Thursday, August 03, 2000
Penny pinching at schools described
By Andrea Tortora
The Cincinnati Enquirer
This is the scene inside many Cincinnati Public schools:
Textbooks are outdated and in short supply. Furniture is broken, yet still being used. There are no librarians. Classes are crowded. Many teachers are spending $500 a year in personal money for supplies.
To fix the problem, the district should increase the amount it spends per student — in effect giving more money to schools to spend on basic educational needs.
That's the message a group of principals, teachers, parents and community members presented to the school board's finance committee Wednesday.
It was the first of several meetings that will help board members set the amount for a levy on the November ballot.
“Every day we struggle with what we will purchase with the money we have because we don't have enough,” said Jerry Moore, Anderson Place principal.
Last year, teachers in his building gave up money for supplies to keep a teaching position.
Schools receive money based on the number of students who attend. Schools that offer certain programs, like Paideia or Montessori, receive more money for each child.
Parent Mark Turner, whose sons Luke, 7, and Graham, 5, attend Sands Montessori, said the district should give the same number of dollars for each student, regardless of which school he or she attends.
“Why is one child worth more per pupil at one school than another?” Mr. Turner asked.
Luke spoke up, too.
“My school needs a new librarian,” he said.
Lynn Marmer, finance committee chairwoman, said Wednesday's input, which came from representatives of nine of the city's 76 schools, “helps us see we are operating on bare bones.
“This wasn't pie in the sky,” she said. “This was triage. We need to be frugal, but there comes a time when we are too frugal.”
In March, voters defeated a permanent 6.5-mill tax increase that would have raised $38.8 million annually. Voters did pass a five-year, 10.9-mill levy that will raise $65.1 million annually. The levy that passed combined two existing emergency levies.
In November, voters rejected a $24 million, 4.5-mill levy, that led to $20 million in cuts.
Board member Catherine Ingram said the board must now figure out a way to put money where the needs are.
The full board will meet 5:30 p.m. Monday to begin that process.
Rick Beck, Cincinnati Federa tion of Teachers president, said schools should not have to beg for things that are expected in suburban districts.
“Schools have been bleeding themselves,” Mr. Beck said. “We should expect more and demand more from the community.”
Superintendent Steven Adamowski said the district should use the levy campaign to show the public what it needs to survive and to thrive.
“I'm not sure I heard anything in my heart of hearts I didn't already know,” he said.
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