Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
Instead of assigning schools letter grades, Jones prefers a student growth model that was developed in Colorado while he was education commissioner.
More gimmicks. More $450/d consultants. More empire building. More $300K+/y Superintendents. More deck chair rearranging. How many more generations of young people are we prepared to ruin before we admit the obvious: public education is a CATRASTROPHE and CANNOT be reformed.
We homeschool. No consultants, teacher days, vouchers, whatever.
No PhDs, MBAs, CFAs, etc.
No constant whining about underfunding and calls for more taxpayer dollars.
No football chit-chat, special ed, lesson plans, analyses, ratings, federally funded presentations, photo-ops, whatever.
The kids are doing just fine, thanks. And we do it all for a *fraction* of what CCSD is charging.
Showing posts with label Homeschool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homeschool. Show all posts
Friday, December 17, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Public Schools OPPOSE "Take Your Kids To Work" Day
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
The reason public school cogs oppose absences so vociferously is because state education funds are allocated based on a wonkish formula which scores school attendance.
That is why the most important employee a public school system is its truancy officer. That is why school districts fight tooth-&-nail to keep compulsory attendance laws on the books. That is why the local School Board should more accurately be called the DRAFT Board.
We homeschool. We take our kids to work every day.
Many public school teachers won't allow their kids to come to work with them.
#1) It's too dangerous.
#2) They're paying good money to send their kids to *private* schools.
The reason public school cogs oppose absences so vociferously is because state education funds are allocated based on a wonkish formula which scores school attendance.
That is why the most important employee a public school system is its truancy officer. That is why school districts fight tooth-&-nail to keep compulsory attendance laws on the books. That is why the local School Board should more accurately be called the DRAFT Board.
We homeschool. We take our kids to work every day.
Many public school teachers won't allow their kids to come to work with them.
#1) It's too dangerous.
#2) They're paying good money to send their kids to *private* schools.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Public School Regulations
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
Changes in school calendars are currently based on a complex formula based on class sizes and at least two years of demographic patterns in a school zone
There are *thousands* of school regulations. Some of them (like this "complex formula") are just silly. Many are outright *destructive* (like compulsory attendance). Rulffes' replacement is going to have to ensure compliance with every one of them -- or else hire lawyers to seek exemptions. Public education is CATASTROPHE and CANNOT be reformed.
We homeschool. We never close.
Carrying lunch trays in the wind. Really.
Changes in school calendars are currently based on a complex formula based on class sizes and at least two years of demographic patterns in a school zone
There are *thousands* of school regulations. Some of them (like this "complex formula") are just silly. Many are outright *destructive* (like compulsory attendance). Rulffes' replacement is going to have to ensure compliance with every one of them -- or else hire lawyers to seek exemptions. Public education is CATASTROPHE and CANNOT be reformed.
We homeschool. We never close.
Carrying lunch trays in the wind. Really.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Public Schools For The Rich
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
The dozen or so homeschoolers that I know are *not* rich people. In fact many of them are *struggling*. Some private school parents I'm acquainted with receive financial aid. I also know a bunch of middle class parents who could afford private school -- if they were willing to sacrifice for it -- but use their local "good" public school.
My observation is that relatively few kids are so unfortuate that a "public option" is their only hope. My experience is that most young kids are eager to learn but school ruins them. Therefore probably no more than 6,0000 CCSD kids are both desperate *and* motivated. Very manageable.
Those who support public (free) education for all are defending a de facto system of economic (if not racial) segregation. Those who can afford to live in good neighborhoods (generally White) receive a tax subsidy to enable their kids to attend public schools more-or-less on par with private schools. Safe, advanced placement courses, etc. 'CCSD Ed Dump' (1719) is basically correct. Kids in bad neighborhoods (not so White) are condemned to absolutely horrible public schools.
Those who say that if it wasn't for the government they would have been shutout of education should consider the lament of parents who were unable to afford private or homeschool because of their tax bills.
The dozen or so homeschoolers that I know are *not* rich people. In fact many of them are *struggling*. Some private school parents I'm acquainted with receive financial aid. I also know a bunch of middle class parents who could afford private school -- if they were willing to sacrifice for it -- but use their local "good" public school.
My observation is that relatively few kids are so unfortuate that a "public option" is their only hope. My experience is that most young kids are eager to learn but school ruins them. Therefore probably no more than 6,0000 CCSD kids are both desperate *and* motivated. Very manageable.
Those who support public (free) education for all are defending a de facto system of economic (if not racial) segregation. Those who can afford to live in good neighborhoods (generally White) receive a tax subsidy to enable their kids to attend public schools more-or-less on par with private schools. Safe, advanced placement courses, etc. 'CCSD Ed Dump' (1719) is basically correct. Kids in bad neighborhoods (not so White) are condemned to absolutely horrible public schools.
Those who say that if it wasn't for the government they would have been shutout of education should consider the lament of parents who were unable to afford private or homeschool because of their tax bills.
Consultants to the CCSD Contractors
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
Henry King, a consultant who oversees criterion reference tests for the state.
Charter schools are PUBLIC schools. They are government funded. So are "magnet" schools, "empowerment" schools, and all the other structural gimmicks.
Teaching the 3R's to poor kids -- pubic education's original, constitutional role -- is an intrinsically simple and inexpensive task. How many consultants do you need to accomplish it?
BTW. We homeschool. No endless testing. No teaching to the test. No consultants. NO GOVERNMENT FUNDING. Our kids are doing just fine, thanks.
Henry King, a consultant who oversees criterion reference tests for the state.
Charter schools are PUBLIC schools. They are government funded. So are "magnet" schools, "empowerment" schools, and all the other structural gimmicks.
Teaching the 3R's to poor kids -- pubic education's original, constitutional role -- is an intrinsically simple and inexpensive task. How many consultants do you need to accomplish it?
BTW. We homeschool. No endless testing. No teaching to the test. No consultants. NO GOVERNMENT FUNDING. Our kids are doing just fine, thanks.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Homeschoolers Are Tax *Producers*!
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
We homeschool. We don't cost taxpayers a cent. We buy our own supplies, also. We're tax *producers*.
We tightly control TV time -- Super Bowl, what's that? -- and require 1-2 hours of reading per day. Right now, in the next room, a retired PS teacher is working with my young kids to teach them English composition. She has a very good track record (she's a Stanford mom). Since we don't hire consultants to study our brain color we can afford to pay her. But she doesn't charge a lot of money, anyway.
We homeschool. We don't cost taxpayers a cent. We buy our own supplies, also. We're tax *producers*.
We tightly control TV time -- Super Bowl, what's that? -- and require 1-2 hours of reading per day. Right now, in the next room, a retired PS teacher is working with my young kids to teach them English composition. She has a very good track record (she's a Stanford mom). Since we don't hire consultants to study our brain color we can afford to pay her. But she doesn't charge a lot of money, anyway.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
We're Not Fooled
Originally posted in a LVRJ forum
We homeschool. It's not for everyone, but I STRONGLY urge parents to avoid public school.
We have a MUCH better familiarity with public education than *most* CCSD parents. We know a lot of public *and* private school parents. We have perspective. We've heard all the pedagogies. The bureaucratic forms, conferences, busywork, sensitivities, politics, etc. We see the textbooks and homework assignments. We read about the poor public school test scores. We compare all this against what our kids are doing.
We hear all the horror stories. One friend's bright, eager kid recently came home in tears after being humiliated in front of the class, a spectacle courtesy of a "credentialed" teacher in a "good" public school. Another friend's kid was actually reprimanded for READING in class. Not joking.
Private schools have negatives also, but at least they have strong feedback mechanisms. One friend was so angry at her son's $>20,000/yr private school (for "labeling" him) that she pulled him out and issued a STOP PAY on tuition installment check! Be sure the Headmaster got the message. Public school parents have no real alternative, and I'm forced to pay for it.
We homeschool. It's not for everyone, but I STRONGLY urge parents to avoid public school.
We have a MUCH better familiarity with public education than *most* CCSD parents. We know a lot of public *and* private school parents. We have perspective. We've heard all the pedagogies. The bureaucratic forms, conferences, busywork, sensitivities, politics, etc. We see the textbooks and homework assignments. We read about the poor public school test scores. We compare all this against what our kids are doing.
We hear all the horror stories. One friend's bright, eager kid recently came home in tears after being humiliated in front of the class, a spectacle courtesy of a "credentialed" teacher in a "good" public school. Another friend's kid was actually reprimanded for READING in class. Not joking.
Private schools have negatives also, but at least they have strong feedback mechanisms. One friend was so angry at her son's $>20,000/yr private school (for "labeling" him) that she pulled him out and issued a STOP PAY on tuition installment check! Be sure the Headmaster got the message. Public school parents have no real alternative, and I'm forced to pay for it.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Homeschooling Avoids Trouble
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
We homeschool.
No funny business. No kid-kid sex, teacher-kid sex or sex ed. No background checks or paid leaves. No baggy jeans or hoochy skirts. No PussyCat Dolls or gangsta' rap. No magnets, empowerments or charters.
NO RULFFES.
Just quality education for a fraction of the time/money CCSD requires.
We homeschool.
No funny business. No kid-kid sex, teacher-kid sex or sex ed. No background checks or paid leaves. No baggy jeans or hoochy skirts. No PussyCat Dolls or gangsta' rap. No magnets, empowerments or charters.
NO RULFFES.
Just quality education for a fraction of the time/money CCSD requires.
Friday, December 11, 2009
How To Get Rulffes' Attention
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
I didn't know that were NRS for public school gum chewing and cell phone usage. There must even be green regulations specifying the cotton content of the paper being pushed around by all the bureaucrats. How can anyone take this stuff seriously?
We homeschool. No bake sales, RD-certified junk food, Ritilin, suspensions, forms, conferences, etc. No funny business; just learning. Kids doing fine, thanks. All for a FRACTION of what CCSD gets per kid. And we don't cost taxpayers a cent. Indeed, we buy are own materials and PAY sales tax on them.
Do yourselves a favor. The next time a drone pulls you out of work to tell you that your kid is suspended for being a kid, tell him you're NOT COMING BACK -- especially if they're in elementary grades. Once CCSD starts losing headcount (per capita state funds) over these peccadillos they'll become a lot more flexible about enforcing them.
I didn't know that were NRS for public school gum chewing and cell phone usage. There must even be green regulations specifying the cotton content of the paper being pushed around by all the bureaucrats. How can anyone take this stuff seriously?
We homeschool. No bake sales, RD-certified junk food, Ritilin, suspensions, forms, conferences, etc. No funny business; just learning. Kids doing fine, thanks. All for a FRACTION of what CCSD gets per kid. And we don't cost taxpayers a cent. Indeed, we buy are own materials and PAY sales tax on them.
Do yourselves a favor. The next time a drone pulls you out of work to tell you that your kid is suspended for being a kid, tell him you're NOT COMING BACK -- especially if they're in elementary grades. Once CCSD starts losing headcount (per capita state funds) over these peccadillos they'll become a lot more flexible about enforcing them.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Teacher Evaluations Watered Down
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
test scores, now should be considered along with other performance measures, such as observation-based assessments and a teacher's demonstration of leadership
Sounds like an Affirmative Action program. Objective measures yield to political factors to effect equality of outcomes.
This Race->Top program is just another education gimmick. How many more BILLIONS of dollars and GENERATIONS of young people are we prepared to waste until we recognize the obvious: public education is a CATASTROPHE, and cannot be reformed.
Jaycee Dugard was abducted at age 11. Her tent-schooled kids test well ABOVE their grade levels. Can any of you reform-minded public education advocates explain that? Should we make Garrido our state Superintendent?
test scores, now should be considered along with other performance measures, such as observation-based assessments and a teacher's demonstration of leadership
Sounds like an Affirmative Action program. Objective measures yield to political factors to effect equality of outcomes.
This Race->Top program is just another education gimmick. How many more BILLIONS of dollars and GENERATIONS of young people are we prepared to waste until we recognize the obvious: public education is a CATASTROPHE, and cannot be reformed.
Jaycee Dugard was abducted at age 11. Her tent-schooled kids test well ABOVE their grade levels. Can any of you reform-minded public education advocates explain that? Should we make Garrido our state Superintendent?
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
CCSD: Separate *Is* Equal
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
A music teacher might be teaching more “music appreciation classes”
McEducation. My kids are homeschooled. They receive best-of-breed music lessons from a very good, competitively priced, private piano teacher. CCSD provides a completely superficial education. Not enough instruments. Really. And what the heck is a "Director of Fine Arts Education"?
There seems to be no instrument shortage for LVA music students. What gives? Separate is *not* equal.
How does CCSD get away with such huge school disparities? Kids in one school receive arts enrichment, but kids in another school get music de-appreciation. If CCSD is going to provide McEducation the least it can do is offer a standard menu.
A music teacher might be teaching more “music appreciation classes”
McEducation. My kids are homeschooled. They receive best-of-breed music lessons from a very good, competitively priced, private piano teacher. CCSD provides a completely superficial education. Not enough instruments. Really. And what the heck is a "Director of Fine Arts Education"?
There seems to be no instrument shortage for LVA music students. What gives? Separate is *not* equal.
How does CCSD get away with such huge school disparities? Kids in one school receive arts enrichment, but kids in another school get music de-appreciation. If CCSD is going to provide McEducation the least it can do is offer a standard menu.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
CCSD Has Already Cut The 3R's. Time To Cut Football.
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
CCSD parent Joni Trageton said: It's scary what's going on .. They're cutting into the sports program. [Good Heaven's. NO!] I've seen the arts get cut, special needs get cut, even a program like GATE
What's the big deal? CCSD has already eliminated the 3R's. Why should arts, football, and G&T be protected from mere *cuts*?
Can we please stop talking about Republican style, big government ideas like vouchers?! Government solutions DON'T WORK. Government money always comes with strings. When private schools become dependent upon public funding they'll start performing like PUBLIC schools. Besides, government funding (such as vouchers) will just draw shady education operators into the market. Like those huckster trade schools who advertise on TV, and lure you with info that you might qualify for "government loans".
COMPETITION works. Get the government completely OUT of education. Almost overnight new private schools will come into the marketplace to fill the demand for quality education services. For all tastes and price-points. Religious schools, secular schools, arts schools, football schools, etc. $20,000 per year schools, $20 per week schools. And on and on. This is all so obvious. The only reason we haven't gone this route yet is because the Republicrats are beholden to the special interests" Democrats to the education unions, and Republicans to the education contractors.
Last I checked, by law homeschooled kids have the right to play on district sports teams. Though my kids would probably benefit from having access to the facilities and playing at competitive levels, we *still* won't take advantage of it. We don't want ANYTHING to do with CCSD.
CCSD parent Joni Trageton said: It's scary what's going on .. They're cutting into the sports program. [Good Heaven's. NO!] I've seen the arts get cut, special needs get cut, even a program like GATE
What's the big deal? CCSD has already eliminated the 3R's. Why should arts, football, and G&T be protected from mere *cuts*?
Can we please stop talking about Republican style, big government ideas like vouchers?! Government solutions DON'T WORK. Government money always comes with strings. When private schools become dependent upon public funding they'll start performing like PUBLIC schools. Besides, government funding (such as vouchers) will just draw shady education operators into the market. Like those huckster trade schools who advertise on TV, and lure you with info that you might qualify for "government loans".
COMPETITION works. Get the government completely OUT of education. Almost overnight new private schools will come into the marketplace to fill the demand for quality education services. For all tastes and price-points. Religious schools, secular schools, arts schools, football schools, etc. $20,000 per year schools, $20 per week schools. And on and on. This is all so obvious. The only reason we haven't gone this route yet is because the Republicrats are beholden to the special interests" Democrats to the education unions, and Republicans to the education contractors.
Last I checked, by law homeschooled kids have the right to play on district sports teams. Though my kids would probably benefit from having access to the facilities and playing at competitive levels, we *still* won't take advantage of it. We don't want ANYTHING to do with CCSD.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
NV Spelling-Bee Champ Is Homeschooled
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
The home-schooled eighth-grader correctly spelled cecity, which means blindness, and crocus, which is a type of flower, to advance to the fourth round of competition
Somehow, I missed the preliminary story. Congratulations to all the competitors. You kids are definitely NOT wasting Nevada taxpayers money, unlike the orangutans who make fun of you for being so smart. Good luck Tussah. You're making all of us proud.
There must be many good spellers attending public school, but as commenter Homeschool pointed out, any kid who tries to read the dictionary during some "more important" class function will be reprimanded. I actually *know* someone like this. This short, geeky and very bright young man, who is constantly teased by his classmates, was actually scolded by his teacher for reading his book (Potter?) in class! She made him put it away. One can imagine the sort of crucial lesson she had in store for the class. CCSD kids who succeed do so in spite of Rulffes.
The home-schooled eighth-grader correctly spelled cecity, which means blindness, and crocus, which is a type of flower, to advance to the fourth round of competition
Somehow, I missed the preliminary story. Congratulations to all the competitors. You kids are definitely NOT wasting Nevada taxpayers money, unlike the orangutans who make fun of you for being so smart. Good luck Tussah. You're making all of us proud.
There must be many good spellers attending public school, but as commenter Homeschool pointed out, any kid who tries to read the dictionary during some "more important" class function will be reprimanded. I actually *know* someone like this. This short, geeky and very bright young man, who is constantly teased by his classmates, was actually scolded by his teacher for reading his book (Potter?) in class! She made him put it away. One can imagine the sort of crucial lesson she had in store for the class. CCSD kids who succeed do so in spite of Rulffes.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Homeschool Economics
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
CCSD spends ~$13,000 per kid. It doesn't matter to me whether they spend it all on teacher salaries or condoms. It's all waste.
We homeschool. We do it for a small FRACTION of what public school is getting per kid. Yes, that's after classroom expense (kitchen table), teacher salary (mom), and school lunch program (mom's gourmet cooking).
Nobody cares how much we pay our faculty/staff (ourselves) or how much formal education we possess. No studies or correlations.
We know our kids' strengths and weaknesses. The things we emphasize (like reading) they do as well as they can. The things we don't care about (like "diversity") they are ignorant of. No endless assessment testing.
We permit ZERO government involvement in our school. We don't spend a nickel on regulatory compliance -- floor plans, credentials, insurance, mandates, etc. We don't retain $100K consultants to search for a Superintendent. We don't maintain a legal department.
All our spending is "smart".
CCSD spends ~$13,000 per kid. It doesn't matter to me whether they spend it all on teacher salaries or condoms. It's all waste.
We homeschool. We do it for a small FRACTION of what public school is getting per kid. Yes, that's after classroom expense (kitchen table), teacher salary (mom), and school lunch program (mom's gourmet cooking).
Nobody cares how much we pay our faculty/staff (ourselves) or how much formal education we possess. No studies or correlations.
We know our kids' strengths and weaknesses. The things we emphasize (like reading) they do as well as they can. The things we don't care about (like "diversity") they are ignorant of. No endless assessment testing.
We permit ZERO government involvement in our school. We don't spend a nickel on regulatory compliance -- floor plans, credentials, insurance, mandates, etc. We don't retain $100K consultants to search for a Superintendent. We don't maintain a legal department.
All our spending is "smart".
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Public Education Is Completely POLITICAL
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
Nobody cares what McDonald's crew members are making, how much education they have, whether they're trained to recycle, how many assistant managers work at lunchtime, etc. Those are entirely private affairs. But the public education system is completely *political*. The smallest details are subject to endless debate. Social engineering goals like co-ed gym and diversity become sacraments. Every possible constituency has a say except the one for academic excellence. And it's only going to get worse. In 10 years we'll still be having the same debates, the same poor results, the same high costs, the same trendy curricula. And the public education supporters -- especially those who make money off the system -- will still be talking about saving it. Meanwhile, my homeschooled kids will be outcompeting 98% of the public school graduates in everything except sociopathic behavior.
Nobody cares what McDonald's crew members are making, how much education they have, whether they're trained to recycle, how many assistant managers work at lunchtime, etc. Those are entirely private affairs. But the public education system is completely *political*. The smallest details are subject to endless debate. Social engineering goals like co-ed gym and diversity become sacraments. Every possible constituency has a say except the one for academic excellence. And it's only going to get worse. In 10 years we'll still be having the same debates, the same poor results, the same high costs, the same trendy curricula. And the public education supporters -- especially those who make money off the system -- will still be talking about saving it. Meanwhile, my homeschooled kids will be outcompeting 98% of the public school graduates in everything except sociopathic behavior.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
CCEA Sues For Higher Funding
Originally posted in a LVRJ Forum
Such a lawsuit would be filed on behalf of students and their parents.
I am a parent of homeschooled students. Please take our names out of your class of plaintiffs. Your classroom funding is more than adequate. We achieve excellent results for a small FRACTION of what you guys claim is necessary. The only lawsuit with any kind of merit here would be a malpractice claim by CCSD customers against the teachers who compose the CCEA.
Such a lawsuit would be filed on behalf of students and their parents.
I am a parent of homeschooled students. Please take our names out of your class of plaintiffs. Your classroom funding is more than adequate. We achieve excellent results for a small FRACTION of what you guys claim is necessary. The only lawsuit with any kind of merit here would be a malpractice claim by CCSD customers against the teachers who compose the CCEA.
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