Special Ed re: Supreme Court

Supreme Court to Address Meeting the Needs of Special-Education Students

“In a case with potential financial repercussions for school districts and families alike, the United State Supreme Court will soon decide when public schools must reimburse parents of special-education students for private-school tuition. “

I came across this information over at, Transparent Christina
Truth is an affirmative defense aka John M. Young Christina School District’s newest school board member. Thanks John.

If the Supreme rules in favor of parents of Special Ed students in private schools our local school taxes will go up “very” substantially and without a need for a referendum. The Tuition Tax that pays for Special Ed is not subjected to a referendum. If the Supreme Court makes a favorable ruling Red Clay “could” be required to transfer monies over to private schools. This would reduce revenues needed for Red Clay enrolled Special Ed students forcing Red Clay to raise the Tuition Tax. I am pretty sure the district’s Budget for our Special Ed programs is about 19.5 million dollars. So for every dollar subjected to transfer to a private school Red Clay would have to raise the tuition tax to compensate for the loss.

Here is the cliffhanger open for debate:

“But legally, both cases center on the interpretation of a 1997 amendment to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provides that disabled children are entitled to a “free appropriate public education.”

Using Red Clay as an example; Red Clay does offer “free appropriate public education” and has wonderful Special Ed programs. If a parent chooses a private school they rejected the free public education. I don’t see how the courts could possibly order Red Clay to reimburse a parent for private education for a Special Ed student.

HOWEVER! I wonder how the funding stream from Red Clay to charter schools with Special Ed students work. Does the charter schools get the equivalent of the cost per Special Ed student or is the district require to reimburse the charter school 100% of the cost? Does anyone know?

Thanks agian John. This is quite interesting.

TFA = TFB to the public! Politicians know best for public education!

Update 6:30 pm. TFA teachers will be in the Title 1 schools and salaries will be paid by Title 1 a federally funding program. The $300,000.00 is coming out of the Title 1 federal stimulus fund. Funds are not coming out of local taxes. The contract wasn’t required to go out to bid because of a little loophole compliments of the governor and those who “crafted” the legislation.

There is high level politics going on with this one and TFA really mean TFB to the public. I feel bad for some of the poor charter schools who didn’t get sponsorships.

It will be up to our board members to require the distirct administrators to provide documentation tracking this ridiculous political driven social experiment. Pretty much this issue with TFA goes like this, the rat race is over the rats won.

Rodel, Skipper, Markell, Castle (pig) and Carper (pig) pull the little Red Clay puppet’s strings. The ball will be in Merv’s court and hopefull he stays in the Red Clay circle and not the ones with the political asswipes.

Don’t go there Laz (smile)

TFA E-mail to RC Board

Dear Board Members:

It will be a struggle to work with you but I am committed. However, with the district decision to sign a three year contract with Teach For America for up to $300,000.00 concerns me. I am not sure but it appears this contract was not subjected to a board vote.

The issue is not technically the TFA teachers coming to Red Clay but I do have reservation. However, my concern with this contract designated as for TFA recruitment, training and professional development is the concern of this E-mail.

The TFA teachers will in fact be district employees pay based on scale. “Recruitment”, the portion of the contract is a bit odd that TFA has an abundant of application for those seeking“job”. “Training”, the portion of the contract is a bit odd because the district claims the TFA teachers are better qualified than 34 short term teachers Red Clay employed. Apparently the TFA teachers will be high achievers in their college majors not necessary education. This questions the qualification of the so-called be qualified TFA teachers. But what burns me the most is “professional development”. I assume Red Clay currently has its paid consultants or staff that oversees and facilitates current professional development. The TFA employed “Red Clay” teachers will participate in the “Red Clay” professional development process. Will TFA have an onsite TFA paid supervisor overseeing the TFA assigned teachers? Of course not! If we’re (taxpayers) paying for “training” and “professional Development “ over and above Red Clay’s current staff development for TFA than the assumptions of TFA being better qualified is false on Red Clay’s part.

I support traditional public schools but I oppose spending the public’s money on recruiting, training and professional development of individuals who have no intention of making long term commitments to the Red Clay community. Only 20% of the TFA’s going into fulltime education. Pumping money into a revolving two year door of TFA’s is a waste of Red Clay taxpayers dollars, federal dollars, state dollar or federal stimulus dollars. The problems in Red Clay need long term goals and commitment. The money could be better spent on insentives for teachers within these needy schools of perhaps extra teacher asistants.

When the board approves capital referendums does it approval monies for training the tradesman before the construction starts? No it does not! The USDOE awarded TFA 15 million dollars for training the TFA teachers. So why is Red Clay paying to train TFA teachers who are “short-term” teachers?

I see Red Clay’s contracts with TFA as illegal because services prescribe within are already provide by Red Clay taxpayers for our teacher and those seeking alternative route towards certification. I doubt the TFA teachers won’t participate in Red Clay’s prescribed professional development program. Therefore any professional development provided via TFA contract for TFA teachers and not all Red Clay teachers is nothing more than Red Clay taxpayers supplementing education and training of TFA teachers and not all Red Clay teachers.

It is hard to imagine that Red Clay administrators signed into a three year program with TFA for up to $300,000.00 “and” hired assist non certified individuals as Red Clay employees.

Red Clay seems to acknowledge there is an apparent need for qualified teachers in Red Clay’s high poverty schools to the extent they are willing to hire non education college graduates. I say the breakdown is with the Human Resource personnel within Red Clay to the extent there is a major breakdown in basic recruitment from application to interview process. The Red Clay taxpayers are paying these individuals salaries and now have to keep them and outsource their responsibilities.

Board members, this contract with Teach For American appears to be nothing but a political inspired act. I can connect the dots to politicians, business people, Rodel, the governor and Red Clay (not any board member). This move in my opinion is driven by politics not to the best interest of Red Clay’s commitment to long term solution.

Did anyone review the USDOE’s OIG investigation of TFA? http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/auditreports/fy2008/a02h0003.doc

“TFA did not fully comply with applicable laws and regulations regarding its discretionary grant expenditures. We found that $774,944 (about 50 percent) of the total $1,534,290 in expenditures sampled was unsupported. TFA could not provide adequate supporting documentation because it lacked sound fiscal accountability controls. As a result, we could not determine whether $774,944 was spent for the intended grant purposes. “

I am not blaming the old board guard on this one and must say to the new emerging board, you are no different than those board members whom you unseated if you do not move Red Clay towards full transparency and I am not just talking finanical. The board did in fact get blind-sided by the events that took place causing the financial meltdown and they failed to hold anyone accountable. It appears that old train has been loaded up with more stale coal.

If employees of Red Clay administration or board members want to play politics with Red Clay finances or future I suggest the leave now.

I don’t know how any of you can sit by and allow the Red Clay administration sign a three year contract for an unproven program in Delaware? If you read the contract I am disappointed you didn’t share the actual contract including terms with the Red Clay community.

We the Red Clay taxpayers are in no position to fund, Governor Markell’s and Congressman Castle’s political ambitions, the agendas of their political campaign contributors such as the founders of Rodel, and the ambitions of the business roundtable the same people who gave us DSTP. These people will be nowhere around when you coming knocking on the local taxpayers’ door for referendums.

Sincerely, John Allison

Markell cars aren’t cell phones!

Markell again urges GM to save Boxwood
Plant’s fate in hands of General Motors board

“The facility is equipped with what I understand to be one of the most modern and finest paint facilities in the industry,” Markell wrote. “It would be a waste to see this facility, and its personnel, scrapped.”

Jack,
The Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky are handmade and handed welded, they are not robo cars. We’re only talking about 80 to 85 units being built a day.

2007 production year only 16,777 Pontiac Solstice and 11,263 Saturn Sky were sold. In only 10,739 Solstice and 9,162 Sky were sold.

Yes Jack, Boxwood is a modern plant but not tooled to mass produce vehicles such as their competitor Ford Fusion where 149,552 were sold in 2007 and 147,569 in 2008.

Jack money talks bullshit walks! Delaware does not have the money to assist the Boxwood plant. However, cutting GM a break on taxes if they bring the Chevy Volt to Boxwood might be a good idea. GM’s production level for the Chevy Volt will be set at about 160,000 units. The Chevy Volt will be the first real 21st century eclectic car built for commuters in the U.S. and abroad. Exporting the Chevy Volt from Delaware is much more cost effective than from Detroit.

We need 1500 + jobs at Boxwood not just the current 550. Back in the day Boxwood was running three shifts. The Chevy Volt is the next generation car and Delaware needs to move itself into the next generation.

If Boxwood closes Delaware looses the corporate tax revenues generated by the plant and tax revenues from payroll taxes. Also, the impact on the local economy would be devastating. Even if Boxwood paid near zero in taxes for the next three years the impact of a Chevy Volt plant at Boxwood would be a major boost to Delaware economy. Can you image the Port of Wilmington shipping out cars as it once did? Jack put it out on the table for GM and asks them, “What will it take to get GM to build the Chevy Volt at Boxwood”?

Hey GM if you are reading this call Governor Markell and tell him to bring Kilroy along for the next meeting. Markell couldn’t sell a life-preserver to drowing man to save his ass. LOL.

Chevy Volt, the first American produced eclectic car from the First State.

Stop North Korea now or else

Mike Castle’s Helped Raid Red Clay Taxpayers

Soon the Tech for America unanswered question will fade and clueless lives in Red Clay will go on.



I know the TFA teachers are good people and will give it their all however, if they atr not coming here to establish themselves as Red Clay teacher they don’t contribute to long term solutions.

TFA in Delaware is nothing more than another business and political agenda to undermined DSEA. However, this attacked on DSEA is like a misguided missile exploding on Red Clay and Red Clay teachers who are not DSEA. The real victims once again will be high poverty minority children. Red Clay’s singing of the inappropriate three year contract is an acknowledgment they have failed to address the needs of high poverty minority “children”.

Bob A’s comments to the News Journal;

“Red Clay Superintendent Robert Andrzejewski, who is expecting six corps members at schools in his district, has heard about the concerns, but he said the 34 teachers whose temporary contracts were not renewed are not as qualified as the incoming corps members.”

“temporary contracts” Is that what they call the one year contracts given to many teachers. My question is why in the F is the district putting unqualified teachers in our poorest schools? TFA teachers will be employed in the high poverty schools. I wonder if Bob told those 34 teachers they were being fired for not being qualified? Who was the moron who hired these 34 unqualified teachers to begin with? In my opinion the person who hired these 34 unqualified teachers should be FIRED!

Here is another absurdity! Bob A claims the TFA teachers are more qualified but yet we don’t even know the individuals names of these yet untrianed teachers. So how do you make such a statement on qualifications?

To the new school board; I am telling you now, you need to set policies that requires all contracts be approved by the board. Yes it will be a new day when Merv takes over however, its apparent he supported this contract or at best willingly went along for the ride. Just handing over to TFA Organization $300,000.00 is inexcusable . I see it as strike one for Merv and strike one for Buckley. Why Buckley? Because he is an active member of the Red Clay Community Financial Review Committee and the flags were up on this one. There is no doubt whatsoever that Jack Buckley will be the next school board president of Red Clay Consolidated School District unless he declines the nomination. Jack it might be best if you do decline any nomination because the bullshit political contract happened under your watch.

The United States Department of Education provided Teach for American Organization 15 million dollars this year in spite of the USDOE OIG’s investigation for training and development of these teachers. Rodel is lining up taking the credit for bringing TFA to Delaware but Red Clay foots the bill! WTF is this Jack? Mike Castle will have egg all over his face very soon. Remember Mike it Delawareans who cast the vote not the beltway boys. You sold Red Clay taxpayers out. Using Red Clay taxpayer’s $300,000.00 for political payback is bullshit Mike!

Though we can debate the effectiveness of TFA teacher however that is not the issue. The issue is this political donation of $300,000.00 for training and professional development of these TFA teachers. WE CURRENTLY PAY PEOPLE FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN RED CLAY.

I hope the school board is wise enough to secure the names of the Red Clay six TFA teachers and require “documentation” tracking these teachers training, progress and cost associated with their training. These TFA’s will also receive normal staff development as part of being a “Red Clay” paid teacher.

I am calling you out Red Clay School Board! I want to see the actual contract with Teach for American signed by them and Red Clay outlining their obligation and documentation procedures placed on the district webpage.

I am beginning to think it might be best to purge the entire current senior staff of Red Clay. I am beginning to think it’s time for real accountability from top down.

Always remember board members, you all come in with full fan fare but leave with a booth mark on your ass. Be careful how you rejoice when Peggy leaves and when Bec and Wilson call it a day. Because, there will be no one to blame but yourselves when the boot hits you ass. The call was for change so bring the change. All contracts must be approved by the board.

This contract not the idea of putting TFA teachers in our schools is the concern. $300,000.00 for training and professional development will end up being one of Red Clay’s biggest scandals. Such a waste of taxpayer’s dollars! The same taxpayers you’ll be asking for more money. WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT why give $300,000.00 blindly away to people proven by the United States Department of Eduation not capable on managing money.

Red Clay Board Rolled Under The Bus

The actual USDOE OIG’S complete report
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/auditreports/fy2008/a02h0003.doc

Red Clay dumps $300,000.00 dollars down the shitter with no requirements for substantiation of expenditures. TFA isn’t required to provide invoices to Red Clay to account for the expenditures.

What idiot handed out a three year contract? Can’t blame this blunder of Brett. Well Mr. Buckley what do you think? This shit will coming down on your watch. Read the OIG’s report! Hey Jack, I hear Rodel is coming out with solar powered pencil sharpeners.

Cheat For American and Cheat Red Clay Taxpayers

OMG Watch this video!
http://cnettv.cnet.com/teach-america-questions/9742-1_53-50044460.html

“CASTLE HAS WORKED TO BRING TEACH FOR AMERICA TO DELAWARE
Washington – “For the past several years, I have worked with Teach for America to bring their outstanding graduates to Delaware. Colleagues and I on the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee have seen this program make a difference in areas around the country, specifically in low-income communities, and for this reason I offered an amendment to the Higher Education Act, which increased its funding. Delawarean students can truly benefit from this teacher training program which works to engage professionals and college graduates, who may not have a traditional education degree, but have fulfilled teaching criteria in their area of expertise. The success of this program is heavily reliant on the support and mentoring from the teaching community to ensure kids remain our top priority.”

Mike so you’re taking credit for bringing Teach For America to Delaware? We do the taxpayers of Red Clay send an invoice for reimbursement of the $300,000.00 Red Clay is giving Teach for America to train these non-teachers? Mike when was the last time you visited a Red Clay School? I remember now, it was about ten years ago we chatted at a Title 1 event at Warner School. You know the place, a school half filled with 81.1% African-Americans and 84% high poverty. Mike think about this, the school is at half capacity and the district failed to meet the class size law.

“For the past several years, I have worked with Teach for America to bring their outstanding graduates to Delaware.

So you are saying the U of D students trying to get jobs in Red Clay suck and you have to go out of state?

Holy shit Mike, did you know your “contact” person Stephanie is on Rodel’s Foundation board of directors? OMG you old Pete is on Rodel’s advisory council.

Well one thing for sure Mike it doesn’t take a Harvard graduate to see Red Clay local taxpayers are being taken for a $300,000.00 ride on a no bid contract handed to Teach for America. Mike we need long term commitments from teaching professionals. Friend I’ve been voting for you since 1974 and you are losing touch.

Mike, be prepared to help get out the vote for Red Clay’s next referendum because it’s going to be a battle.

Gen Casey said U.S. ready to fight in N. Korea

“Asked whether the United States would be prepared to fight if war broke out between South Korea and North Korea, Gen. George Casey replied, “The short answer is yes,” then added that “it would probably take us a little bit longer to shift gears” away from the type of counterinsurgency fighting that now occupies the Army.”

What General Casey didn’t tell you the Military Draft would need to be reactivated! General Casey wouldn’t make that kind of statement without the president knowing in advance.

Obama will go through with the Military Draft readiness test by the end of the summer! He has no choice to at least prepare. No way do we have enough forces to fight in three war fronts!

Teach For America Gets Schooled

Source ; CBS Evening News: Teach For America Gets Schooled

July 11, 2008
(CBS) Since 1990, Teach for America has trained college graduates and professionals to work as teachers in needy schools.

Today, the group has 5,000 teachers-in-training and a $75 million budget – a third of it from local school districts, state and federal government. That’s your tax dollars, CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.

Which is why it was such a blow when Teach for America recently got a failing grade on the subject of handling the public’s money.

The Department of Education Inspector General examined a small slice of the group’s federal funding. What they found was shocking.

In all, Teach for America failed to account for half the money audited.

Time and time again the audit said there were no basic records or receipts: None for a $123,878 training expense; none for a $342,428 bill.

Teach for America vice president Kevin Huffman chalks it up to poor record keeping.

“We’re confident, we’re confident that we spent the money on the training of new teachers,” Huffman said.

Attkisson said: “There was no agenda; no description of meals; no list of attendees. That sounds like a little more than sloppy bookkeeping.”

“I think it’s a question of what records should have been kept,” Huffman said.

They should have kept records on a tab for more than a quarter million dollars for food and lodging ($277,262) and $26,812 for teacher certification – but didn’t. Auditors say there was no documentation that any teachers actually attended and completed the class, or that there even was a class.

“Alarm bells start to go off usually when you start seeing a recipient of a grant or an earmark not being able to provide basic information,” said Leslie Paige of Citizens Against Government Waste.

Tax watchdog Paige says it’s astonishing that Teach for America has gotten so big without proper accounting systems.

“How do you prove that what you are spending the money on is working?” Paige said.

After the audit, Teach for America tried handing over some newly-found documents, but it didn’t help. The Inspector General said they contained “significant discrepancies.”

“[They] didn’t match up with what you gave them before,” Attkisson said to Huffman.

“We gave them … the wrong documents the first time and then we realized the mistake,” Huffman said. “We gave them better documents the second time.”

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Kilroy’s Spin:

OUCH!!!!!!!!!!