Ohio loses thousands of public school teachers to budget cuts
Associated Press
CINCINNATI
Fewer dollars for Ohio schools has meant fewer teachers in classrooms in many districts across the state.
State records show the number of full-time teachers in public schools fell by nearly 6 percent over a decade ending in the 2010-11 school year, and surveys by education associations and The Associated Press indicate the downward trend has continued the last two school years. There’s little expectation of immediate improvement as districts grapple with reduced state funding, declines in property tax revenues and voter reluctance in many districts to approve new levies as households slowly recover from the Great Recession.
“There’s no bright light on the horizon,” said Damon Asbury, legislative services director for the Ohio School Boards Association. “Schools will continue to do more with less.”
The results of cuts for many schools: more students per teacher, fewer electives in areas such as foreign languages and arts classes, reduced support staff.
Gov. John Kasich and his administration have urged schools to focus their dollars on classroom instruction, raise standards such as lower-elementary reading proficiency, and to stretch their budgets by pooling resources in such areas as technology, office functions and transportation.
“We do need to manage our schools better financially,” the Republican governor said in June while signing an education reform package including a “guarantee” that third-graders will be able to read before being passed ahead. “And in addition to that, what are we teaching kids in kindergarten, first and second grade if we’re not teaching them to read?”
Personnel costs are usually the major portion of a district’s budget, so any significant budget cuts usually mean job losses. The state School Boards Association surveyed districts this year and, with 268 of the state’s 613 districts responding, found they have reduced staff by an average of 13 full-time employees each since 2008, with some big city districts cutting hundreds of employees. Cleveland Municipal Schools slashed 658 jobs, to 3,311 total, according to the survey. Lakota Local Schools, a major northern Cincinnati suburban district, says it is down to 915 full-time teachers, 236 fewer than the 2007-’08 school year.
Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.
Comments
What's ironic about this is that a lot of teachers supported Kasich.
Kasich will continue to destroy public education, with his budget cuts to local government, while funneling money to charter schools. Ohio like the rest of the schools across the country, continue to struggle financially, as funding is reduce by state goverments. And as the schools struggle, cuts will be made and students will suffer academicallly. The USA will continue to fall behind the rest of the world as resources are reduced, the US ranks 10th overall, and ranks lower in math and science. As the State cuts funding to local districts, more of the burden will be shifted to the local tax payers, who will at some point refuse to approve tax increases, which will lead to the demise of the schools
I would be curious as to the ratio of teacher vs non teacher cuts?
Haven't school student numbers also dropped ?
NEWS FLASH! This has occurred over the last 10 years. The evil Kasich has been in office for 2 years. "State records show the number of full-time teachers in public schools fell by nearly 6 percent over a decade ..."
The public gets what it deserves. As long as we can continue to idolize athletes and pay bazillions of dollars to those athletes to watch athletic events, we are a happy lot. Oh, and don't forget the bazillions we spend on intellectually stimulating things like television advertising and "reality" show programming. All while we rob our kids of educations because teachers are "greedy".
Teachers aren't any greedier than anyone else - but their unions have seriously undermined the advancement of education in this country.
6% less teachers isn't necessarily a problem, if the remaining teachers are doing a good job.
the
"All while we rob our kids of educations because teachers are "greedy"."
Greedy? You have NO clue what these teachers put up with on a DAILY basis, the horror stories I hear from my brother who's been teaching in Public Schools for over 20 years, would blow your mind away. You have no idea. They need to be paid more then what they are now. It's unreal!
"All while we rob our kids of educations because teachers are "greedy"."
Urm I believe the commenter was being facetious with the above comment. Some of you didn't seem to get that.
Signed
BrothaLove
The highest achieving school system in the world today is Finland. A unionized teacher corp. It's easy to make statements like "...their unions have seriously undermined the advancement of education in this country...". It's quite another thing to back that up with facts. But facts aren't the goal in the statement anyway. The goal in the statement is to make the teacher union the boogeyman because that plays to the lowest common denominator and many operate intellectually at that level on this issue. The fact of the matter is that there would be no need for a teacher union at all if society valued teachers and paid them accordingly. Instead, teachers are forced to fight for a living wage through collective bargaining, all while being at the mercy of extremist politicians like John Kasich who himself plays to the lowest common denominator.
So if they actual paid for some of their insurance and cut back a bit on pensions...I'm sure we could hire back those that were cut.
Meh, you get what you pay for. Simple really. toycannon and long are indicative of the attitude of many in this country that have no problem paying a bazillion dollars to athletes, but begrudges teachers a living salary, so they should be able to understand that simple supply and demand concept.
How do you know I have no problem paying a bazillion (sic) dollars to athletes? On the contrary, I think the amount spent on these contracts is insane; however, as you stated, that's supply and demand for you.
I think teachers should receive higher salaries in most cases, but I also think/know their pension system needs overhauled, free benefits are not sustainable, and the whole tenure deal needs a good adjustment.
The article stated-reducing teachers has been going on for 10 years. Mr Kasich made every effort to correct it with Senate Bill 5- The Unions fought against it-not wanting to pay their share- In Contrast- Wisconsin put in a similar bill and they're hiring teachers.
The NEA, the OEA wants the taxpayers to continue approving increased Taxes, That is the problem
The mindset that somehow teachers get benefits for free and in fact don't earn the benefits they do get is part of the problem. And spare me the tax dollars are your dollars argument. Taxpayers pay for services provided by public employees. Once those services are delivered, the employee is paid for delivering those services and has no further obligation to the taxpayer. If the taxpayer doesn't want those services, then those services won't be available, which appears to more and more the case. But make sure you go build another multi- bazillion dollar stadium with tax payer dollars instead. That's the point. See ALEC for more information.
How should the elderly feel that pay their taxes and have no children utilizing those services? How about single folks with no kids..or those are married with no kids? Just continue to pay for services because they live there? Makes sense.
If you ever need a cop, fireman, or other public services, hire your own and leave the public services to those who pay for them. As a matter of fact, if the country is invaded, you can go out and hire your own army to defend you. Yeah, that works.
theotherside,
I took your advice and read about schools in Finland. One glaring statistic stood out: Finland spends about 30 percent less per student than the United States.
It's the teacher unions that are responsible for this amazing disparity. We pay a ton a get mediocre results!
The disparities between Finland and the United states can't be boiled down to one or two issues. Looking at societal issues through one lens is a sign of ignorance or willful distortion.
The teachers I know don't whine. They are hardworking individuals who had opportunities to bsuccessful onin many fields but deliberately chose to work with children.
I don't know that advocating for working conditions and terms of employment denote whining. I also don't think that having a say in or opinion about the direction of one's profession counts as whining.
The height or arrogance is to speak for others without authority. Such as the comment "...most of us know..." And the epitome of ignorance is to assume what others think without authority. Particularly those outside of your expertise. So if being a whiner is better than being arrogant and ignorant, I'd rather be a whiner any day. At least whining has some authority.
toy
"They know what the deal is going in, they say they want to be a teacher, and then all they do is whine about it. Here's an idea...don't be a teacher."
You must not know any teachers. It's not like it's such a easy job. You have no idea. None!
Case in point, last week, a Arts teacher went about to clean her dry eraser board in the classroom, spraying the bottle, it was piss! Someone dumped out the cleaning liquid and pissed in it. Not only the smell but it got all over her. That is just ONE example, I can go on and on and on......
The teachers I know, and I know a lot of them, have been in the field for 20+ years, they went to college to be a teacher because of there love for teaching young minds. And it's been great, but this generation of students not only don't want to learn, but are the most disrespectful kids that any generation ever had. When you tell your teacher to F off that's pretty bad. When NO parent/s show up on Parent Teacher Nights you have a problem. Wasn't like that just 10 years ago. You would not last a day.
The U.S. is raising a generation of technology-addicted idiots who cannot write his or her name!
Just need to point out the Finland's teachers are
1. more unionized than in the U.S.
2. mostly public school employed. There are very few private schools in Finland and the Fin's like it that way.
The starting teacher in the area makes about 30K. After taxes and insurance that amounts to 470 dollars a pay check.
Previous posts claim teacher have a short work day, that is only true if the teacher is not doing their job correctly.
7:30 AM - 3:00 PM =7.5 Hours
Grading and planning for four different classes takes roughly an hour if you are very quick. = 1
8.5x 5 = 42.5 hours a week
Now that is a very doable number, but given the low wages of newer teachers many require a part time job to help pay off student loan debt and have money for living expenses.
I work 15-20 hours at my part time job. That makes my typical work day equal about 12.5 Hours
Teaching is not the worst job in the world, nor is it the hardest, but it is most certainly one of the most under-appreciated and under-valued. Not everyone can teach, but many people seem to think that they can despite their lack of college education. I would invite you to come into my classroom any day.
You get what you voted for. That's the grim reality here, Ohio. And you got John Kasich.
Education is America's first line of defense. Those, like Kasich, who undermine and underfund it should be charged with treason.