A special meeting of the Board of Education will take place today (Monday) 5:30pm in Room 305 of City Hall in response to Capital Preparatory Harbor Charter School’s application with the state to expand in size and locations, a move local school officials assert will cost it an extra $200,000 in busing and other expenses.
CT Post reporter Linda Conner Lambeck has more on this:
Although the state Department of Education has given Schools Superintendent Aresta Johnson until Aug. 4, 2017, to file a written reaction to the charter school’s plan, the state Board of Education is meeting to act on the request on July 19 in Hartford.
Full story here.
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Six charter schools in Bridgeport.
2966 students of charter schools requiring transportation. Funds to pay for this and for special education are the responsibility of the Bridgeport Board of Ed.
So, it seems that the number of Bridgeport K-12 students receiving public dollars from one source or another exceeds 24,000? And Charter Schools currently exceed 10% of the population seeking education and growing, with waiting lists, etc.? Why isn’t there a body in the City studying all of the facts and coming to some type of agreement on learning, achievement, and funding. Is it possible that what is heard at the State is such a muddle of conflicting stories that it is easier to turn a deaf ear to the major responsibility the State has for funding the poorest and most vulnerable in the urban centers of Connecticut? All family members are potential voters should they choose to use that power. Time will tell.
Unanimous decision of five BOE members responding to proposal by Capitol Prep to advance their schedule to implement expanded grade level offerings tonight. Concern for possible effect that transportation expenses, with two compared to the current one location, and an increase in Special Education expenses were the specific fiscal concerns facing the Bridgeport Board in the face of G2 failure to embrace education of youth as a priority, and the unknown funding the BOE faces when the State finally presents and votes on a budget for the current year, 2017-18. How do you responsibly operate in such a climate? How do you keep the public, especially parents, fairly informed but contributing their own best efforts to the education of all of the youth of the City? Time will tell.
JML are you advocating the increase in taxes to pay for this request? Perhaps you can tell Black Rock residents where this money will come from? Maybe Scott Burns or Pete Spain can tell us how Ganim can find a spare 10 million. Taxpayers want to know. I am not so sure throwing more money into the system is the answer. The best performing schools in the city are older, antiquated schools. No gymnasiums Old classrooms. Classical Academy is a perfect example. They do not even have a playground leave alone a waterpark. They do not even have parking, yet they are successful.
Steve,
Go grade some pizza, please. Do something for which you have shown prodigious appetite and some pleasant competency. It is not about money, clearly!
You know that there are two sources for funding our public and charter schools, City taxpayers and State taxpayers (who if they are earning a living while owning property in Bridgeport) already are distinguished for payments to both entities at tax time.
So you return to high school days, fondly, and ask where taxes should be raised as if to embarrass me. In the meantime who has been earning a day’s pay on various occasions in recent years to make your presence known to a classroom but rarely in my memory have talked about the value you imparted to the youth at such a time.
Isn’t it interesting that the only way BOE can get more funds is through additional taxation? Charter schools generate revenue through contributions of some practical significance. How has the City done with its own new Fund to enhance education? I have not read or heard yet.
Finally, there is one other tool that can be used other than adding taxes. How about monitoring, cutting, watchdog action, oversight of all City money. It is difficult for you to admit limitations but I have written about In-Plant Print doing private business with taxpayer funds, OPED funds frankly misappropriated with no explanation 20 months later, Lighthouse continuation of unexplained budget behavior to taxpayers for the entirety of their budget, especially the “unseen” pool of family funds administered by whom, to be spent where, to what purpose, year after year. Get a grip man, have a double espresso and consider how much current tax money, if monitored by a “skilled independent fiscal group” might mean to reducing the dollars we currently spend on “services” by those who in too many cases are actually full time political activists at some parts of the year. Political activists appointed by the DTC Mayor and paid by the taxpayer? What a concept…isn’t it positively outside the box thinking? Should be, but in this case the box is a casket, being prepared for a bankrupt Bridgeport that will afford no budget increases until the taxpaying economic development runs ahead of the budget increases. Answer your question? Please don’t slop the gravy on your printout. Time will tell.
I said it once and I say it again. Student busing should be under the Department of Transportation. Surely they are more qualified then lazy incompetent elected BOE members who don’t even bring a piece of paper and pen to the meetings, if they show up at all, Right Maria. 🙂
Maria I can see how Charter Schools are private entity from the true PS system. but how does it make it less of a true PS if the state appoints the board?
Please answer, I would like to know your logic behind the promise.