oldlawdawg wrote on February 12, 2008 07:29 PM: Would it REALLY be so awful if state and county education officials finally had to cease their endless handringing over special pet projects and the budgets necessary to implement them -- projects which are so often motivated by a desire of politicians and administrators to be seen as "progressive" and "far-sighted" rather than by any truly pressing need -- and start focusing once again on providing solid core academics in a safe and healthy environment? Is it REALLY so awful for us to focus on getting ur core educational values, abilities and achievments up to a meaningful standard where our children can write a simple sentence and know what it means, and to understand mathmatics beyond understanding how to turn on a claculator, rather than being distracted from our failures in such basics by programs designed to promote far more limited educational interests? Would it really be so terrible if the state was unable to provide subsuidized daycare in the form of 12 month kindergarten, and that the expectation of parents that the state must provide such be rejected once and for all? Would it really be so terrible if teachers were hired based upon their proven ability to effectively teach reading, writing, mathmatics, history and core social ciences? MAYBE THESE ECONOMICALLY HARD TIMES ARE NECESSARY FOR TAXPAYERS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, UNION OFFICIALS AND POLITICIANS TO FINALLY FOVCUS UPON FIXING THE PROBLEMS WITH OUR CORE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND VALUES BEFORE IGNORING SUCH ESSENTIAL CONCERNS IN FAVOR OF "SPECIAL PROGRAMS" AND "SPECIAL BUDGETS."

dwc wrote on February 12, 2008 12:44 PM: Since Reggie is so quick to pick arbitrary figures out of the audit, perhaps he overlooked the MGT Financial Management Review which specifically recommends improvements that would potentially realize a savings of $453 MILLION dollars over 5 years. Even if the district was conservative and implemented a gross one half that's $226.5 MILLION Dollars. Let's say they only realize half of that- That's still over $113 MILLION Dollars- very conservatively. The school funding problems might not be so dire if you couple the reduction of illegal/undocumented/non-status/whatever PC terminology you wish to use, population, with implementation of some or all of the financial practice recommendations. But we don't want to ruffle feathers or hurt peoples' precious little feeeeelings, now, do we?

Jeremiah wrote on February 12, 2008 12:28 PM: Websites are promotional devices. They are very self-serving by nature. I also would have a hard time trusting the results of an audit sanctioned by the CCSD, especially if it says more money is needed, but administrative cuts aren't made. The fewer faceless suits running around the administrative offices on Sahara, McLeod, and Flamingo the better for the actual clients of the district, the students.

I seldom agree with Douglas, but he's right about the potential savings that would come with not having to recruit across the pond or having to teach any student here illegally. That would save tons of money.

grumpy wrote on February 12, 2008 12:08 PM: Reggie,
The purpose of an audit is not to identify funding requirements. It is to identify how funds are spent, what they're spent on, when they're spent and why they're spent.

That your reference to an audit indicates any refernce to additional requirements does not strike me as an unbiased, independent audit. Who did this audit, and what ties to any government agency or school district did they have?

Of course any audit sanctioned by CCSD would indicate a need for ever increasing funds--hence my skepticism.

dave L wrote on February 12, 2008 11:20 AM: Grumpy,

Audit has been done; inefficiencies have been identified. Have they been acted on, I don't know.

Go read it all for yourself on the CCSD website, reports and publication section.

douglas wrote on February 12, 2008 11:00 AM: the shortfall in the nevada school budgets would instantly evaporate were the illegal infiltrator parasites removed from the system.

no more busing to balance classroom size. no more teacher, book, or supplies shortages. no more overcrowded classrooms. no more traveling throughout the world looking for teachers. fewer if any, new school construction, only enough to accommodate the legal u.s. citizens. no more fake, gaming tax referenda to benefit any/some union.

Jeremiah wrote on February 12, 2008 10:37 AM: I agree with grumpy in that the administrative costs must be mind numbing. There are three large buildings that house the various district administrators and their army of assistants. Schools and teachers are constantly being told by these administrators to tighten our belts, yet the administrative monster just grows and grows.

reggie wrote on February 12, 2008 09:00 AM: Yah genius...An independent autit was done recently and found that K-12 education needed an additional 1.3 BILLION dollars to adequately educate students. You can find the entire audit and information on the 49 others at: www.ccsd.net then click on district audit and accountability reports. Get educated before you voice your opinion!

Joe Simms wrote on February 12, 2008 03:29 AM: Let those high priced, do nothing politicians take a pay cut and let that money go to what it's needed for, the kids. Most of them are well off already and don't need a six figure salary for doing nothing.

Just as an example.

Look at Mitt Romney who spent $24 million of his own money for his campaign.

Why would you want a $300,000 doller job. I could live very comfortable on just the interest from $24 million.

All my bills are paid for, go on vacation 3 times a year and still have for nice things and do it on $37,000 a year.

Get rid of all those Jabronies and I'll do the job for $60,000 and still have $20,000 more then I need.

Let see how many are truely for the people and take a walk when they're asked to take a pay cut or work for free like they should.

I get sick and tired with those clowns.

grumpy wrote on February 12, 2008 02:38 AM: It might prove interesting if an outside, indelendent audit were ever conducted for the CCSD. I'd bet the audit would find a bloated and inefficient administrative and overhead structure, while the real needs of the schools are ignored. Fixing this would yield the funds necessary for the parts of the school district that really matters, namely teachers and classroom supplies.

What kind of bureaucracy do you think private schools have?