Spring Break
Education reform a must for U.S.
The Rocky Mountain Collegian Editorial Board
Issue date: 3/23/09 Section: Opinion
It's ironic.
Just more than a week after President Obama called for an overhaul of the American education system to make it "once more be the envy of the world," Pueblo County School District 70 initiated discussions about switching to a four-day school week next year to save money.
The idea follows a recession-prompted requirement to cut $4.5 million from the budget, a growing trend across the national education system. The school district claims it will save about $1.2 million from savings in staffing, utilities and bus services, and Pueblo is not alone.
According to an Associated Press article, there are about 60 Colorado districts that are on a four-day school week this year, and others in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Missouri and Washington have followed.
In a recent New York Times article, it was reported that the federal formulas used to determine the amount of money schools are slated to receive from the educational stimulus package do not take into account who needs the money most.
For example, a few Utah districts stand to get about $400 less per student than those in Wyoming.
In this case, the four-day school week doesn't look so bad as a means to save money and maintain current educational standards.
We see both these situations as avoidable. There is no reason why schools should be forced to sacrifice valuable time in order to save money and stimulus distribution disparities are just unacceptable.
If we are to achieve Obama's vision and "cultivate a new culture of accountability in America's schools," heightened standards, improved curricula, higher paid teachers and increased funding needs to be a top priority.
Rejecting the ideals of the famous Pink Floyd song, we DO need an education.
Just more than a week after President Obama called for an overhaul of the American education system to make it "once more be the envy of the world," Pueblo County School District 70 initiated discussions about switching to a four-day school week next year to save money.
The idea follows a recession-prompted requirement to cut $4.5 million from the budget, a growing trend across the national education system. The school district claims it will save about $1.2 million from savings in staffing, utilities and bus services, and Pueblo is not alone.
According to an Associated Press article, there are about 60 Colorado districts that are on a four-day school week this year, and others in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Missouri and Washington have followed.
In a recent New York Times article, it was reported that the federal formulas used to determine the amount of money schools are slated to receive from the educational stimulus package do not take into account who needs the money most.
For example, a few Utah districts stand to get about $400 less per student than those in Wyoming.
In this case, the four-day school week doesn't look so bad as a means to save money and maintain current educational standards.
We see both these situations as avoidable. There is no reason why schools should be forced to sacrifice valuable time in order to save money and stimulus distribution disparities are just unacceptable.
If we are to achieve Obama's vision and "cultivate a new culture of accountability in America's schools," heightened standards, improved curricula, higher paid teachers and increased funding needs to be a top priority.
Rejecting the ideals of the famous Pink Floyd song, we DO need an education.
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