Security guards

Anonymous wrote:

"New Post

Are Security Officers in great need for support from district?"

"As graduation rates rise, fears of falling standards"

From the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/27/us/as-graduation-rates-rise-experts-fear-standards-have-fallen.html?_r=0

Repeatedly over the last year, Pittsburgh public school officials have cited rising graduation rates as evidence of improved student achievement- but this NYT article echos concerns raised here in Pittsburgh that higher graduation rates may not mean that students are actually learning more.  The article notes for example a school district where more tha 85% of students graduated, but "not one student scored high enough on the ACT to be deemed ready for college in reading or math."

Largest surplus in the state for PPS

Anonymous wrote:

" New Post Please:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2015/12/16/Pittsburgh-Schools-have-large-surplus-audit-finds/stories/201512160153

Enough of the austerity budgets! We should have spent this money on students; smaller class sizes, paraprofessionals, social workers, nurses, librarians, etc. "

Consultant for superintendent search

Anonymous wrote:

"New Post 
Perkins Consulting Group has no experience in a superintendent search:http://www.post-gazette.com/local/2015/12/07/Consulting-firm-picked-by-city-to-hunt-for-schools-chief-lacks-history/stories/201512070022


The most important appointment in any school district is the selection of it's Superintendent.

The process is critical and should be broad based as well as evidenced based.

Truly, what we have here is the blind leading the blind and we wonder why our leadership lacks 'vision'. "

"The population is never coming back"

In the words of the consultant PPS paid a half million dollars just seven years ago to plan for facilities.  The report predicted nothing but continuing decline, supporting numerous school closings and freeing up money for... well, consultants.

Meanwhile, from today's PG:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2015/12/03/Census-shows-millennial-population-growing-in-Pittsburgh/stories/201512030053

While the overall increase is not huge, it is driven by an increase in the portion of the population that is key for school age children.  And had the district done a better job with schools, this increase may well have been even greater.

The state of career and technical education at PPS

Anonymous wrote:

"http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/letters/2015/11/27/Technical-education-gives-students-skills-for-employment/stories/201511270008

Johnson Martin is correct. PPS erred when it eliminated numerous career technical education programs. All students do not want to go to college, especially with the cost of tuition today. Pittsburgh Promise money or not, college is expensive. Plus, you get a degree and can't find a job. We need more "hands on" courses - maybe then we can keep more students interested and vested in attending school. Why not use one of our many buildings and house all the "technical" programs under one roof instead of one here and one there. "

Salary increase for Superintendent

Anonymous wrote:

"http://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2015/11/24/City-superintendent-Linda-Lane-receives-salary-increase/stories/201511240198

Linda Lane gets a $10,000 raise for her last 6 months! This bumps up her pension also. It must be nice.... Does the state of the District really warrant this?"