Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Pulaski County School Consolidation
Ben Mays, the Clinton veterinarian recently named to the State Board of Education, was on yesterday's program to discuss the latest news on school spending for athletics. This interview is essential listening for anybody with the slightest interest in Arkansas' push to improve the public school system.
You may recall the Blue Ribbon Commission said total athletic costs were about $20 million. That was about 5 years ago. Two years ago, the first time anybody attempted a systematic official survey, it came in around $60-something million. The latest news is about $86 million and Mays suspects the true figure (without capital expenses figured in) is closer to $150 million.
Two years ago, the process was new and districts did not know how to make the accounting calculations and it was a mess. This time through, many of the school districts, and some claiming poverty, have simply chosen to cover-up or lie.
This is significant because of the discussions about merging Pulaski County public schools into two districts. The Pulaski County Special School District has been on the "financially distressed" list until recently.
Mays says that PCSSD claims to have spent ZERO for purchased services (fuel, insurance, utilities), and ZERO for supplies and equipment. This district, which is in dire financial condition, claims to spend $1.1 million on sports.
Just so you don't think Mays is some kind of sports-hating nut, he complimented for Cabot district for its' reporting.
All of the Pulaski County districts look bad but Pulaski County looks so bad that it makes one wonder why the State Department of Education is not looking harder at that mess and why that district has not been taken over, as was the case for some smaller schools.
The story in today's Democrat-Gazette mentions that Little Rock is not crazy about taking in portions of PCSSD south of the river. They make a good argument. Over the years, patrons of PCSSD have failed to provide enough money for decent buildings. This is mainly the work of two strongly anti-school parents. Imagine that.
Mays also looked at the Rogers report on athletic spending and it was not a pretty picture, especially for a district which has SUED the state for MORE MONEY. This is another district begging for a state take-over.
You can hear the Mays interview on the WAI Radio.com FREE "on demand" archives. (it's going in soon!)
You may recall the Blue Ribbon Commission said total athletic costs were about $20 million. That was about 5 years ago. Two years ago, the first time anybody attempted a systematic official survey, it came in around $60-something million. The latest news is about $86 million and Mays suspects the true figure (without capital expenses figured in) is closer to $150 million.
Two years ago, the process was new and districts did not know how to make the accounting calculations and it was a mess. This time through, many of the school districts, and some claiming poverty, have simply chosen to cover-up or lie.
This is significant because of the discussions about merging Pulaski County public schools into two districts. The Pulaski County Special School District has been on the "financially distressed" list until recently.
Mays says that PCSSD claims to have spent ZERO for purchased services (fuel, insurance, utilities), and ZERO for supplies and equipment. This district, which is in dire financial condition, claims to spend $1.1 million on sports.
Just so you don't think Mays is some kind of sports-hating nut, he complimented for Cabot district for its' reporting.
All of the Pulaski County districts look bad but Pulaski County looks so bad that it makes one wonder why the State Department of Education is not looking harder at that mess and why that district has not been taken over, as was the case for some smaller schools.
The story in today's Democrat-Gazette mentions that Little Rock is not crazy about taking in portions of PCSSD south of the river. They make a good argument. Over the years, patrons of PCSSD have failed to provide enough money for decent buildings. This is mainly the work of two strongly anti-school parents. Imagine that.
Mays also looked at the Rogers report on athletic spending and it was not a pretty picture, especially for a district which has SUED the state for MORE MONEY. This is another district begging for a state take-over.
You can hear the Mays interview on the WAI Radio.com FREE "on demand" archives. (it's going in soon!)
