What do schools spend their money on?

Because it certainly doesnt seem like its on the students.


I know their bills are probably pretty high, but don they make like 50bucks a student or something like that for everyday they show up? I remember getting that beaten into my brain in elementary, and to not be absent or the school would lose money.


Anyways, I go to high school and I dont know if this is odd or not but we have to pay for our lockers, and then it isnt even safe for us to put our books in the lockers because the sprinklers ruin the lockers. Also they are outside and vulnerable to vandalism, and guess what? You have to pay for ANY damage done.

I also dont know if this is normal or not, but no class sets at all in the school because they are too expensive.

And another thing is we take our tests on scantrons because the teachers are too lazy to actually grade, and we have to use the same scantron multiple times because they cost like 50C a piece so the teachers make us use the same scantron like 4 times. And I know the computer grading thing for those are wrong and I know the teachers do not double check those things so we are getting scammed.



They cant afford any of the above, but they can afford two "security" guards, and 4 golf carts to accompany them. They can afford a full time locksmith when the doors get glued, they seem to be able to afford things right when they are needed, but they do not invest in the students for long term.



Sorry for the rant, I just want to know how are the schools budgets spread through your school (if you go, preferably high school) and also (I tried researching but with no luck) would like to know what the amount of money the schools make when a student is present, and if it goes directly to the school or whatever. Also the bills if anyone knows like electric, water, internet, etc. Also does the school pay the teachers? Eh, I have a lot to learn so any info would be great!!!

It's been a few years since I was in high school, but both there and in college we used scantrons. I think it's mostly just a widespread technological advancement when it comes to those. We never had any errors unless you didn't erase properly and it threw the machines off... even then the teacher would look at it and correct your grade accordingly.

Paying for lockers seems awful. I admit coming from a good school district, but even we had very tight spending. The band program constantly had to fight to even exist (a program with many consistently award winning bands) while sports teams got new uniforms etc. Many other programs suffered as well. Not to mention, the school newspaper ceasing to exist because the management didn't like the opinions it included.

Someone else will have to weigh in for budgeting specifics, I'm afraid I'm not familiar with those either. I do, however, know that each school system has very little to work with, and with recent policies, funding is determined more by test-results than anything else... so more schools are focused on teaching how to take tests rather than teaching for the sake of education. It's in a sad state indeed...

Yea it's pretty uneven and I come from supposedly a great school. It's the end of the year and there is some kind of senior breakfast and you have to pay to get in (maybe its normal but I think the least they can do is pay).Everything at school you have to pay for, it just seems like all greed to me but I dont know

I don't really know what the public schools spend their money on as my daughter when to private schools. I do know they seem to always be asking for money for one reason or another. Paying for a locker seems extreme to me especially under the circumstances you outline. As far as having a locksmith on hand seems like they need on since some one keeps gluing doors. Maybe a little less of that sort of behavior would equal more money to be used else where?

In the private schools we had lots and lots of fundraisers for sports, music and other such programs. Maybe the public schools need to try that.

Believe me, most public schools have a ton of fund raisers. They were pretty much a constant with all the different clubs, sports, etc around. I know in band we sold oranges and poinsettias at certain points in the year, as well as apparel, and (to the great generosity of the athletics department) the band boosters volunteered and got profits from the football concession stand. We even had days where we went playing/begging in front of local businesses. Still it's hard to support even the most basic art and music programs, which I guess is an entirely different issue.

Anyone know more specifics on the budgets of schools?

I know they used to spread around that they make a ___ number of dollars a day per student, and that's why they have such harsh penalties if you are absent without a excuse.

Check online to see if your school system publishes an itemized budget.

I know their bills are probably pretty high, but don they make like 50bucks a student or something like that for everyday they show up? I remember getting that beaten into my brain in elementary, and to not be absent or the school would lose money.

It might have something to so with how they budget for the following year, they might base it on average daily attendance figures for the previous year or something like that.

Sorry for the rant, I just want to know how are the schools budgets spread through your school (if you go, preferably high school) and also (I tried researching but with no luck) would like to know what the amount of money the schools make when a student is present, and if it goes directly to the school or whatever.

The schools don't "make" money for students being present, though they might lose money from future budgets.

Most likely the school itself doesn't pay any of the bills, it's usually done by the county/city treasurer.

Also the bills if anyone knows like electric, water, internet, etc.

Thats probably just the tip of the iceberg of what they pay for. Books, buses, paper just to name a few more.

Also does the school pay the teachers?

I would certainly hope so. Though they aren't paid by the school directly, the check comes from the local government, but the funds come out of the schools budget.

In most cases its not the schools fault for conditions like that, its usually caused by the ones who set the budget.

Everything at school you have to pay for, it just seems like all greed to me but I dont know

I doubt its greed, its just not in the budget.

[edit on 8/6/07 by Skibum]

What Skibum mentioned sounds about right to me. I don't think the school itself has much control over anything other than what they can do with the little they have, and maybe what's necessary to ask of the students.

I don't know if schools get more money for attendance, but the ones in my school district get more money for students enrolled in the 'international baccalaureate' (IB) program. It wasn't based on daily attendance, but simply on how many students were in the program. (I don't know how much money they got, just that they did get money) I'm at a loss to explain where the money goes, from that source or any other. I suspect there is a lot of bureaucratic waste, like any government-run organization. People tend to waste money a lot more when it isn't their own.

There are also a lot of 'behind the scenes' employees at schools. I don't know whether some of the ones at my school were earning their pay or not, but I know that some employees I never saw doing anything. Like there was this one storeroom at my high school, where they kept all the books for class study, like 100 copies of Hamlet, and that sort of thing. They had somebody in that room every time I went there, but I can't honestly say if they were there the whole day, or whether the teacher would ask a librarian to be there for just 10 minutes to hand out the books or what. If that person was there 40 hours a week, that was a total waste of money.

There are a lot of useful school employees that you probably don't see very often. People like janitors, guidance counsellors, school nurses, secretarial staff, who all have to be paid. A given school might be paying more of these people than they need, but they definitely need a certain number of these people.

At my university, on the wall of the Faculty of Education building, there was a massive mural that someone had put there. I'm not sure if it was painted or tiled or what. It was actually kind of cool looking, rather abstract colours and shapes. But, apparently it cost over a million dollars to have done, or so I was told on orientation day. Sometimes I wonder what else they are spending millions on... then again, maybe I don't want to know.

In the uk i heard they spend all there money on chips and gravy smiley potatoe face teacakes and coca cola.

Regard's
Lee

my post on schools was deleted, my lawsuit agnst the United States Department of Education was tossed aside. my son was taken from my custody, because they say a child should not be with a parent who rebels agnst society. United States Department of Education filed a countersuit agnst me and lost! they say i hacked into their database and stole the handbooks i have been handing out all over the U.S. lack of proof, and Freedom of Information Act protected me... i have e-mailed thousands of letters to news stations, radio stations, and web blogs and forums. the news and raido will not air my lawsuit! I own handbooks on scored psychological testing in the public school system, i own the book that these tests were based on!
everything i have done has been out of my own pocket! 500 8 page packets were handed out in 3 towns in my state. the lawsuit has come from my savings, parents and teachers need to know about theses illegal tests...
HERE IS WHAT I TAKE TO COURT TO FIGHT THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION! ** all links are in official handbooks that i have on files in my PC** since they were not pulled from their original location i give you the web pages:
What is WSAS?
No Child Left Behind Act!
To sum it up they are test to test the knowledge of our kids to see what they know on an academic level. or is it?
the test consists of 5 areas of study. math, reading, history and science. but what about the 5Th test?
its a test they do not want you to know about....
its is a scored psychological test that students are forced to take!


here are a few examples that were taken in 1997:
published by National Parents Commission Peg Luksik, Editor
>
>Winter 1997
>
> Values Appraisal Scale
>
>The purpose of this activity is to let you appraise your own
>values and compare them to those of other students throughout
>the nation Number your answers in the following manner:
>
>10= definitely true
>7= mostly true
>5= undecided whether statement is true or false
>3=mostly false
>0=definitely false
>___1. I have a regular physical check- up by my doctor every
>year.
>
> ___ 2. I will regularly take my children to church.
>
> ___ 3. I enjoy attending musical concerts.
>
> ___ 4. It is important to me to have a lot of friends.
>
>____5. 1 donate to charities that I feel are worthwhile.
>
> ___ 6. I envy the way that movie stars are recognized wherever
>they go.
>
>____7. 1 would like to have enough money to retire at age 50.
>
>____8. I would rather spend an evening at home with my family
>than out with friends.
>
>____9. 1 enjoy making decisions which involve other people.
>
>___10. If I had the talent, I would like to write songs.
>
>____ 11. I have a close relationship with either My' father or
>my mother.
i could not post a link to this test, to mask how it was obtained...
-----------------------------------------------------------
the book this test is based on is:
Verhoeven, Ludo and John H.A.L. De Jong, eds. The Construct of Language Proficiency: Applications
of Psychological Models to Language Assessment. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing
Company, 1992
if you go to this link, and scroll all the way to the bottom you will see a list of names of books, authors used to to create the test.
and the link is the exact book of that on the list.
www.snapdrive.net...
( sorry had to upload that, the refuse to show that page now)
books used for testing.
Verhoeven, Ludo and John H.A.L. De Jong, eds. The Construct of Language Proficiency: Applications
of Psychological Models to Language Assessment. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing
Company, 1992
once you find these go here
www.benjamins.com...
scroll to the bottom and you will see subject classification.
click Psycholinguistics
then read the top 3
================================================
the scores are as follows:
THEY ARE ASSESSING THESE:
CRITICAL THINKING
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION, FORMATION AND SOLUTION.
CREATIVITY
INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY
INTERPERSONAL AND COLLABORATIVE SKILLS
AND THESE TESTS INCLUDE
USE SCIENCE TO EXPRESS POSITIONS ON A SOCIETAL ISSUES,
AND GET THIS....
IN ORDER TO PASS ASSESSMENT COMPONENT'S
YOU HAVE TO PASS 3 GOALS..
PERFORMANCE AND TASKS,CONSTRUED RESPONSE INVESTIGATIONS,OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS.
ALL 3 CATEGORIES HAVE ONE GOAL THE SAME
COMMUNICATE SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING...
AS TO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE TO BE ASKED
"IN OUR TIME SPECIALISTS OF ALL KINDS ARE HIGHLY OVERRATED, WE NEED MORE GENERALISTS
PEOPLE WHO CAN PROVIDE BROAD PERSPECTIVES
DIRECTION'S;
AGREE OR DISAGREE AND EXPLAIN THE REASONS FOR YOUR POSITION. STUDENTS SELECTS ONE OF TWO PROMPTS!
AS FOR SCORING RUBIC......
STUDENTS MUST;
RECOGNIZE FLAWS AND ISSUES- NOT SWAYED BY EMOTIONAL ARGUMENTS, FAULTY LOGIC, IRRELEVANT INFORMATION, ETC..
ANTICIPATES CONSEQUENCES AND IMPLICATIONS OF ALTERNATE SOLUTIONS AND STRATEGIES
if our children are being graded on how they think, who says what is wrong or right?
generally these goals sound great right? well if they are sooo good for our future why are parents not allowed to view this test? and why must an order be placed to have it destroyed after you are able to view it?
=========================================
here are our rules as parents regarding this test:
at the bottom you will find a link. please view it before it is taken away.
WSAS Test Access
ORDER OF THE
STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
CREATING RULES
The state superintendent of public instruction hereby proposes to create ch. PI 28, relating to providing access to the 4Th, 8Th, and 10Th grade Knowledge and Concepts Examinations *****and the High School Graduation Test.*****
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANALYSIS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Statutory authority: SS. 118.30 (3) (b) and 227.11 (2) (a), Stats.
Statute interpreted: s. 118.30 (3), Stats.
Since 1992, when the knowledge and concepts examinations were first instituted in Wisconsin, the state superintendent has been required to make available, upon request, within 90 days of the date of administration, any of the required pupil assessments under s. 118.30, Stats. This requirement also applied to the high school graduation test when it was added in 1997. The department has provided guidance on proper test use and review in a document titled, "DIP Guidelines for Appropriate Testing Procedures."
2001 Wisconsin Act 16 created s. 118.30 (3) (b), Stats., requiring the state superintendent to promulgate rules establishing procedures to allow a person to view these tests. The proposed rules codify the requirements in the guidelines. Specifically, the rules:
*Do not allow a person to review a test that is being developed or validated.
*Require the test viewer to submit a written request and a signed confidentiality agreement to the state superintendent within 90 days after the date of administration of the test. In addition if a person wants to view a test at a charter school under s. 118.40 (2r), Stats., [(2r) charter school] or school, require the test viewer to submit a written request and signed confidentiality agreement to the charter school or school board of the school.
*Require the school board, (2r) charter school or the department to file a confirmation of destruction with the test publisher before allowing a test to be viewed.
*Require the school board, (2r) charter school or the department to ensure that the individual making the request signs a confidentiality agreement.
*Require the school board, (2r) charter school or the department to ensure the test viewer is accompanied by a staff member who is aware of the confidentiality requirements associated with the test.
SECTION 1. Chapter PI 28 is created to read:
Chapter PI 28
TEST ACCESS
PI 28.01 Authority and purpose.
(1) Under s. 118.30 (3), Stats., the state superintendent is required to promulgate rules to allow a person to view the 4Th, 8Th and 10Th grade Wisconsin knowledge and concepts examinations and the high school graduation examination. This chapter does not apply to an examination being developed or validated. To the extent possible, the rules shall protect the security and confidentiality of the examinations.
(2) This chapter establishes requirements for school boards, charter schools and the department providing the tests under sub. (1) and procedures for persons requesting to view the tests under sub. (1).
PI 28.02 Definitions. In this chapter:
(1) "Date of administration of the test" means the date a pupil completes taking all of the parts of a test or the date the department releases the statewide test results to the public or news media.
(2) "Charter school" means a charter school established under s. 118.40 (2r), Stats.
(3) "Department" means the Wisconsin department of public instruction.
(4) "School board" has the meaning defined in s. 115.001 (7), Stats.
(5) "State superintendent" means the Wisconsin state superintendent of public instruction.
(6) "Test" means the 4Th, 8Th and 10Th grade Wisconsin knowledge and concepts examinations and the high school graduation examination administered under s. 118.30, Stats.
PI 28.03 Test access.
(1) TEST VIEWER REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Except as specified under par. (b), a person may view a test under this chapter if he or she submits a written request and a signed confidentiality agreement to the state superintendent within 90 days after the date of administration of the test. If a person wants to view a test at a charter school or school, he or she shall also submit a written request and signed confidentiality agreement to the charter school or school board of the school.
(b) A person may not view a test while it is being developed or validated.
(2) SCHOOL BOARD, CHARTER SCHOOL AND DEPARTMENT REQUIREMENTS.
(a) A school board or charter school may, but is not required to, provide for viewing a test. A school board or charter school that receives a request under sub. (1) but does not provide for viewing a test, shall notify the department. A school board, charter school or department that provides for the viewing of the test under this chapter shall allow a person to view a test if all of the following apply:
1. The school board, charter school or department has received the written request and a copy of the signed confidentiality agreement under sub. (1) (a). The agreement shall include the following provisions:
a. The test viewer may not discuss, disseminate, describe or otherwise reveal the contents of the test to any third party with the intent to violate the copyright or compromise the validity of the test.
b. The test viewer may not make copies of the test or any test items, take notes, or otherwise reproduce the test or test items.
c. The test viewer may not publish, or cause to be published, the test or any of the test items.
2. The school board, charter school or department shall file, if it has not already filed, a confirmation of destruction/security agreement with the test publisher.
3. The school board, charter school or department shall ensure the test viewer is accompanied at all times by a staff member who is aware of the confidentiality requirements associated with the test. In addition, a qualified staff member who is aware of the confidentiality requirements associated with the test and can explain the proper use of the test, the purposes of the Wisconsin student assessment system, and the meaning of test results shall be available at all times that the viewer is present but need not physically accompany the viewer at all times.
(b) The school board, charter school or department that receives a request under sub. (1) (a) shall acknowledge and provide for viewing the test within 90 days of receipt of the request.
********NOTE: The Confirmation of Destruction is available in the District Assessment Coordinator's Guide posted on the department's web site at dpi.wi.gov... (see Appendix A). The Confidentiality Agreement is available on the department's web site at dpi.wi.gov... Both forms may be obtained at no charge from the Department of Public Instruction, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841. ********** ( these links have been removed, and they refuse to show the page due to my rantings!) you must use the direct link.. dpi.wi.gov...
The proposed rules contained in this order shall take effect on the first day of the month commencing after the date of publication in the Wisconsin Administrative Register, as provided in s. 227.22(2)(intro.), Stats.
Dated this 14Th day of November, 2002
Elizabeth Burmaster
State Superintendent
dpi.wi.gov...
------------------------------------------------
i urge all of Wisconsin to please call Wisconsin Department of Education and ask to view this test your child is forced to take.
my son is 8. going into 3rd grade, and i was told he was taking this test, i wanted to view it, his principal at Harrison elementary told me NO! i looked up this test on line and was shocked at my findings! i called the Wisconsin Board of Education and they refuse to show this test to me! i fight my sons school system, he will not be tested on how he thinks!!!
please call,
(800) 441-4563 Ask to see the WSAS test your child is forced to take!!!
you cannot score/grade a child's thinking, it is wrong, and immoral! and it must stop!
i had many links proving my findings. when i went to the school board, i also called radio stations, news casts, politicians, Internet blogs, forums, packets....... upon doing so they redirected links, refused to show web pages. i have all the info i need in my PC to take them to court if i have to! please for your children: MAKE THE CALL!!!!! DEMAND TO VIEW THIS TEST!
-------------------------------------
testing in early childhood programs too..
The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS) program has been designed to include two overlapping cohorts: a Birth Cohort and a Kindergarten Cohort. The birth cohort follows a sample of children from birth through kindergarten entry. The kindergarten cohort follows a sample of children from kindergarten through the eighth grade.
The ECLS Program provides national data on children's status at birth and at various points thereafter; children's transitions to non-parental care, early education programs, and school; and children's experiences and growth through the eighth grade. The ECLS program also provides data to analyze the relationships among a wide range of family, school, community, and individual variables with children's development, early learning, and performance in school.
nces.ed.gov...
--------------------------------------------------------------
here is results for psychological testing
scroll to page 80 and you will see the charts/results that they use for these psychological tests..
nces.ed.gov...
you decide if you want your child's school forcing them to take these tests.
got it here
nces.ed.gov...
===============================
**** VIEW THESE LINKS BEFORE THEY REDIRECT THEM AGAIN****
i have all handbooks created by the United States Department of Education, i will use them in court. I'm not trying to manipulate you, only make you aware of a test that our children are forced to take. i simply urge you to call and ask to see this test.. you have a right.. do not be afraid to stand up and Ask to see it...... if you do not believe my words and findings, then simply look at the test!
its kinda like this, if a high enough percentage of kids choose, to not care to donate to a charity and their answer is one of these >5= undecided whether statement is true or false
>3=mostly false
>0=definitely false
then they will bring into the school curriculum why it is important to donate to charities, it becomes a goal to be met.

The schools keep increasing their 'mill rate' but yet the schools look more & more run down, while my property tax is skyrocketing. The kids are getting dumber, the curriculms are based on feelings & sexual orientation/sexual preferance & United Nation's indoctrination but yet they forget to teach the basics like reading, writing, & math. Teen agers working at cash registers can't even add in their heads anymore. I have friends who are teachers as well, they are not allowed to fail their students anymore. Kids are graduating but they can't read?