Michelle Rhee’s testimony “DCPS Reduction in Force” made compelling arguments in favor of the decision to reduce work force in the District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) system. She believed this was the best method for offsetting budget cuts. Rhee outlined the various factors that helped determine this course of action in detail. She even corrects some misconceptions about how to cover the budget cuts. Although Rhee did acknowledge there were some drawbacks in the implementation process she countered them by introducing facts that supported the reasoning behind a reduction in force. She breaks down the reasoning behind the decision into three specific factors school disruptions, private funding and the use of stimulus funds. I agree with the decision for reduction in staff based on the information given by Rhee in her testimony.
In Rhee’s testimony she indicated that the DCPS and the Chief Financial Officer determined that a decrease in staff for both the central office and school district were the best way to offset the budget cuts. Rhee acknowledges that as a result of staff reductions there were going to be disruptions in the school system. Some of these disruptions stemmed from what she refers to as the “extent that people felt devalued or upset
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Rhee and the DCPS were acutely aware of their status and knew it would impact federal stimulus funds. They took this status under consideration when planning how to balance the budget. Rhee and the DCPS realized that federal stimulus would have to be applied explicitly as per federal regulations and that the overall budget would be adjusted to reflect federal stimulus funds. With all this considered they surmised that federal stimulus would not be enough to cover the budget gap. Rhee and the DCPS chose wisely to move forward with the reduction plan anticipating the hole’s federal stimulus funds would leave in the
The American public school system faces an education crisis. According to Benjamin Barber, American children barely surpass the lowest standards set for education, especially in literacy, throughout the county’s history. Barber supports the existence of this crisis in his essay “America Skips School”, but argues against a solution to remedy the numerous problems facing the system. Although he acknowledges no solution, Barber suggests a smarter flow of financial resources will address many of the issues, however, he fails to acknowledge the distribution of this money. Barber’s suggestion for smarter financial resources for schools can be effectively implemented through a structured committee focused solely on the distribution of money.
I had the pleasure of being able to shadow Superintendent Shirley Hall of the Maplewood School District. Ms. Hall took the reins of the district over in 2012 from a very popular superintendent who was credited with making great strides within the district. Although Ms. Hall had very large shoes to fill, she seems to be doing it with grace and enthusiasm. She credits the previous superintendent with making systemic changes and establishing the overall forward momentum of the district, but recognizes that she cannot rest on past success. Her goal is to take the district to the next level of educational excellence by focusing her and her administrative team's efforts on the P.E.L.P. coherence model from Harvard University.
Today, many health care organizations have been forced to reduce their workforce due to the downturn of the economy. Marshall and Broas (2009) state that whenever health care organizations conduct a reduction in force (RIF); there is the potential for legal risk. However, with proper planning and implementing, employers can minimize the risk of litigation (Marshall & Broas, 2009; Segal, 2001). Hence, before carrying out a 10% reduction in workforce, there are a number of steps that need to be taken to ensure it is successful.
...vailable for stimulus programs to boost the economy out of the 2008 financial crisis. This caused fewer jobs to be created, which meant less tax revenue and more debt.
This statement only says that the power has been designated to Congress. It does not stipulate how to use this power nor does it give instructions for the budgeting process. Even as the role of government continued to expand, there was still no procedure for drafting and implementing a budget. It became clear that this lack of protocol hindered Congress’s ability to govern the budget. As a result, Congress forged its own budget process. Congress has passed many acts and amendments, but to no avail because the process still lacks a stable and lasting way of budgeting. Government budgeting has changed, in that, there is a formal process in place now, but it is no more effective than when there was none because the changes made by law were aimed more at gaining and/or reclaiming power and not real budgeting.
In order to run more efficiently, there are certain responsibilities that Congress has given to the President over time. But that doesn’t mean Congress is losing any power or authority. It just means that they are giving up a responsibility that they don’t need. One of these responsibilities that were given to the President is the raising and lowering of tariffs. When it came to this issue, Congress can’t act decisively on its own. So even though Congress appropriates funds, they gave the President this fiscal responsibility. Again I want to stress that they didn’t lose any authority or power because of this. All they lost was a responsibility that they no longer have to worry about as it’s the President’s responsibility now. Still, the president has no authority or power regarding this issue. However, when he was given this fiscal responsibility, Congress also gave him staff assistance in the form of the Bureau of the Budget. This department helps the President make up the budget he wants to propose.
our school district never faces a problem as big as the ones presented in this
An outdated education system is the largest problem Michigan faces because it affects not only the present, but also the future of the state. Important issues cannot be solved, nor policies created to remedy them, if the people attempting to solve them are not equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to make informed decisions. The state cannot run itself, let alone the nation as a whole, if its’ people are uneducated. The Constitution, the very basis of our government, relies heavily on the assumption that citizens of the United States are able to make knowledgeable and well-reasoned decisions, the types of which cannot be made when a person does not receive a proper education. This proper education is unattainable when low educational funding occurs. Lowering educational funding leads to lower standardized test scores, lack of resources, and an overall poorer education (Roy 2003). Even with these results educational funding has consistently been put upon the chopping block at all levels of government. Governor Rick Snyder’s budget cuts $470 per pupil for the 2012 fiscal year, while promising only small incentives to be added when re-balancing the budget in 2013 (Resmovits 2012). Snyder’s cuts in education stand in sharp contrast to the budget and policy passed in 1994, by then Governor John Engler. Engler, along with the House and Senate, created Proposal A. This policy increased funding to all levels of education, reduced the large funding gap between poorer and richer school districts, and opened schools of choice. Proposal A was largely effective in its’ objectives, but was unable to maintain the projected budget needed to maintain efficiency due to the recession, and Michigan laws requiring education cuts when school ...
The 109th Congress questioned the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after Hurricane Katrina. Congress called for mandatory reports from the white house, Inspectors Generals, the Government Accountability Office, and others. A common denominator in all of these findings were that some of the losses brought by Katrina were caused, at least in part, by deficiencies within FEMA; such as: questionable leadership decisions, organizational failures, and inadequate legal authorities. As a result of these findings, Congress further utilized their control strategies to reorganize FEMA, and restructure the way responsibilities were handled following emergencies. Congress passed the “Post-Katrina Emergency Reform Act of 2006” in order to accomplish these revisions. This newly enacted bill reorganized FEMA, expanded its authority, established new leadership positions and position requirements within FEMA, and imposed new conditions and requirements on the operations of the agency. Congress also utilized the appropriations process to influence this portion of bureaucracy by enacting supplemental appropriations, one-time waivers of requirements and temporary
...g because of administration burn out, changing of school board properties, cost savings, educational benefits, and the differing needs of high school and elementary schools. Disruption of lives in students, parents, and teachers was also another disadvantaged stated by McChesney. (McChesney, 1996)
I went to the school board meeting on March 21, 2016 in Kanawha. The following people were at the council: Wayne Kronneman, Leah Deutsch, Ryan Hiscocks, Ryan Johnson, Jay Burgardt, Mona Buns, Gary Chizek, Todd Hammer, and Jon Harle. The others were mainly community member which included teachers, principals, parents and supporters. Some of the West Hancock staff included Mr. Peterson, Mrs. DeHart, Mrs. Bruns, Mr. Francis, Mrs. Gast and others. The other people who were there were parents and other community members. The first part of the meeting was the revision of the budget and presentation of the budget. This was given by Wayne Kronneman. He explained the budget of this year and how it compared to last years. Also he also talked about the budget for next year. After that they had a discussion with the
The Chicago Public School District is the third largest school district in the United States educating around 400,000 students. Back in 1987 CPS was named “the worst in the nation”(). Moving its way up to the top, since then, CPS had completely rebuilt its structure, appointing leaders and reformed ideas. Now, with a deficit projected to be around $1 billion CPS is headed back in a downwards path, money being the biggest issue. The United States Federal Government already has financial issues of its own, which makes dealing with a CPS budget a problem within a problem. CPS, with a $6.6 billion FY2013 budget, is now taking a new strategy based upon a flawed “Student-Based Budgeting System”. The Board of Education is also struggling to solve the debt they have reached, and with their FY2014 plans this year’s budget book is argued to be “one of the most poorly written budgets”(). The way CPS is handling their budget is not benefiting the lives and education of students and is leaving CPS at a loss with giant financial issues.
...avoiding even deeper collapse of the global GDP and of employment. The government also created the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), for the establishment and administration of the treasury fund, in an effort to control the ongoing crisis.
...making class size smaller. If the school itself cannot afford to educate its students, then the government needs to provide the school with the money to do so. They’re America’s children too.
The superintendent and principal are stymied in their efforts to reach a compromise as Mrs. Durnitz refuses to change her position that the policy must be followed to the letter. She appealed to the teachers’ association for support when it appeared that the administration and board might not uphold her position. The local newspap...