Public Employees’ Flush New Year

January 14th, 2010

NY Post

“It looks like a happy new year for you — if you’re a public employee.

That’s the takeaway from a recent Rasmussen poll that shows that 46 percent of government employees say the economy is getting better, while just 31 percent say it’s getting worse. In contrast, 32 percent of those with private-sector jobs say the economy is getting better, while 49 percent say it is getting worse.

Nearly half, 44 percent, of government employees rate their personal finances as good or excellent. Only 33 percent of private-sector employees do.

It sounds like public- and private-sector employees are looking at different Americas. And they are.”

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Unions vs Race to the Top

January 14th, 2010

Wall Street Journal

“Teachers unions in Minnesota and Florida are currently threatening to withhold support for their state Race to the Top applications, which are due later this month. So is the school boards association in Louisiana. This matters because the Administration has placed a premium on states garnering “local school district support” in order to win a grant. Not having union buy-in isn’t fatal, but it definitely hurts a state’s chances of getting federal funds.”

Special-Ed Funds Redirected

January 14th, 2010

Wall Street Journal

“A provision in federal law allows some school districts to spend millions of dollars of special-education money elsewhere, and a government report indicates many more districts plan to take advantage of the provision.”

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Where Our School Dollars Are Spent – III

January 9th, 2010

Special Education
ARRO
Card NE
Farmington School District
Institutional Intern
NHCEH/Title 1
Raymond School District
Lutheran Community’s
Plowshare Farm

Educational Supplies/Books/Services
Marshall Cavendish/H.S. Refrence Books
Economist/Subscription for H.S. Social Studies
Follett Library Resources
Project Fees
National Geographic/ H.S. subscription
CCS Presentation/Audiovisual supplies
DEMCO Incorp/Supplies
Skyhaven Flying Co./ROTC flights
Amazon.com
Adventure Headquarters
Barnes and Noble Bookseller
Scott Electric/office supplies
Rio Grande/Art Supplies
Weekly Readers Corp/grade 1 and 2
Library Video/videos for H.S.
US Games
Walden Book Company

Supplies/Equipment
Purchase Power/Postage meter
Specialized Purchase
Reserve Account/postage
Dick Blick/Art supplies
Premier School Agenda/Agenda Books
Pitney Bowes/postage
Office Environment/Auditorium Sound Equipment

Computers
Newport Computer/repairs
Companion Corp/Library Software System

Maintenance/Utilities/services
GC AAA Fence Company
Plumbmaster, Inc.
Adams Fire Protection/Kitchen
Knights Construction/Cafe, Tech Center
Norway Plains Associates/Engineering Services
Konica Minolta Business/Copiers
Simplex Grinnell
Diamond Electric

Consulting/Teacher Training/Testing/Jobs
Granite State College
Genetic Services/SFED
UNH/Courses
Plymouth State College/Courses
NFI North Inc/Ads on the internet
Northwest Evaluation: NWEA/testing
NH JAG/Jobs for NH graduates
NHASP/Assoc of School Principals dues 6 people
ASCD/Dues

Talking Points on Assessing

January 1st, 2010

City of Rochester, Assessing