Dallas School District Laying Off 550 Teachers

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by MeezDiscreet

I'm a truly awesome product of DISD and I teach in Houston ISD! Just wanted to throw that in...

From what I understand, a huge factor in this was principals over-hiring teachers. I believe this is due to deregulation of school budgets. It is no longer overseen by a district office but rather each principal is in charge of their school budget based on projected school enrollment. When the new school year ends, school budgets are adjusted for actual enrollment after a certain cut-off date.

I'm sure that there is some fiscal responsibility training involved in principal programs but, essentially, you have people who may have started their education career as a kindergarten principal or an 8th grade history teacher in charge of the huge operating budget of a school. You almost have to expect irregularities.

As for those district positions, I have no theory on that.

No, it was not the fault of the principals. The Central Office of DISD has admitted that it was their own accounting errors.

[MeezDiscreet]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

No, it was not the fault of the principals. The Central Office of DISD has admitted that it was their own accounting errors.

The super. has "taken responsibility" but I haven't read where the ultimate blame falls on the central office.

Check out: http://www.nbc5i.com/education/17494568/detail.html

Specifically:

Hinojosa blames the budget shortfall on accounting errors.


"I'm ultimately responsible for everything that happens in the district, so I take responsibility," Hinajosa said on Friday. "Part of that responsibility is to provide you with viable alternatives, as painful as they may be."

Additionally, http://www.nbc5i.com/news/17533201/detail.html

Hinajosa told the meeting's attendees that the district basically hired too many people and underestimated the average salary of its teachers.

Teacher vacancies are a function of individual campuses and teacher salaries are a part of the individual school budgets.

[SWTXBelle]

Are these the same brainiacs who decided that they would no longer require students to turn in work by any sort of deadline?

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Are these the same brainiacs who decided that they would no longer require students to turn in work by any sort of deadline?

Yep. And only if it will improve the students' grades.

It still shocks me that someone thought these ideas were good.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Are these the same brainiacs who decided that they would no longer require students to turn in work by any sort of deadline?

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Yep. And only if it will improve the students' grades.

It still shocks me that someone thought these ideas were good.

I think the grade inflating policies are actually pretty widespread, even in seemingly functional districts; it's just that most schools and districts don't make them available to the press.

Sad.