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The Inland Northwest’s education layoff numbers are in, and they’re not as bad as many had feared. Getting much of the credit for staving off major staff reductions are federal stimulus spending, creative cost-cutting and, in some cases, growing enrollment, which brings in greater per-student state funding. “The goal was to save people,” said Wayne Leonard, Mead School District business manager. That sentiment was echoed by Coeur d’Alene Superintendent Hazel Bauman. “People will come before stuff. We’re distributing the pain, so to speak.” In Idaho, negotiations with teachers are just beginning. Pay freezes and salary reductions are expected to be on the table, officials say/Jody Lawrence-Turner, SR. More here.
Question: Are you confident that your local school district can provide a decent education to youngsters given the current economic constraints?
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
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Don_Sausser on May 16 at 6:57 a.m.
Sure, they used to do it with six grades in one room, i.e., Mica Flats School (where the Grange is now), Kidd Island school near the end of the bay, and many others.
inlandempiregirl on May 16 at 1:48 p.m.
Fortunately our cuts won’t impact student learning as much. Bus routes were consolidated, the sports league planned more games in central places so schools won’t spend as much money traveling, sports teams will wear the same uniforms, and we cut the hours and extended days for one administrator.
CdaMomof4 on May 16 at 5:23 p.m.
I’m curious why PF and CdA districts are saying that they are not “laying off” any employees - yet they are not rehiring any first year teachers. Seems to me if you were a first year teacher, it would sound like the same thing as being laid off. I would love for the contributing writers to go back to the districts and ask them why they are reporting no lay offs, when in fact they are laying off all their first year teachers.
Liz on May 16 at 9:16 p.m.
if they manage their money right: sure.
if not…well…