OEA Discussion Board

Ohio GOP Senators Claim They Can Delay Resolving Education Funding Shortfall until Next Year

If the Ohio Senate fails to act on House Bill 318 by December 31, state aid to local school districts will be cut by $50 million per month, approximately 10% cuts for every district, the largest education cutback in state history.

Click here to see the impact on your local school district.

But the Legislative Ability to Freeze Income Tax Rates at 2008 Level is No Longer an Option After December 31

In early October, the Governor proposed what we believe is the best solution for closing this budget gap immediately. This proposal, House Bill 318, passed the Ohio House on October 21, 2009. The bill would freeze income tax rates at 2008 levels for tax years 2009 and 2010 in order to restore $851 million in support for public education.

Without Legislative Action, Ohio Schools Will Automatically Lose Budgeted Funding Staring in January

Recently, the Senate canceled several House Bill 318 hearings as a compromise between legislative leaders has yet to be reached.  On December 10, Governor Ted Strickland’s staff informed the statewide education associations that unless House Bill (HB) 318 or its equivalent is passed by December 31, 2009, public education funding in Ohio will be drastically reduced. Because the $851 million budget hole is in the Lottery Profits Education Fund, leaving the shortfall unresolved will result in an automatic funding reduction for Ohio’s K-12 schools.

Ohio Will Fail to Meet Race to the Top Eligibility Requirements If the Shortfall Is Not Resolved

The source of the budget shortfall, combined with the Ohio’s Constitution requirement to balance the state budget, will result in the reduction of approximately $50 million of state foundation aid each month for the next 18 months. That means every school district — and Ohio’s pubic colleges and universities — would lose at least $2.3 billion in funding. According to the Ohio Department of Education, that size of a cut would put at risk the state’s ability to receive federal funds. This reduction in state aid drops Ohio below 2006 school funding levels, which is an eligibility requirement to receive federal stimulus funds. Ohio would need to receive a federal waiver in order to still qualify for federal funds, which is highly unlikely. Iowa’s request for such a waiver was just refused.

Taken together, the reduction in state and federal aid to Ohio schools  will exceed a$5 billion. This would amount to the largest reduction in aid to public education in Ohio’s history.

The OEA implores members and friends to call, write and meet with your state senator immediately.  We must stop Ohio lawmakers from making the single largest cut to school funding in the history of the state.

Click here for more information on HB 318 and how to contact your state senator.

An interesting article at TeacherHub.com featured some best and worst “teacher gift stories,” like this one:

“I got half a bottle of Lady Stetson one year from a kid who stole it from his Mom. I talked to his Mom and she was really filled up though, that her kid wanted to give me something and wasn’t mad that he took the cologne. She told me that I had to keep it. I put a little on at school that day so the kid could smell it on me–I was one fragrant man that day!” – Mike

What is the best or worst gift you’ve gotten from a student? Share in the comments section!

We all look forward to that look on a child’s face when she opens a gift she really, really loves. Of course you can’t go wrong with the latest toy or game, but can that toy or game be educational and still be fun? Share your experiences, good or bad, giving educational gifts to the children in your life.

Tell us how you stay in control of your holiday spending (without feeling like a Grinch) and you could win a $100 Macy’s gift card.

By Lexi Gray Andrews

The holidays are a seemingly good excuse for many people to throw their careful budgeting habits out the window. Each year, the holiday obligations keep piling on—and whether it’s a family dinner, an office get together or gift giving among friends, it’s hard to avoid spending cash that we wouldn’t otherwise be shelling out. Before you fall into the holiday ritual of overspending, here are some tips that will help you stay in line with old traditions without maxing out your credit cards.

Assess your budget, track your spending
The first step in keeping holiday spending in check is to decide the most you can afford to spend. Gregory Karp, author of The 1-2-3 Money Plan: The Most Important Steps to Saving and Spending Smart, suggests that no more than 1.5 percent of your gross income should be spent on all holiday items, and that includes gifts, travel, decorations and entertaining. That means if your household has $60,000 in income, you would spend no more than $900 for all holiday expenses. “But if you’re deeply in debt, consider spending much less,” Karp said.

Once you’ve established how much you’re going to spend, stay strong! One way to do this is to diligently track your spending using a system that you can easily follow and maintain. Tracey McBride, author of Frugal Luxuries by the Seasons: Celebrate the Holidays with Elegance and Simplicity–on Any Income suggests designating an envelope for each person or event on your holiday list. Write the name of the person or event on the outside of an envelope, and place inside the exact cash amount you wish to spend on each.

“When I do my holiday gift shopping I simply take the envelopes, and no credit cards, and spend only what I’ve budgeted. Keep these in a safe, hard to get to compartment of your purse, or in your front pocket if you don’t use a purse,” McBride said.

Curb spending on gifts and other holiday cheer
Sometimes saving cash around the holidays is all about good timing. A little-known shopping tip is that if you visit a store after 6 p.m. the day before an advertised sale, you have a good chance of getting those discounted prices before anyone else, Karp said. Many retailers program their registers the evening prior to a big sale, Karp added, meaning that consumers will often get these sale prices before they are even posted throughout the store.

Shopping online may also keep your spending under control. “Research shows that the sights, sounds and smells of a retail store can entice us to spend impulsively. Shopping online for holiday gifts can keep you on task and allow you to avoid temptations,” Karp said.

Another huge holiday expense that just seems to grow each year is the tradition of mailing out greeting cards to friends, family members and associates. Karp suggests purchasing boxed holiday cards at your local dollar store or warehouse club. For those who won’t be offended by not receiving a physical card, consider sending a holiday e-card. Keep these personal by attaching a few digital family photographs.

Partying on a budget
The pressure is on during the holidays to attend numerous types of parties and social gatherings, and there may be different expectations that come with each one. If your friends are getting together to exchange gifts, one of the most popular ways to save money is doing a random gift exchange where you draw names from a hat and only buy for the person whose name you pulled, suggests Adam Leone, financial advisor with Modera Wealth Management in Old Tappan, NJ.

If you happen to be hosting a party of your own, one of the easiest ways to save money is to avoid overspending on alcohol. “Everyone wants to make every possible drink under the sun, but if you focus on a few unique cocktails, you can still keep your guests happy,” said Leone. Many food-related and general interest magazines often have recipes for fun, holiday-themed cocktails that won’t break the bank.

To keep your guests happy, you may want to consider having a cocktail party instead of offering dinner. Holiday wine and cheese parties will be just as memorable, and even kinder on your wallet if each guest contributes a bottle for the party, said Kris Koederitz Melcher, author of Chick Living: Frugal and Fabulous.

Decorating for a party, or the holidays in general, is another area where you can get creative on a tight budget, said Melcher. “You don’t have to spend much on quality greenery, gorgeous ribbon, garland and small holiday accents and ornaments—craft and discount stores often have great deals on these. The same goes for simple glass votives and tea lights—which you can use year round—and these things can be the basis of holiday decorating for years to come.”

All things considered, with the proper planning it is easy to avoid the temptation to overspend during the holiday season. As Melcher noted, it is possible to “go all out without feeling put out” this year.

This year, Thanksgiving Day falls on November 26. How do you help your students learn about this special holiday? Share your ideas for incorporating the winter holidays into your lesson plans. You will be entered for a chance to win one of three $100 gift cards to Macy’s.

A recent New York Times article reported on the “thousands of teachers” selling their lesson plans online and whether or not it is appropriate for them to do so. According to the article, teachers are selling lesson plans online on sites like Teachers Pay Teachers and We Are Teachers, but more districts are beginning to question whether they should be allowed to do this. Some teachers say they use the money to buy classroom supplies, and others use the funds for personal expenses. Joseph McDonald, a professor at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York University, told the Times that the online selling cheapens what teachers do and undermines efforts to build sites where educators freely exchange ideas and lesson plans.
One New York educator, Lisa Michalek, reportedly has earned $31,000 from selling lessons, like an earth science curriculum that sells for $59.95. Another New York educator who has purchased PowerPoint Presentations from Michalek said she hates “reinventing the wheel” and starting with Michalek’s presentations saves her hours each time.

Great Public Schools:
A Basic Right and Our Responsibility

NEA’s American Education Week (AEW) spotlights the importance of providing every child in America with a quality public education from kindergarten through college, and the need for everyone to do his or her part in making public schools great. The 88th annual American Education Week, November 15-21, features a special observance each day of the week. This year, let’s share our stories about public education and ensuring that every child receives a quality education. Tell us what this year’s tagline, “Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility,” means to you. Ten entries will be selected to win a $25 gift certificate for DeSantis Florist. Enter here between October 15-November 13 for a chance to win.

Dr. Rankin, professor of History at the University of Texas at Dallas, wanted to know how to reach more students and involve more people in class discussions both in and out of the classroom. She had heard of Twitter… She collaborated with the UT Dallas, Arts and Technology – Emerging Media and Communications (EMAC) http://www.emac.utdallas.edu faculty and as a Graduate student in EMAC I assisted her in her experiment.

Kim Smith, UT Dallas Graduate Student pursuing a Masters in Emerging Media and Communication, documented the experiment for a digital video class.

Watch this video and consider using Twitter in your classroom.

Leave a comment and let us know what you think about this idea.