is put their collective hands out. At what point do you say enough is enough?
“Fiscal responsibility isn’t about catering to your feelings. Or to my feelings. It’s about reducing costs while finding the best way to preserve the overall quality of the product. VO Elementary teachers and staff will get rehired at other schools where they are needed.”
This statement is so wrong on so many levels. If we cannot close an alleged fiscal gap of something like $$2.5 million, then teachers will be laid off unless DSF goes into high gear again – since the suggested parcel taxes will not cover the alleged shortfall. So how is the School Board being fiscally responsible? Our Supt. is the highest paid in the county – yet we in Davis are the only ones who suggested laying off a whopping 110 teachers. What is to stop the problem of developer driven schools again and again? Absolutely nothing.
VO had the most successful EL program in the Davis schools. The most successful – the one that garnered the highest scores. Yet how much did we really save by closing VO? It was reopened as an “education center”, so not as much as was touted. And yet the best EL program in Davis was irreparably lost, as was a neighborhood school. How much was that worth? Ask the parents of VO students, how they feel about having to cart their kids to another school farther off?
Furthermore, if Emerson is closed, how do you think that is going to effect all junior and the senior high in this town? Or the traffic patterns and number of cars on the road? Kids who used to go to Emerson can’t take the bus, bc the Unitrans route that would have served them has been cancelled. There are cascading effects when the School Board chooses to close schools, just as there are cascading effects when laying off teachers.
I don’t see the School Board doing anything substantive to make sure these things do not happen again. The only thing they have done so far is put their collective hands out. At what point do you say enough is enough?
“The only thing they have done so far is put their collective hands out.”
As a friend to a Davis school teacher threatened with layoff, it looked to me like the school board was prepared to do quite a bit more than ask for help.
Only in Davis would people complain so bitterly about the wonderful school system you guys have. You don’t know how good you have it until you come check out the aweful state of affairs in the Woodland schools.
If all you can do is complain like this, you deserve all the misery you bring on yourselves.
“The only thing they have done so far is put their collective hands out.”
As a friend to a Davis school teacher threatened with layoff, it looked to me like the school board was prepared to do quite a bit more than ask for help.
Only in Davis would people complain so bitterly about the wonderful school system you guys have. You don’t know how good you have it until you come check out the aweful state of affairs in the Woodland schools.
If all you can do is complain like this, you deserve all the misery you bring on yourselves.
“The only thing they have done so far is put their collective hands out.”
As a friend to a Davis school teacher threatened with layoff, it looked to me like the school board was prepared to do quite a bit more than ask for help.
Only in Davis would people complain so bitterly about the wonderful school system you guys have. You don’t know how good you have it until you come check out the aweful state of affairs in the Woodland schools.
If all you can do is complain like this, you deserve all the misery you bring on yourselves.
“The only thing they have done so far is put their collective hands out.”
As a friend to a Davis school teacher threatened with layoff, it looked to me like the school board was prepared to do quite a bit more than ask for help.
Only in Davis would people complain so bitterly about the wonderful school system you guys have. You don’t know how good you have it until you come check out the aweful state of affairs in the Woodland schools.
If all you can do is complain like this, you deserve all the misery you bring on yourselves.
Woodlander,
The reason we do have such good schools in Davis is because we are involved in the process at all levels and do complain LOUDLY when it is justified. With all the gang and other problems in Woodland schools I’d say the parents their aren’t really doing much of anything.
Woodlander,
The reason we do have such good schools in Davis is because we are involved in the process at all levels and do complain LOUDLY when it is justified. With all the gang and other problems in Woodland schools I’d say the parents their aren’t really doing much of anything.
Woodlander,
The reason we do have such good schools in Davis is because we are involved in the process at all levels and do complain LOUDLY when it is justified. With all the gang and other problems in Woodland schools I’d say the parents their aren’t really doing much of anything.
Woodlander,
The reason we do have such good schools in Davis is because we are involved in the process at all levels and do complain LOUDLY when it is justified. With all the gang and other problems in Woodland schools I’d say the parents their aren’t really doing much of anything.
I don’t think that’s the reason we have good schools anonymous. We have good schools for the most part because this is an affluent community, children of college education people, and we are willing to shell out additional money for a parcel tax and for facilities that other districts are not.
If anything, problems are not dealt with up front and many have been swept aside.
I don’t think that’s the reason we have good schools anonymous. We have good schools for the most part because this is an affluent community, children of college education people, and we are willing to shell out additional money for a parcel tax and for facilities that other districts are not.
If anything, problems are not dealt with up front and many have been swept aside.
I don’t think that’s the reason we have good schools anonymous. We have good schools for the most part because this is an affluent community, children of college education people, and we are willing to shell out additional money for a parcel tax and for facilities that other districts are not.
If anything, problems are not dealt with up front and many have been swept aside.
I don’t think that’s the reason we have good schools anonymous. We have good schools for the most part because this is an affluent community, children of college education people, and we are willing to shell out additional money for a parcel tax and for facilities that other districts are not.
If anything, problems are not dealt with up front and many have been swept aside.
DPD,
Agreed. Perhaps I should have said, “A reason…” Things do get swept under the rug and we do complain about it. I still believe that hyper-vigilence on the part of the citizenry (Thanks DPD!) does help keep our schools wonderful in addition to the factors you mention. I understand funding being a factor of affluence. I don’t think the parents in Woodland are nearly as involved as those in Davis and I don’t see a reason why affluence or education level should affect their involvement in the process. There are some stellar school programs in extreme poverty inner-city districts. Its a matter of wanting it.
DPD,
Agreed. Perhaps I should have said, “A reason…” Things do get swept under the rug and we do complain about it. I still believe that hyper-vigilence on the part of the citizenry (Thanks DPD!) does help keep our schools wonderful in addition to the factors you mention. I understand funding being a factor of affluence. I don’t think the parents in Woodland are nearly as involved as those in Davis and I don’t see a reason why affluence or education level should affect their involvement in the process. There are some stellar school programs in extreme poverty inner-city districts. Its a matter of wanting it.
DPD,
Agreed. Perhaps I should have said, “A reason…” Things do get swept under the rug and we do complain about it. I still believe that hyper-vigilence on the part of the citizenry (Thanks DPD!) does help keep our schools wonderful in addition to the factors you mention. I understand funding being a factor of affluence. I don’t think the parents in Woodland are nearly as involved as those in Davis and I don’t see a reason why affluence or education level should affect their involvement in the process. There are some stellar school programs in extreme poverty inner-city districts. Its a matter of wanting it.
DPD,
Agreed. Perhaps I should have said, “A reason…” Things do get swept under the rug and we do complain about it. I still believe that hyper-vigilence on the part of the citizenry (Thanks DPD!) does help keep our schools wonderful in addition to the factors you mention. I understand funding being a factor of affluence. I don’t think the parents in Woodland are nearly as involved as those in Davis and I don’t see a reason why affluence or education level should affect their involvement in the process. There are some stellar school programs in extreme poverty inner-city districts. Its a matter of wanting it.
The strongest predictor of success in school is parent’s education level followed by socio-economic status. I suspect there are a lot of reasons for that. One thing is role model but another is the ability of parents to sit down and help the kids with their school work. Also time is important, you have parents who work double shifts/ two jobs, they are not going to be as involved in their kids education as those who have more time.
The strongest predictor of success in school is parent’s education level followed by socio-economic status. I suspect there are a lot of reasons for that. One thing is role model but another is the ability of parents to sit down and help the kids with their school work. Also time is important, you have parents who work double shifts/ two jobs, they are not going to be as involved in their kids education as those who have more time.
The strongest predictor of success in school is parent’s education level followed by socio-economic status. I suspect there are a lot of reasons for that. One thing is role model but another is the ability of parents to sit down and help the kids with their school work. Also time is important, you have parents who work double shifts/ two jobs, they are not going to be as involved in their kids education as those who have more time.
The strongest predictor of success in school is parent’s education level followed by socio-economic status. I suspect there are a lot of reasons for that. One thing is role model but another is the ability of parents to sit down and help the kids with their school work. Also time is important, you have parents who work double shifts/ two jobs, they are not going to be as involved in their kids education as those who have more time.
“Only in Davis would people complain so bitterly about the wonderful school system you guys have. You don’t know how good you have it until you come check out the aweful state of affairs in the Woodland schools.”
I don’t get this statement at all. We were going to lay off 110 teachers, yet Woodland was going to lay off NONE. Woodland must be doing something right fiscally. Had not the parents stepped up, and complained loud and long, the Davis School Board would have closed Emerson. They did close Valley Oak over parental protest, which made it clear the threat to close Emerson was and still is not idle.
Woodland has an education problem because of the lower socio-economic status of the parents. So Woodland parents need to speak up and demand better. Nothing changes if you keep quiet. Many in Davis are starting to speak up, becuase they realize if they don’t, things are going to get very, very bad yet again. The Emerson closure is looming on the horizon, and more teacher layoffs. At some point the School Board needs to stop crisis managing, and be more honest with its citizens about what money is needed to keep what program going. And so far, the School Board had not been willing to do this.
“Only in Davis would people complain so bitterly about the wonderful school system you guys have. You don’t know how good you have it until you come check out the aweful state of affairs in the Woodland schools.”
I don’t get this statement at all. We were going to lay off 110 teachers, yet Woodland was going to lay off NONE. Woodland must be doing something right fiscally. Had not the parents stepped up, and complained loud and long, the Davis School Board would have closed Emerson. They did close Valley Oak over parental protest, which made it clear the threat to close Emerson was and still is not idle.
Woodland has an education problem because of the lower socio-economic status of the parents. So Woodland parents need to speak up and demand better. Nothing changes if you keep quiet. Many in Davis are starting to speak up, becuase they realize if they don’t, things are going to get very, very bad yet again. The Emerson closure is looming on the horizon, and more teacher layoffs. At some point the School Board needs to stop crisis managing, and be more honest with its citizens about what money is needed to keep what program going. And so far, the School Board had not been willing to do this.
“Only in Davis would people complain so bitterly about the wonderful school system you guys have. You don’t know how good you have it until you come check out the aweful state of affairs in the Woodland schools.”
I don’t get this statement at all. We were going to lay off 110 teachers, yet Woodland was going to lay off NONE. Woodland must be doing something right fiscally. Had not the parents stepped up, and complained loud and long, the Davis School Board would have closed Emerson. They did close Valley Oak over parental protest, which made it clear the threat to close Emerson was and still is not idle.
Woodland has an education problem because of the lower socio-economic status of the parents. So Woodland parents need to speak up and demand better. Nothing changes if you keep quiet. Many in Davis are starting to speak up, becuase they realize if they don’t, things are going to get very, very bad yet again. The Emerson closure is looming on the horizon, and more teacher layoffs. At some point the School Board needs to stop crisis managing, and be more honest with its citizens about what money is needed to keep what program going. And so far, the School Board had not been willing to do this.
“Only in Davis would people complain so bitterly about the wonderful school system you guys have. You don’t know how good you have it until you come check out the aweful state of affairs in the Woodland schools.”
I don’t get this statement at all. We were going to lay off 110 teachers, yet Woodland was going to lay off NONE. Woodland must be doing something right fiscally. Had not the parents stepped up, and complained loud and long, the Davis School Board would have closed Emerson. They did close Valley Oak over parental protest, which made it clear the threat to close Emerson was and still is not idle.
Woodland has an education problem because of the lower socio-economic status of the parents. So Woodland parents need to speak up and demand better. Nothing changes if you keep quiet. Many in Davis are starting to speak up, becuase they realize if they don’t, things are going to get very, very bad yet again. The Emerson closure is looming on the horizon, and more teacher layoffs. At some point the School Board needs to stop crisis managing, and be more honest with its citizens about what money is needed to keep what program going. And so far, the School Board had not been willing to do this.
Don Schor is well known on this blog for pointing out that the Davis school district hasn’t really seen any significant decline in enrollment since 2000. He bases his conclusion on the CBEDS “census” that every district in California reports every year and is publicly accessible at http://www.ed-data.k12.ca.us.
The problem with Don’s conclusion is that although it is factually correct, state funding for the district IS NOT determined by this number. The website points out that this particular enrollment number “is measured by counting the number of students enrolled in school on a particular day in October.” It is just a snap shot to represent what the rough enrollment is.
State funding is based on ADA (average daily attendance, the average attendance throughout the year). This is to give school districts incentive to enforce their attendance policies. The ADA may not be the same as the CBEDS number. Particular instances when ADA may diverge from CBEDS is when the secondary population has been growing while the elementary population has not been growing or has been shrinking. Attendance problems are known to be more prevalent in secondary grades, high school, especially.
DJUSD has been seeing a decline in ADA since the 2003-04 school year. I think Don, himself, may have pointed out that the district has been seeing an increase in secondary enrollment through CBEDS numbers during those years.
The district projected a likely ADA drop of $1 million dollars, based on initial estimates from this year’s enrollment. Funding for the following year is always based on the current year ADA. The district actually came in a little higher at the end of this school year than the initial projection through a publicity campaign and other efforts to improve attendance.
Don Schor is well known on this blog for pointing out that the Davis school district hasn’t really seen any significant decline in enrollment since 2000. He bases his conclusion on the CBEDS “census” that every district in California reports every year and is publicly accessible at http://www.ed-data.k12.ca.us.
The problem with Don’s conclusion is that although it is factually correct, state funding for the district IS NOT determined by this number. The website points out that this particular enrollment number “is measured by counting the number of students enrolled in school on a particular day in October.” It is just a snap shot to represent what the rough enrollment is.
State funding is based on ADA (average daily attendance, the average attendance throughout the year). This is to give school districts incentive to enforce their attendance policies. The ADA may not be the same as the CBEDS number. Particular instances when ADA may diverge from CBEDS is when the secondary population has been growing while the elementary population has not been growing or has been shrinking. Attendance problems are known to be more prevalent in secondary grades, high school, especially.
DJUSD has been seeing a decline in ADA since the 2003-04 school year. I think Don, himself, may have pointed out that the district has been seeing an increase in secondary enrollment through CBEDS numbers during those years.
The district projected a likely ADA drop of $1 million dollars, based on initial estimates from this year’s enrollment. Funding for the following year is always based on the current year ADA. The district actually came in a little higher at the end of this school year than the initial projection through a publicity campaign and other efforts to improve attendance.
Don Schor is well known on this blog for pointing out that the Davis school district hasn’t really seen any significant decline in enrollment since 2000. He bases his conclusion on the CBEDS “census” that every district in California reports every year and is publicly accessible at http://www.ed-data.k12.ca.us.
The problem with Don’s conclusion is that although it is factually correct, state funding for the district IS NOT determined by this number. The website points out that this particular enrollment number “is measured by counting the number of students enrolled in school on a particular day in October.” It is just a snap shot to represent what the rough enrollment is.
State funding is based on ADA (average daily attendance, the average attendance throughout the year). This is to give school districts incentive to enforce their attendance policies. The ADA may not be the same as the CBEDS number. Particular instances when ADA may diverge from CBEDS is when the secondary population has been growing while the elementary population has not been growing or has been shrinking. Attendance problems are known to be more prevalent in secondary grades, high school, especially.
DJUSD has been seeing a decline in ADA since the 2003-04 school year. I think Don, himself, may have pointed out that the district has been seeing an increase in secondary enrollment through CBEDS numbers during those years.
The district projected a likely ADA drop of $1 million dollars, based on initial estimates from this year’s enrollment. Funding for the following year is always based on the current year ADA. The district actually came in a little higher at the end of this school year than the initial projection through a publicity campaign and other efforts to improve attendance.
Don Schor is well known on this blog for pointing out that the Davis school district hasn’t really seen any significant decline in enrollment since 2000. He bases his conclusion on the CBEDS “census” that every district in California reports every year and is publicly accessible at http://www.ed-data.k12.ca.us.
The problem with Don’s conclusion is that although it is factually correct, state funding for the district IS NOT determined by this number. The website points out that this particular enrollment number “is measured by counting the number of students enrolled in school on a particular day in October.” It is just a snap shot to represent what the rough enrollment is.
State funding is based on ADA (average daily attendance, the average attendance throughout the year). This is to give school districts incentive to enforce their attendance policies. The ADA may not be the same as the CBEDS number. Particular instances when ADA may diverge from CBEDS is when the secondary population has been growing while the elementary population has not been growing or has been shrinking. Attendance problems are known to be more prevalent in secondary grades, high school, especially.
DJUSD has been seeing a decline in ADA since the 2003-04 school year. I think Don, himself, may have pointed out that the district has been seeing an increase in secondary enrollment through CBEDS numbers during those years.
The district projected a likely ADA drop of $1 million dollars, based on initial estimates from this year’s enrollment. Funding for the following year is always based on the current year ADA. The district actually came in a little higher at the end of this school year than the initial projection through a publicity campaign and other efforts to improve attendance.