- the big bus garage and large fleet of buses
- the large fuels bills and higher neighborhood traffic
- the drivers, mechanics, dispatchers, supervisors, managers
- etc
Based on my experiences, I do recognize that the vocabulary of my daughters did increase in size after they started riding the bus. Unfortunately they were typically words that we needed to explain and then dissuade them from using in general conversation...
There are some other interesting links in the minutes, check them out...
RAS Mar 2nd Board Minutes
2010/2011 Budget Adjustments
G2A The Teacher or the Bus ?
By the way, I do understand that providing transportation and choice is deemed necessary to keep more people from fleeing the district. I just believe it is a poor trade off that does not seem to be working based on the student population trend.
8 comments:
John, thought you might want to blog about the recent account of how the 281 Care group's lawsuit to have the right to exaggerate the truth was thrown out of court. (see MNSUN) We have a local man, Ron Stoffel who is actually on a committee for the school district who was suing for the right to lie to the citiznes of 281 and was laughed at by the district court. We fought long and hard to bring truth and facts to the citizens of 281 and they just told lies. And now this man is running for State Rep against Lyndon Carlson. We need the community to realize what the competition is doing and how dishonestly they are doing it remember Paul Dorr!). In addition, their frivolous lawsuit was a WASTE OF TAXPAYERS MONEY! Let's get the word out.
Well fine, as you wish... Let's distract the readers from the teacher reduction and bus retention. The post is out there. Remember to play nice....
I think we came to a rather reasonable consensus on the transit issue a few weeks back, but I think eliminating free in-district transit would be too controversial at a time when the dust on last years controversies are just settling. I'm not surprised that the choice was made. And of course, even eliminating the transportation you find specious would not have done away with the bus garage, the drivers, etc. Choice busing is a relatively small piece of the entire busing pie, and even smaller in the scheme of the whole budget. I understand that it's a pet peeve of yours and respect your opinion, I don't think it's a big enough budget line to lose sleep over.
It's also worth noting that, as I see it, the district isn't only cutting teachers. There are some cuts at the district level that are exactly what a lot of folks have been clamoring for, and I hope the powers that be get credit for trimming all around, not just from the teaching staff.
--Annie
Hi Annie,
Any facts to back up your claim that "Choice busing is a relatively small piece of the entire busing pie,". Now I mean the normal busing pie... Not the Special Ed and other categories....
You are correct it is great that they cut in other areas also. I am aware and thankful for that. Enrollment and revenue is down so the spend needs to shrink just as fast.
In this analysis I am only comparing a decision that was made above and beyond those known cuts. They were going to be made either way, therefore
- buses vs teachers
can be a stand alone comparison. And $1 in busing may take away $1 from the classroom. So the % of the budget is immaterial.
By the way, does anyone know how many big/normal buses the district has?
Thoughts?
Give--I'm just spitballing. I'm basing that idea on the number you've used in the past (around $400k?). I'm not denying that it's a significant number or that it could be allocated differently, but in the grand scale of the district's annual budget, it's fairly small potatoes.
I'd be interested in the bus number also, in part because I wonder if there could be a savings going forward in using smaller vehicles. My observation, which could be incorrect, is that the big ones are rarely full. If smaller ones are less expensive to buy and maintain, maybe that's a long term savings? There's a new transportation director, I recall. Maybe efficiencies like that are being considered?
--Annie
The $300K - $500K came from the district. The challenge is that as with most district financial numbers, the assumptions and calculations are rarely very transparent or even available.
This is probably why I am critical / curious of the "Choice Programs(IB/RSIS) and Transportation". There is no data that explains what they really cost us.
I would appreciate if RAS posted a calculation of what it would cost to run a district with:
1. NO variation/choice from school to school. Just solid common Basic and Advanced curriculum in each school.
2. #1 + RSIS and no transportation.
3. #2 with transportation
4. #3 + IB and transportation. (ie today)
Of course with #1, they would need to seriously look at how much administration, support, buses, etc they would really need. And if a bunch of costs they currently see as fixed and necessary could go away. (ie large bus garage and ESC)
This is the only way we will know what Choice and busing costs.
Very simply: a complex system requires more people and property than a simple system... Now the question is: how much more?
The district probably owes its citizens that answer in a clear straight forward transparent format. Especially if it is taking money out of the classrooms...
By the way, I agree the pay for choice transport plan makes sense. Though I never even heard of it being discussed at the district. However, I see that other fees went up.
I believe one of the potential cuts for future years is intra-district busing. Isn't it on the list of ideas that needed to be analyzed in detail? Which maybe means getting residents heads around the idea, in addition to understanding the financial implications?
Paid intra-district busing was discussed last year. One big issue is that students getting free or reduced lunch will still get free or reduced busing, so the cost for the paying people will be so high that it's hard to see how many people would actually pay for it. But I assume that will be part of the analysis.
I wonder about another issue. What would the elimination of intra-district busing do to RMS? It already has different demographics than PMS, and if there is no free IB busing to RMS, I'd hazard a guess that the gap would grow. What's the tipping point? And PMS is already over full for next year.
Tough decision for Board members. The financial implications need to be understood, but that can't the only factor in their decisions.
JJ
I agree it is very difficult.
Though I know that Wayzata does not have nearly the same challenges as RAS, due to the student demographic differences. I still think they have the recipe figured out. One really good curriculum set that everyone can rally around and fully support.
This is cost effective and pulls people together rather than seperating them. However maybe too much together would be not so good in our district?
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