Interesting wrote on Feb 9, 2008 5:21 AM:Still NO talk of getting rid of district FAT cats who make $150,000 PLUS. I think the district hired about 10 of those last year in areas such as personnel, curriculum and instruction, etc. These are people that were NOT needed up until last June at a time when the district is experiencing NO growth. Plus, where is the superintendent's call for her OWN salary cut? I know she wants to cut teachers, but how about beginning with CUTS to her, the board, and the D.O.?

Tuck wrote on Feb 9, 2008 5:49 AM:We are paying enough!!! I don’t want to pay for illegal children to get an education. Good job Arnie, thanks for standing up for the working middle class legal resident.

Let the Ax Fall wrote on Feb 9, 2008 6:42 AM:Once again, this article highlights that the primary purpose of our school system has become the creation and maintenance of teachers' jobs, to the detriment of the students. How piss poor!

Mark wrote on Feb 9, 2008 7:37 AM:To bad when you were all refinancing your homes and pulling the money out for pools, luxury vehicles and vacations, you didn't think about your childs education.

Earth to Mars wrote on Feb 9, 2008 7:37 AM:Why didn't anyone suggest that the TVUSD administration department take a reduction in their salaries, like roll them back to 2004? What - you didn't want Leighty to know that the parents feel that her and her staff are WAY overpaid? It may not be much, but before one penny is cut from the classroom, there needs to be significant fat cutting in the administration first!

come on wrote on Feb 9, 2008 7:42 AM:we are talking a 5% budget cut. This is why ex-teachers should not run schools They should teach or retire. Carol I want you to take this "personaly" YOUR FIRED. Payroll is the easiest reduction hands down. Why don't you earn your money and find the real fat? You want the public to be responsible for ideas? Then give the public the authority to exercise those ideas.

EG wrote on Feb 9, 2008 7:44 AM:Eliminate class size reduction and save the 3.5 million. That program was rushed into place over a decade ago, and the only measurable results have been a third more teachers on the payroll in grades K-3.

Hello! wrote on Feb 9, 2008 9:17 AM:Is anyone listening to how much the school spends on supplies? Parents can fork over about $100/kid each year to pay for supplies the school otherwise would pay for That would help and is equitable. When I was a kid, we bought our own supplies.

class sizes wrote on Feb 9, 2008 9:55 AM:Class-size reduction has been in place for long enough now that there should be data on whether it works or not, whether kids in later grades are doing better as a result of the smaller classes in early grades. What does the data say? Is it worth the cost or not? If not, then that's a place to cut. Maybe not all the way to 35 kids per class, but a more manageable 25-28 kids?

Special ED Parent wrote on Feb 9, 2008 9:55 AM:I am a special ed parent. I am shocked at how much money goes to ridiculous special ed needs. If a special ed parent wants a computer, they can go after the district. They can have there children bused all over southern california. I have a special ed child and I take personal responsibility for his needs. I am strapped, but I make it happen. The district spends millions of dollars on just a few students. Don't get me wrong because many of these students do need our help and we need to take care of them, but responsibility begins in the home and not with the district. If a special ed student needs a walker or wheelchair, or even a computer, the parents should pay for it not the district. Helen Robinson should first look to see how much money she has cost this district over the past few years. Probably millions of dollars.

academics first wrote on Feb 9, 2008 9:57 AM:How about cutting down on sports and putting emphasis on academics.

concerned parent wrote on Feb 9, 2008 10:14 AM:I was in attendance at the meeting and the school board made it clear that "nothing was sacred" and everything was on the table for potential cuts. After last night, it should be evident to the board members that at least one program, class-size reduction, should be removed from the list of potential cuts. The people expressing their anguish about the potential loss of this program was only the tip of the iceburg-if the Board votes against the continuance of class-size reduction in the next school year, it will stir the wrath of every public elementary school parent in this community.

JSten wrote on Feb 9, 2008 11:14 AM:The superintendent should lead the way with taking a voluntary 5% pay cut. Otherwise this is all just BS

Period wrote on Feb 9, 2008 11:49 AM:The bed has been made.....

Concered! wrote on Feb 9, 2008 12:00 PM:And I want to know why, with a hiring freeze, there were two new classified positions added recently? These were added AFTER the budget proposal and news of a hiring freeze.

Temecula's CURRENT budget (07/08) is NOT balanced! wrote on Feb 9, 2008 12:06 PM:What is Barbara Tooker talking about? Anyone who can add & subtract knows that. The original budget, listed on their web site, shows estimated revenues in excess of $209 million while estimated expenses are over $212 million. Further the "board approved" operating budget (NOT LISTED ON THE TVUSD WEB SITE....why is that?) indicates expected revenues in excess of $212 million while expected expenses are over $228 million.

The TVUSD wants the public's input? wrote on Feb 9, 2008 12:20 PM:NO THEY DO NOT!
The Strategic Plan Goals are:
#1 High Quality Teaching and Learning
#2 Parent and Community Partnerships
#3 Fiscal Responsibility
BUT without allowing parents (and teachers) access to the district's books, or at the VERY LEAST creating a budget committe to pull the budget apart & FIND those areas where cuts will NOT directly affect our classrooms, how do you expect us to truley be involved.
STOP compalining about the CRISIS and let us in, give us access to the infomation so we can help.

why not.... wrote on Feb 9, 2008 12:47 PM:change the time that k-5 starts. We do have a late start here in Temecula. Letting these kids out an hour or so earlier would benefit in saving on Air during the hot summer months. These kids are not getting home until almost 4pm by the time you fight traffic. Bump up the start time. Let the parents air condition their own kids. Also, Didn't the good Dr. Of the school board just get a big raise? How about giving that back. Also, just wondering if the school board is going to lay off teachers I want to know who in admin is going to get layed off? It is time to see what the district is ready to do! Also, where is the city in this? They approved all the building, all the new schools, all the streets.....it is time the city backs it school district before eveyone leans to private education.

Helen R. wrote on Feb 9, 2008 12:56 PM:You're a SPed Parent? If you are, you certainly DON'T KNOW me. Please ask my child's teachers how much money I've cost the district.
Please also ask the parents here how much I've cost the district.
Are you suggesting, like Dick Glock did that I am the reason why the TVUSD violates the law & therefore requires the use of high priced attorneys (who've been sanctioned in FEDERAL court) to fight parents.

TYPICAL TVUSD tactic, don't like the message, CAN'T dispute the FACTS (because those FACTS are taken from the district's OWN Documents, try personal ATTACKS in an attempt to discredit the person presenting the FACTS.

Ideas are brilliant! wrote on Feb 9, 2008 1:07 PM:Opt-Out on benefits, Cutting sports,
Parents buying their childs school materials, all good ideas.

We wont even go into the obvious idea of proving residency and immigration status upon enrollment.

You know what is worth questioning... Why is it that the 2006-2007 budget provided $11,200 per student, this year is at $11,900 and next year at $11,600 yet the budget is so jacked up? put everything back to where it was in 2006-2007 and get on with our lives.

HOWEVER, before any of these thing happen, change needs to happen at the top. Earth to Mars has it 100% right... Leighty making nearly 200K... for what? Nearly 40K raise after 6 months work? Must be nice. At least roll that 40K raise back to where it was. The 12 internal promotions to DO staff... Back to the classroom for them. Why is it that a "high power" person needs 12 new indians running around. Building an empire perhaps?

Here is the real deal... The Admin is blowing this out of proportion to make it look REAL bad so when they propose eliminating class size reduction, cutting pay, benefits etc, the teachers union and parents say "Oh thats not that bad." The admin walk away with the same pay, benefits etc... Its all good as long as it does not impact them or their lives. Meanwhile, they reduce teachers pay, eliminate the funds for classroom supplies and expect the teachers to pick up the difference on the reduced salary. No worries... its all good. Put your heads back in the sand folks... That is obviously where the admin think you have it anyway.

To Hello! wrote on Feb 9, 2008 1:24 PM:I am assuming that you do not have children in school at this point. I currently have 2 children in elementary school, and my husband and I are already buying the school supplies for our children AND donating other supplies for the whole class to use. At the beginning of the school year parents are given a list of supplies that are needed ranging form Kleenex to copy paper to pencils. We are also sent lists during the school year of needed supplies when the first wave of supplies run out. I would love to see what the district is buying with their 21.7 million dollar supply budget, because it definately is not the supplies for our children's classrooms!!!

cut sports wrote on Feb 9, 2008 3:16 PM:Get the kids to pay for their own sports program. I wonder how much is spent on the football programs alone. What a waste of money.

Reardon wrote on Feb 9, 2008 4:08 PM:Here is a clue – the budget you have in-hand, and the budget the Board gets, is the Summary Budget. NO ONE SEES THE DETAIL BUDGET! That is where the fat is hidden. When you see something like TRANSPORTATION - $6,566,400, you have no idea where any of that money goes! Reading a detailed budget is not child’s paly, so get a parent who does budgeting for a corporation, or have a UCSD or USD graduate student analyze the budget for you. The problem is the Staff builds the Summary Budget from a detailed budget, and then presents the Summary budget to the Board. No one on the Board can read a budget, so who do they ask about the Budget? The Staff that built the budget! “Mr. Superintendent, is this line item for Books, $21 million, correct?” “Why, yes, Mr. Baker, that number is correct!” (Sure it is, I put it there…) The mind boggles!

Get real wrote on Feb 9, 2008 4:19 PM:$200K may sound like a lot of money but look at the facts. Administrators, counselors and teachers spent a lot of time in school learning how to do their jobs. Personally, I'd rather have a highly paid professional responsible for my tax dollars and my kids education than some some chucklehead with an AA degree and a chip on his shoulder. The folks who say "cut education pay" really haven't thought the proposition to its logical end ---- drive the pros out by lowballing wages and you're left with the uneducated, uninformed, and incapable to budget the money and run the classroom. Come on people, think instead of simply spouting the first silly thing that comes to you.

Rambo wrote on Feb 9, 2008 4:39 PM:I made my fortune selling kangaroo-lined rocking chairs on the mean streets of Peoria and I often had to make budget cuts to save my business. I fired employees,cut their wages or severed their health coverage to continue to amass my wealth. I have now seen the light and the errors of my ways. So too should the school district see the errors of their ways. I have had a history of criticising the teachers for waste, being too greedy, and doing too little to earn their pay. But I have done my homework and now realize that the real enemy is a school board and district management that sees waste in its teachers and low-level employees that form the mattress of any successful educational system! Teachers and support personnel should be the last to be laid off. Start with the greasy blubber at the district office that has minimal impact of our children's education. Pink slip the entire district--assistant superintendents and their underlings, principals and teachers on special assignment, the overpaid consultants, the directors and their multitude of assistants, and let's not forget to have the school board members set a symbollic note by surrendering their stipend and lavish health care packages if they really care about our kids! Cut the superintendent's pay by 25% to send a message of caring. Eliminate all those hidden perks that the leadership enjoys--free cell phone use, free gasoline, free cars, etc. I apologize for not seeing the light sooner--maybe my fortune blinded me to the real suffering that common people are subjected to by accumulators of personal wealth.

Reardon wrote on Feb 9, 2008 4:42 PM:I don't know about Temecula, but other school districts have cut transportation altogether. Have you noticed that children NEVER miss soccer practice? Little League? Pop Warner? Somehow they get there without tax-supported school transportation -- in fact, why do we have school athletics when there are many private organizations providing the same sports, as mentioned above? Is there a high school band? Why is it tax supported -- the parents of the band members should pay the freight! If it isn't academic, it should not be in a tax-supported school.

Reardon wrote on Feb 9, 2008 5:33 PM:Rambo makes a lot of sense, and it is all discoverable in the detailed budget, which you have never seen, and you may need a Court Order to get it! Meanwhile, check with five nearby private schools, average the ratio of administrators to students, and demand the public schools reduce their administration to that ratio. (First, buy ear plugs, because you will hear screaming such as you have not heard before.)

to special ED parent... wrote on Feb 9, 2008 5:37 PM:First of all I do not believe you are a parent of a child with special needs. If you were you would know the TVUSD's history of low expectations and warehousing of them. Sure in some instances (with parents who have fought them for years for an education for their child)they seem to be making improvements, but I can assure you that if a sped kid gets a computer to use at school that has some specialized software on it, it is after the District has battled and payed tens of thousands of dollars ... If you were a sped parent you would know that parents rarely win in court these days, so if that kid has a computer it has most likely been deemed by a judge needed to learn. AND if you were a sped parent you would know that Helen has most likely saved this District and others in the valley as much as they spend on their high priced lawyers. No you're not a sped parent. You do however sound much like an ex-board member, perhaps one of the current ones?! or an assistant superindentent who doesn't like his numbers crunched!

Karl wrote on Feb 9, 2008 6:15 PM:Is any school employee willing to talk about STERS here?

The New Rambo wrote on Feb 9, 2008 6:19 PM:I made my fortune working for school districts, earning $150K annually, plus the car allowances, cell phone use, free healthcare and other perks. But, now I see I should have made my fortune teaching kids, because that pays way more in personal reward than any job could ever pay me. I've been fired whenever they pink-slipped the execs. I am so glad "I saw the light." We don't need so many execs in Tem. I'm going back to my hole in the ground.

Thanks Deborah! wrote on Feb 9, 2008 7:46 PM:(AKA Special ed parent)
Perhaps you can be Mr. Ray's campaign manager when he runs for the TVUSD board this year. I hear rumors that Tooker & Morris may not run again.
Were you at the meeting & if so did you happen to catch BT's comment about society being judged by how they treat their weakest members?

Coastal Eddy wrote on Feb 9, 2008 8:25 PM:I'm sure parents would mind paying a user fee of $500 per child to maintain the current level of schooling. There doesn't seem to be any concenus on what should be cut in the budget -- class size reduction, sports, band, administration salaries, teacher salaries and benefits.

Some ideas... wrote on Feb 9, 2008 8:56 PM:"Supplies" are not just the glue and pencils that parents pick up at Staples. To prepare students for employment in this century, schools have computers, LCD monitors, calculators, modern books, etc. I'm not saying that all of it is necessary, but please don't think that the district is spending $21 million on crayons. Some of you should think before you speak...or type.

I think that extracurricular sports, dances, etc. should be eliminated OR that participants should pay 100% of the costs. So maybe dance tickets are double; don't go if you don't want to pay.

Churches renting out our schools for Sunday services can pay larger rents. They are part of the community and have the ability to fundraise locally to offset their costs.

Transportation could be eliminated, except for students with special needs.

Teacher trainings and inservices can be eliminated for the year. All have BA degrees, credentials, and many have MA degrees on top of that. For just one year, I think they can live without sitting through additional trainings. The companies that host trainings make a killing off of each attendee. Trainings can resume next year when the budget is greater.

Just some ideas here.....

to Cut sports wrote on Feb 9, 2008 9:04 PM:My kid plays soccer. The parents pay for the kits (bags, socks, etc.) and we do a great fundraiser that allows the program to keep 95% of the proceeds. Most sports programs already are heavily subsidized by the parents and players. I agree that the player and their parents should pay a big chunk. football and band both have big booster clubs and heavy parent involvement. Football actually generates revenue from ticket sales and that money is used for other programs, though not evenly. Of course.
We have already went after cut to sports. Maybe we can go deeper. I don't know how much.

to some ideas... wrote on Feb 9, 2008 9:20 PM:You really need to volunteer for the PTA. They and other organizations sponsor a TON of extracuricular events like dances to the tune of 100 percent. Transportation is payed for by the students. It costs each student who rides the buses over $100. Transportation for sporting events is paid for by the fundraisers. If the kids have an event on the weekend parents must provide a ride not the school.
We have already thought of these ideas and most of them are already in place except for teacher training. Every business invests in on going training for its employees. It is a standard practice that has proven its usefulness over time. Please spend some time with your local PTA president. they can help you understand what is happening.

Willie S. wrote on Feb 9, 2008 9:38 PM:To the Special ED parent, I'm not so sure you really are a Special Ed parent! Looking at the things you wrote on this forum you are the main cause for ALL kids recieving less education in this state. I would be surprised if the school board doesnt send you flowers after reading your post. You sound like one of their flunkies anyway. Every year since my child has been a part of the Special Ed program, I have donated money, computers, supplies, and my time to offset the cost to the teachers. I have seen what is given to the Special Ed classes, and it's a shame. Old text books, out dated computers and when the rest of the school gets new supplies the special ed classes are left behind. I thought they put a plan in place to stop that, but I guess it didn't include Special Ed. They have very little expectations for these children, although research shows that having expectations goes a long way. Some of these children will live what is considered a normal life and won't be prepared because of their education...if we let people like you win. I'm disgusted with you!

You'll find money to say the day wrote on Feb 9, 2008 11:36 PM:It's in the Interim Financial Report under Supplies for 2007-2008. $21 Million Dollars, Not the $11,905.....Million shown on the TVUSD Finance Web site under expenses and expeditures.
Their lack of mathematics by columns has saved the day.
And, we did not have to ask DR. HOUSE to say the patient.

So sad wrote on Feb 9, 2008 11:54 PM:I am so disapointed in the TVUSD, shame on you for cutting teachers and adding more students to a class. I volunteer in my Kindergarten students class to help as much as I can. I see the strugle the teacher has just with 20 5-6 year olds...When she is with a small group trying to help them learn to read, there are 16 other students asking her a million questions...How are the teachers supposed to meet the California Standards if they have 32 kids, it is hard enough for them with 20. Why don't the "big wigs" let thier assistance go and thier assistance's assistant go instead of our teachers?? Why should our children pay? They are the future here, they are the ones who will be taking care of you when you are old and don't you want them to have a postive start in thier education? I sure do...Send letters to anyone who will listen, get involved, lets keep our awsome teachers and low class ratios, and get rid of the "big shots"....

To Get Real wrote on Feb 10, 2008 6:24 AM:You want a highly paid professional responsible for your tax dollars and your kids' education? Well you GOT it...and look at the result!

What Changed? wrote on Feb 10, 2008 6:33 AM:Hey "So Sad"! I'm a survivor of the California school system. I'm a big boy now with a couple homes and a successful professional career. We never had assistants in the classroom and had better test scores. So, why do they need assistants now? Of course, that was before highly paid professions and the teachers union hijacked the school systems. There's a clue for you...

To the Editor of this site........... wrote on Feb 10, 2008 8:38 AM:Why is it that you let Special ED parent post a comment here that accuses Helen R. of costing the district millions? She is a crusader to ensure the TVUSD comply with the LAW!!!!

Another to the Editor of this site. wrote on Feb 10, 2008 8:41 AM:You will let someone post here to slam Helen R, but will you post that Barbara Tooker has cost the district $$$millions$$$ in lawsuits and uses the school board as a conduit to self promote her National Parenting Institute..........of course not!!!!

To So sad...... wrote on Feb 10, 2008 8:46 AM:Great idea........the first "big shot" to get rid of is Barbara Tooker, she is big alright...huge...massive......
she needs to go and soon!!!

To Rambo ........ wrote on Feb 10, 2008 8:46 AM:Please stay above ground!!!!

Yes... wrote on Feb 10, 2008 9:38 AM:the TVUSD needs to get rid of their dinosuars. We can't vote out Cordner and Okun, but we can make sure that Tooker and Morris are out later this year.

Where to Look Said wrote on Feb 10, 2008 9:52 AM:Look at the District's Financial Interim Report. The Board has $21 Million dollars posted in Supplies, not the $11,905,461.00 logged in Supplies in their Budget and web site.
This is no year for a slush fund.

Look at the District's Last two Years of Full Agendas wrote on Feb 10, 2008 9:56 AM:You'll notice the writing of several resolutions worth millions of dollars out of the General Fund and or all Funding.
At year end the P2 Report monies of 4% of the budget and all the Resolution monies are taken.
Where do they go? Any where the Board wants.

Your School Board Has Deceived You wrote on Feb 10, 2008 10:00 AM:Look at their own documents!
Did you hear what Helen Robinson told you? A $11,905,461.00 Supply Budgeted Funding really has $21,000,000.00 logged in it.
They twist the numbers in front of our noises. But, we've always "blindly" trusted their ethics.
NOW, is not the time to be lead sheep.
Do your homework, parents and teachers!
Ask to see the First Interim Financial Report; the TVUSD School Boards' own document.

They've carefully moved your childrens' Monies wrote on Feb 10, 2008 10:06 AM:Ask the PTSA to request the last four years of interim reports.
Then, get copies of their posted budgets posted on their web site for the last four years.

Here's the key: Now go to the CA State Dept. of Education Dataquest.
Compare the numbers.
**Even then be "wierey"...the Districts has the state post the figures which the District gives to them.

The most obvious alarm ringing you'll see in Supplies.
What do you call a place you "stash your loot you want to hide".
But, its not their monies; it belongs to our children.

Watch Out what's coming wrote on Feb 10, 2008 10:25 AM:They wrote a declaration to go ahead building in Emergency Status with Barnhart at TVHS with NO MONIES.
They want a NEW General Obligation Bond.
They Cashed-out REFUNDED upon the $65 Million Dollar 1989 G.O.B. we have for as ADDITIONAL $75.4 Million plus interests, agents fees, etc.
The eight CFD mellos roos Developments in the valley will be paying for over 35 years debt they've assigned as Specified Priority Projects Lists.
**They have NO Right to infringe on the General Fund to keep building upon Temecula Valley High School.
Why not?
The school's 25 Year Anniversary Renovation Grant monies of 50/50 with the state will help pay for this.
They've got Wolfe Creek Homes CFD's paying $45,000,000.00 to renovate TVHS. And, they will never attend that school. Their document from their Board Meeting says the costs will be $77 Million in renovation costs.
Why not wait for the state monies since they've assigned the home owners to pay the other half?
Smooth with our children's monies.
Smooth being their own Legislative Body.
The City Council Members of Temecula and the County gave them THEIR legislative rights to tax us or have a developer pay the up front monies.
So?
You'd not be paying mellos roos taxation if the DISTRICT had accepted the upfront fees by square footage percentage ratio. The Developer should have paid the up front fees. But your School Board wouldn't have been paid the eight areas in our valleys multiple hundreds of millions to build high design architectural schools.
A $12 Million dollar CFD housing track assessed with a mellos roos will pay $45 million at least over the years, if the Board does not leverage their CFD.
HOPE you understand their Numbers Games Better Now.

Have you ever heard Tooker say the following wrote on Feb 10, 2008 10:28 AM:This is my District, not their's. We're here to govern it as WE SEE Fit.

To have you ever heard.............. wrote on Feb 10, 2008 10:55 AM:It is Tooker's district because we are all to STUPID or APATHETIC to VOTE her OUT!!!!!!!!

To Some Ideas wrote on Feb 10, 2008 11:22 AM:The TVUSD spends NO money on crayons. The teachers and parents supply the crayons. Please get better informed by going to our school sites to talk to the Parents, PTAs & PTSAs, Teachers & Principals. Then try checking out the Donations section of the Board Packets regarding WHO is donating money to pay for new computers and other technology. One shouldn't have to do that though. TVUSD's Admin. & Board should be open enough to let the public (parents, teachers & TAXPAYERS) know what's included in their budget so that WE can provide INFORMED suggestions on WHAT should be cut. They claim to want our help in thes process but FAIL to give us the information we need to do so.

Lets just hope!!!! wrote on Feb 10, 2008 12:39 PM:That Tooker and Morris join Kenneth Ray as ex board members this year!!!

GOODBYE BARB....NO MORE FREE TRAVEL AND EXPENSIVE DINNERS!!!! HA HA

Barbara to Special Ed. Parent wrote on Feb 10, 2008 1:46 PM:I am very saddened to see such uninformed lashing out a Helen Robinson, who has helped so many in our district to recieve the education they need and deserve (I should say "are entitled to by law"). She has probably saved the district millions by her early, informed advocacy which has resulted in them seeing the illegality of their actions and beginning to provide appropriate services rather than wasting money fighting parents in costly lawsuits (which they ultimately lose) to avoid paying for services. If you are really the parent of a special ed. student, your child is obviously not one who is disabled enough to need a computer or talking device to be able to speak. These children, as different as they are, are also entitled to a Free and Appropriate Public Education, just as yours is. These children also likely have huge medical bills that are not paid by insurance that you know nothing about. Their parents are not greedy or lavish, they have to go through extraordinary hardships just to provide their families with a decent life. They know that their lifetime is finite, and they must demand that their children be educated well enough to become contributing members of society, and that means having access to the same state of the art technology that the rest of the students in the district have. If a special ed. child needs a swith or a touch screen or voice activation technology to access a computer, then by law, the district must provide it. It may seem lavish to you because your child can walk up to any computer and use the keyboard in the standard way. Our kids can't, through no fault of their own, and the law requires that they not be denied access to the same educational opportunities other students have because of their disability.

Barbara to Sped. Parent and others wrote on Feb 10, 2008 2:01 PM:The truth is, good Special Education services benefit everyone, especially if they are delivered within the school district and not in private school settings (because the district has given up on someone). Every benefit my child has recieved as a result of my advocacy for him will benefit every other child with his disability who comes after him, and even others with lesser disabilities. Why? Because the teachers will know how to use the technology that gives every student access to grade level curriculum, even if they can't see, have auditory processing problems, learning disabilities, or impaired visual motor integration. The District will OWN the software, so it will be available to be used by other students. It benefits General ed. students because it teaches them to understand people with disabilities and accept them as achievers and contributing members of the school community, in spite of their limitations and oddities. It benefits society as a whole because it teaches today's general ed. students, who will be tomorrow's citizens, to interact and socialize and work alongside those with disabilities instead of ostracizing them.

Get a Clue Special ED Parent wrote on Feb 10, 2008 2:13 PM:Re: Special ED Parent – Boy do I feel sorry for this parent’s child. This parent obviously does not know their educational rights and responsibilities. I have served on the Riverside County Special Education Community Advisory Committee that supports all 21 school districts in our county and I don’t ever recall any school district that has provided a wheelchair or a walker to a student, a computer, yes, as the districts do for the rest of their general education population. Maybe this Special Ed Parent should consider getting more involved with the dynamics of special education so she can better help her child. Special ED Parent should consider asking her districts administration to reduce their salaries & at the same time explain their enormous school supply fund…hmm, why would the TVUSD’s school supply fund increase when there is a decrease in their student population? Sounds pretty deceitful to me – taxpayers beware!
Also, I have known Helen Robinson for several years, and like any one who personally knows her, I can testify that she has saved her district (and several others in our area) millions just in unnecessary attorney fees alone. She has done this by helping to resolve non-compliance issues. She is a dynamic, knowledgeable person who knows the law and always has her children and her community’s best interest at heart. Too bad this Special ED Parent does not know Helen…I bet if they did, they wouldn’t be so “strapped” by their child’s special needs.

Paco wrote on Feb 10, 2008 3:51 PM:Why is everyone so down on Barbara Tooker? She is an HONEST board member who "parents" parents who do not know how to raise their kids. I knoiw her personally and she is ... one of the smartest managers around ... Leave Barbara alone--she is like Mother Knows Best!

Reardon wrote on Feb 10, 2008 6:54 PM:You people are re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic!

When the only states ranking below you in 4th grade reading are Mississippi (by one point), Louisiana (by two points) and the District of Columbia – which has a permanent lock on last place – money is the least of your worries!

To be brutally direct, California ranks 49th out of 52 States and Districts in 4th grade reading. We also rank 49th in 8th grade reading.

There is something to say for consistency, so we also rank 49th in 4th grade math– and somehow our 8th graders managed to finish 46th in math.

Now, it is hard to put enough lipstick on this pig to provide much help. The best news is that this year the Federal National Report Card only tested reading and math. Probably next year they will test science and writing, but if you are hoping for better results, it ain’t gonna happen!

You see, the National Educational Assessment Program has been publishing these results (Google “National Report Card”) for years, but the results are so abysmal that news outlets have papered over them.

To what changed? wrote on Feb 10, 2008 11:56 PM:I think you miss read my post, I did not say we needed assistance in the classroom, I said to cut the assistance at the DO and the assistance's assistant....I help in the class to volunteer, I have a profession of my own and I too was schooled in CA, however we didn't have the CA standards to meet that they do now. All I was saying is that it is not fair to our children to have 32 5 and 6 years in a classroom. It would just not be right!!!!

to Paco wrote on Feb 11, 2008 11:53 AM:I have reason to doubt Barb's parenting expertise. ...At any rate it is time for "Mother Knows Best" to be CANCELLED.

To Paco .... wrote on Feb 11, 2008 6:17 PM:Isn't Jane Wyatt dead?

Failure To Respond wrote on Feb 12, 2008 9:16 AM:How pathetic it is that rather than vent your anger at the people that really created this crisis....the Governor and YOUR elected officials and do something about it. Don't write about things that you don't know enough about. Except for paying taxes (that seem to be diverted to the wrong areas) maybe parents should pay for the education and babysitting that they get for free! How about paying for transportation (not that token that is paid now) to and from schools. How about paying for the books that are required to teach your children? How about paying for the supplies your children don't respect but use up as if it were free...oh, I guess it is to them isn't it! Take some responsibility for where we are in California and do something about it besides whining.

The Energy Companies started the blackouts wrote on Feb 14, 2008 9:28 PM:they were caught and proscueted for over charges. But, we owed the monies. The Governor did not plan the fraud and fall out of our housing industry and loans.
The Governor did not send us and keep us in an endless costly war of $$'s and lives.
BUT, THE SCHOOL BOARD AND ITS ADMINISTRATION HAVE TAKEN MONIES OUT OF OUR CHILDRENS' SCHOOLING BUDGET FOR BUILDING ENDLESS HIGH DESIGN SCHOOLS, ETC. WE HAVE 7 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS UNDER 700 STUDENTS, SOME IN THE 400'S OF ENROLLMENT.
THE BOARD HAS OVER BUILT.
THEY'VE LEVERAGED YOUR CFD MELLOS ROOS TAXES AND THEY'VE CASHED-OUT REFUNDED OUR GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND.

THEY STRATEGICALLY REMOVE MONIES IN THEIR FULL AGENDAS AND WITH ELECTRONIC TRANSFERS. THEY CAN DO THAT.
IT IS YOUR JOBS TO WATCH WHAT THEY DO WITH IT.

$12 MILLION THEY HAVE UNASSIGNED IN SUPPLIES. h e l l o..............

Recycled Water wrote on Feb 14, 2008 9:36 PM:Our ranch is being cut 50% in its water alottment.
Recycled water should not be assigned to just the golf courses.
The drought is real.
No water is real.

Pechunga should not get it all.
Orange County is taking the human waste physically out of their water, and NOW drinking IT.