With school districts across the United States hemorrhaging millions, one would think that the members of the selective boards would look for more salient and long-lasting measures to cut costs, instill innovation, and maintain the integrity of their educational institutions.
In Torrance, CA, the school board is examining what amounts to piece-meal, ancillary cuts to a budget which has faced immense obstacles over the past six years.
An online agenda, for example, would cut down on the paper and copying which goes into preparing for every school board meeting. Cost for paper agendas: $667 Cost to implement on the online agenda: $3000 per year for the system, plus $7100 for laptop.
An extravagant expense for a minimal cost-cutting venture, while the district still faces another $6.2 million dollar cut in the near future!
Instead of cutting at the edges, why not cut out the red tape that so entangle school districts? How many school board members does a school district government really need, for example? How many auxiliary administrators are running around in the TUSD central office, who spend more time in meetings discussing which meetings need to be planned and prepped for?
How much money is being swallowed up in the district's yearly budget for pensions and benefits, monstrous outlays which are impoverishing today's children for the workers who put in their time decades ago?
How much waste and overlap occurs throughout the sites in the district?
Why not turn over the administration of certain elementary schools to the committed community members throughout the city? Their location and local interest will better manage the school site and resources. In 2010, the Riviera Elementary community considering applying for a charter to run Riviera Elementary as a charter, a move which would also engage more parent-teacher-student involvement, without the needless meddling of unapproachable bureaucrats. Imagine if other committed parents banded together to take greater oversight over their children's local schools.
Wiseburn School District has dedicated itself to maintained excellence in the wake of horrendous budget cuts. Notwithstanding the hefty property taxes they may resort to from the East El Segundo business district, the concentrated dedication of the community, with the help of committed administrators and business leaders, have helped the district to expands its offerings as a public-private partnership.
Perhaps families in Torrance Unified should consider making great inroads with the local business leaders and parents, not just to coalesce a more stable stream of funding, but an initiative for more local control that serves the students and the school staff, not just the central office bureaucracy.