https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0 en-us 2023-04-23 12:14:04 UTC 2023-04-23 12:47:36 UTC hello@padlet.com samanthatownsend1 https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564581615 As we shift from localized to centralized finance in many places throughout the nation, it also needs to be recognized that this comes with a shift in power. The state, thus would have more power, shifting the role of educational administrators at the district or building level. The state would have a greater presence in terms of school culture, lesson objectives, professional development and a wide array of other initiatives. ]]> 2023-04-23 12:19:18 UTC https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564581615 samanthatownsend1 https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564582450  In New York State, the state provides 41.7% of the shares of the revenue for schools while local provides 53.2% and federal 5%. What this means is that the school districts are responsible for the largest percentage of funds that they will receive and that those funds are dependent on the value of property taxes in a given area. As a result, there are significant inequities when you have school districts such as Scarsdale and others such as East Ramapo, there is a huge gap in property tax which then means that there is a huge gap in school funding and thus there is not equal opportunities for students from different socioeconomic backgrounds and largely this also excludes more people of color. ]]> 2023-04-23 12:21:30 UTC https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564582450 samanthatownsend1 https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564583932 Academics is important, no doubt. But we are not raising a generation of teachers, so we need to dig deeper than the surface level information in general education classes that are provided. Extracurriculars that involve coding, social justice and debate, deep dives into biology or a long hike in the woods to learn about our impact on the environment, the environment’s impact on us. With extracurriculars galore, you need after school bussing, staffing and resources. But we don’t just want academic extracurriculars, we want athletics. Sports teams that give students a taste of leadership, unity, working together for something bigger than yourself.  And not everyone is an athlete or an academic, we need the arts and we need music programs as well, language development and a place where students can read if they want to read or write if they want to write, learn a new language. Somewhere that everyone can shine. And on the days where we don’t feel like we shine? A strong support staff - social workers, psychologists, and counselors. Educating the whole child has become such a cliche, but that is in fact what we want to do here. But in order to do this, we need a bigger set of purse strings. 

]]> 2023-04-23 12:24:41 UTC https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564583932 samanthatownsend1 https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564584785 Having a strong grant writer is important to obtain grants from a variety of sources to provide supplies and materials to students including a wide variety of technological supports, curricular resources for students of all abilities and language backgrounds, after school programs, musical and artistic courses, athletics, and the list goes on. In addition to working closely with a district grant writer, however, it is imperative to seek other forms of funding as well. This includes partnerships with community organizations and businesses that are willing to provide not just funding but additional opportunities for students that they might not have inside the school building or classroom including internships, field trips, social-emotional learning and support, cultural events, and other such programs that are important to developing students who will have a wide range of experiences by the time they graduate high school.]]> 2023-04-23 12:26:53 UTC https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564584785 samanthatownsend1 https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564585474 Grant money would also be very beneficial to provide for specific professional development for teachers: working with English language learners, strategies to teach literacy skills, classroom management strategies, a strong mentor program, strategies for student engagement and motivation, and also fun events to allow teachers to get to know each other and feel a sense of community within the school. 

]]> 2023-04-23 12:28:49 UTC https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564585474 samanthatownsend1 https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564586888  In the 1970s, following movements to protect the rights of people with disabilities, the federal government passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which was aimed at providing a free and appropriate public education to students with disabilities, rather than sending them to institutions where they would be neglected and pushed to the fringes of society. However, while this law promised to cover 40% special education costs, it has fallen severely short of that goal. As it would happen, it is only covering about 15% of the cost.  States also provide funding to schools for special education services although the amount that districts receive is based on the wealth and spending of the district. Wealthier districts that spend more receive less funds and less affluent districts who spend less receive more from the state. States will also analyze student outcomes to determine funding including the percentage of special education students who graduate high school after four years, those who receive a GED, and those who complete alternative education programs such as vocational training. Local funding then, is largely responsible for providing funds for special education students. This can be inequitable because wealthier districts can provide more funds while less affluent districts cannot, which emphasizes the importance of receiving the whole 40% from IDEA from the federal government, to level the playing field.]]> 2023-04-23 12:32:24 UTC https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564586888 samanthatownsend1 https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564587797 The benefits of providing school choice for students and their families means that students can go to a school of their choosing. One benefit of having this option is that when people live in an area that is less affluent, oftentimes the public school in the area is lacking resources and funding so the school is not as preferable as one in an affluent district. But, if there is a charter school as an option, then the family can apply for a lottery system or have their child take a test, and have the opportunity to send their child to a school with more resources, better trained teachers, more after school programs and other such opportunities.The costs of providing school choice for students and families makes all of the benefits previously listed a bit more complicated. Because charter schools, for example, are both publicly and privately funded this means that they are receiving funds from the public school district, those funds then are being diverted away from the public schools rather than improving the public schools. In addition, charter schools have come under scrutiny for their lottery system or accepting students based on their test scores. This does not exactly create equity, they also favor students who already have siblings in the school or family members who work in the school. It also requires that parents are on top of things, so for students who have parents that are not as involved, it still does not create an equal playing field. Charter schools have also been criticized for kicking students out for bad behavior but then those students go back into the public schools, whereas public schools don’t have the ability to do that because there’s nowhere else for those students to go. Another major issue is just as it was mentioned that teachers don’t have a union, they don’t have protections. ]]> 2023-04-23 12:34:55 UTC https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564587797 samanthatownsend1 https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564588587 With a strong budget, human resources can ensure that the best teachers are not only hired but retained through professional development and by ensuring they have what they need to be happy. Without these things, these teachers will go to other schools where they will be assured these things. ]]> 2023-04-23 12:36:46 UTC https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564588587 samanthatownsend1 https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564589091 School facilities encompass a large portion of the school community. Not just the physical space of the building but also the internal structures that include mechanical issues, plumbing, electricity and power, security, and other such systems. Desks, chairs, chalkboards or white boards, promethean boards or smart boards, football fields, soccer fields, basketball or tennis courts, parking lots-  all of these elements of the building and grounds are included as part of the facilities of the school that require a significant budget not just to establish and plan for these to be aligned with the mission, vision, and goals of the district but also to be maintained to consistently keep up with these long term goals so that students can be successful academically, athletically, musically, artistically, and in any other way that would support the development of the whole child. In addition, for events and concerts, assemblies, community involvement - the community would also greatly benefit from their tax dollars being spent on facilities that support their children and the community as a whole. This helps to lead to a stronger sense of community and ownership as well as value over the school community which creates greater involvement and investment from parents and the community. 

]]> 2023-04-23 12:38:04 UTC https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564589091 samanthatownsend1 https://padlet.com/samanthatownsend1/jw10da81odzf1ow0/wish/2564593549 An important part of an administrator’s role that might not come to mind at first, is the process of handling purchasing and cash receipts. Throughout my internship last semester, one of my tasks was to collect AP money from students. This included a lot of back and forth with students and teachers and other administrators. It was also a tedious process defined by lots of cash receipts that had multiple copies in different colors such as white, pink, yellow and blue. I also dealt extensively with the school treasurer. The importance of this is to hold everyone accountable. You are taking people’s money. That money should have a specific or designated purpose and should have a paper trail. If money is lost or unaccounted for you want to have paper that tells you exactly where that money should be so you are not held liable for the missing funds, again touching on that accountability piece. Imagine, for example, a bank. If you deposit money into the bank you expect a receipt or a statement that says that money was deposited. If you do not, you wonder exactly where that money has gone. This is the same for teachers and building leaders accepting money from students or any kind of purchasing item or funding. If money is designated for something, it should be going to that. If it is missing, questions will be asked. This is necessary for the school to function efficiently.

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