By nlea gipweaob

June 27, 2007 3:04 PM | Link to this

vswix nfup klmqhueci fgixmeqa wovl ubxontkjr zkfx

By Former PBC Teacher

June 22, 2007 11:14 AM | Link to this

Wow, I’m glad I left when I did to go to another state! When I taught in PBC I thought it was bad, but it doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

While I know there are good teachers and principals in the system, I also understand and have experienced that leadership is everything. Those who have lived in PBC for awhile may remember how Dr. Johnson came to be superintendent.

And that process in and of itself answers many questions.

By PBC teacher

June 22, 2007 8:54 AM | Link to this

Yet another example of the money wasted by the PBC school district. This ranks up there with overexpansion and Peoplesoft.

By Sam

June 21, 2007 10:21 PM | Link to this

Maybe parents are no longer willing to send their kids to sub-par schools where they are doing little else than indoctrinating them to become good little multiculturalists and envirohysterics.

By W

June 21, 2007 9:21 PM | Link to this

I am simply amazed that schools would advertise to retain students!!! Schools in Palm Beach County and Florida have been overcrowded for years. They have a hard time getting and retaining qualified teachers. Why not focus on providing the best education to those students who go to public school? Let’s reduce the student teacher ratio and give each student more one on one time with their teachers! Let’s look at this as an opportunity to get and retain the best possible teachers! Let’s look at this as an opportunity to focus on the little things that were missed during the constant expansion that has been going on for years! Instead let’s spend money advertising about public education. Stop the madness!!!

By todd

June 21, 2007 7:22 PM | Link to this

could it be that florida is turning into a third world country and American citizens are sick of Illegals taking time away from their children because the illegals refuse to learn english and make our kids suffer? Teachers cant teach our kids if they are teaching english. Besides that the public school systems are absolutely horrible for all the money we spend.

By todd

June 21, 2007 7:22 PM | Link to this

could it be that florida is turning into a third world country and American citizens are sick of Illegals taking time away from their children because the illegals refuse to learn english and make our kids suffer? Teachers cant teach our kids if they are teaching english. Besides that the public school systems are absolutely horrible for all the money we spend.

By Van Cochran

June 21, 2007 5:14 PM | Link to this

I’m about to bolt from the Baton Rouge system. Is so racially unbalanced it’s pathetic. We’re supposed to be a poor state and only 30% of the whites go to public school. While race is a factor it is also lack of community feel anymore at schools. We’re raising a generation of kids with no sense of community.

By Van Cochran

June 21, 2007 5:13 PM | Link to this

I’m about to bolt from the Baton Rouge system. Is so racially unbalanced it’s pathetic. We’re supposed to be a poor state and only 30% of the whites go to public school. While race is a factor it is also lack of community feel anymore at schools. We’re raising a generation of kids with no sense of community.

By Al Sunskis

June 21, 2007 4:47 PM | Link to this

Hi,

With regards to the national crisis of new teacher retention in our schools, check out “The First Year Teacher—Why You May Fail” at Wellingtonhousepublishing.com

By Kent

June 21, 2007 3:19 PM | Link to this

Did anyone consider that maybe parents are sick of public school underperformance and penchant for social engineering children against parents wishes?

By PBC Teacher

June 21, 2007 1:04 PM | Link to this

To: Wondering Why Part of the age increase is the cut off date for starting Kindergarten. The other part is failing the FCAT in 3rd grade and getting held back. My son will be 19 when he graduates because he missed the cut off to start Kindergarten, and he’s never been held back. To add to the drop out rate, so many of our students can’t speak English, and the ESOL program only allows them to be in the program a certain amount of time, which causes frustration, not to mention all the transient people. There are many factors, least of which are the educational requirements.

By Greg

June 21, 2007 12:51 PM | Link to this

The problem here…is that everyone is assuming the ads were intended for students…students don’t move, their parents do…and the ads are targeting the parents to alert them to scholastic availabilities in the PBC District…AND that enrollment is down due to housing, taxes and insurance costs. Wake up parents…it is YOUR responsibility to insure your child’s education…not just send them off for 6 hours a day and expect them to come home Einsteins. The ads are timely and necessary, and if more parents were involved in the lives of their children (ie. my daughter failed FCAT)then discipline and respect would not be a curriculum item, but an expected behavior.

By Education Freedom Lover

June 21, 2007 12:51 PM | Link to this

I applaud parents withdrawing their kids from the public school system and choosing better alternatives such as home schooling, internet schooling, private schooling, etc. We have freedom of choice in our housing, food, and clothing purchases and we shoud also have it in our schooling.

By Wondering why

June 21, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this

The past articles have stated that 63% of PB county students leave HS after their freshman year. You have to be 16 to drop out. The normal freshman should be 14. With this average age in PBC, that means the average senior is 20 years old!!! Are you kidding? No wonder there are problems!!! Dicipline should start in the home and students should be taught to respect their teachers.

By PBC Teach

June 21, 2007 10:01 AM | Link to this

TO EX SUB All I can say to your response is thank God you are no longer in a classroom with impressionable kids. For the record, I’m not a Cracker, I’m from NY, I teach HS math, and yes I’m a parent too. And, I hardly get FAT wages. I work two jobs. No wonder the kids have no respect for you, ESE or Regular, you have to give it to get it. I had no problem as a substitute in PBC getting ESE kids to do their work and behave. Go back to CT, nobody asked you to come here, nobody needs your money, nor your ignorance. You CHOSE to come here, you obviously hate it, SO LEAVE! Floridians, native or otherwise, will be grateful for your departure! It’s not the teacher’s fault YOU can’t do your job.

By Ex Sub Teacher

June 21, 2007 9:24 AM | Link to this

To: PBC Teacher- You are part of the problem. Youare an uppity jerk who thinks disruptive ESE kids will behave for a sub & do their work. Perhaps if we were paid a fair wage and given respect by jerks like you it wouldn’t be such a horrible job. You make FAT wages while subs get next to nothing. Many FT teachers look down on subs as if you’re better than us. I am far from ignorant, but I know a watered down public school system when I see one. Furthemore, your pitiful graduation rate proves my point. CT always ranks in the top 5 states because kids learn. All your beloved ESE kids want is to get a certificate of completion & to disrupt classes. The biggest joke is they can only be suspended for 10 days a year. So, what the hell are you defending? You must be either an ESE teacher or a parent. As far as I’m concerned you aren’t doing your job properly as the dismal 50% graduation rate indicates. Telling mr to move back to CT is nothing more than typical FL Cracker mindset. You all want our money, but you all have the good jobs making the FAT money. To hell with you.

By Karen

June 21, 2007 8:43 AM | Link to this

Homeschool is the way to go! Why in the world would you trust the government to educate your children when the same bureaucrats told you it was okay to murder them only a few years before?!?!

It is not the government’s job to raise our kids. Shut all the public schools down.

Btw, I am a former public school teacher.

By Judy

June 21, 2007 8:37 AM | Link to this

So it’s happening!! Government schools are dying out - as they should. There are way too many administrators and too many union teachers who can’t speak correctly much less teach. And they can’t be fired. Government schools are a joke. For $7000 a year and less administrators soaking up the $$’s, a real prime education should be available.

By PBC Teacher

June 21, 2007 8:15 AM | Link to this

I’ve taught in a private school in FL, the curriculum is no different than public school. The difference is, the family! Familial support and encouragement, or lack thereof, is the bigger issue. Although I agree PBCSD is too large, breaking it up is a long term fix, not something that will help the system NOW. TO EX SUB TEACHER - OBVIOUSLY YOUR IGNORANCE ABOUT ESE STUDENTS LENDS TO SHOW JUST HOW INEFFECTIVE OUR SUBSTITUTES REALLY ARE: OUR SUB SYSTEM SHOULD BE RENAMED “GLORIFIED BABYSITTING”. I personally have had maybe ONE or TWO subs in FIVE years actually DO the work with my students that I assigned! Most just sit and read or play on the computer and let the kids run wild! **Should I generalize and lump YOU in that same category, like you’ve done to teachers? If you like it so little here, go back to Connecticut.

By johnj8

June 21, 2007 6:52 AM | Link to this

Fl schools are like CA schools… full of mismanagement and PC policies that inhibit any real learning.

By Ex Sub Teacher

June 20, 2007 11:51 PM | Link to this

Johnson has got to be kidding! The FL public education system is a joke. I am from CT and I couldn’t believe how watered down the learning standards are here. If I had kids I would NEVER let them set foot in a FL public school! I put up with more s**t as a sub teacher from the SOB’s and administration did nothing. Dicipline is zero, especially with the highly disruptive ESE kids. Thanks to their idiot parents now the regular kids have to put up with their horrible behavior. This school system is the biggest joke I have ever seen. it’s no wonder that FL is usually in 50th place. Does this mean with enrollment down we the over taxed homeowners will see our sales tax reduced by 1/2 % seeing as we got screwed into paying for more schools by the thieving school board and Johnson?? I want to see Johnson OUT and the board members resign. You are all a disgrace and liars. Everything you do is a lie to get the public to give you more money. AND, you treat sub teachers far worse than dogs. You all shall go to hell and burn for what you did to me and many other good teachers. Give us back all the money you stole from us to build more schools. You CAN’T be trusted! I hate every last one of you! You are INHUMAN!

By THE TRUTH

June 20, 2007 8:14 PM | Link to this

What a joke the schools are here. Sara is right, I came from Fairfax/Loudoun, VA. You fools here have no clue. You can’t even read but have forty thousand dollar cars waitng for you in the parking lot! Flunk the FCAT and get a new car. Losers!

By An English Teacher

June 20, 2007 6:50 PM | Link to this

I have been a teacher in the Palm Beach County school system for almost twenty years and with all the different languages spoken at home and the different problems that my students bring with them from home, I sometimes wonder how anyone learns anything! School is not a priority for many students and their families. Many of mine stay up until 2-3 AM watching TV or playing computer or video games. They come to class hardly able to keep their eyes open. They often raise themselves and start school behind and never catch up. No students are “normal” anymore as we have a plague of ADD and ADHD students who have a hard time focusing on anything that is not moving at warp speed. What were once regular students are now considered “gifted.”Standardized tests are not new. The difference is the importance that have been placed on them. No Child Left Behind is a national program. So why does each state spend the time and tax dollars to develop and administer its own tests? Why not enlist the expertise of National Board Certified teachers to design a national test for each tested subject area for each grade level and let those tests be THE evaluative tool. Then we can really see which schools in which states have problems and need the extra help. I went into teaching to help instill an appreciation for literature in my students. THAT appreciation for the written word will make them want to read and therefore help them become more functionally literate members of society. Testing them to death seems to bring about the opposite outcome.

By An English Teacher

June 20, 2007 6:50 PM | Link to this

I have been a teacher in the Palm Beach County school system for almost twenty years and with all the different languages spoken at home and the different problems that my students bring with them from home, I sometimes wonder how anyone learns anything! School is not a priority for many students and their families. Many of mine stay up until 2-3 AM watching TV or playing computer or video games. They come to class hardly able to keep their eyes open. They often raise themselves and start school behind and never catch up. No students are “normal” anymore as we have a plague of ADD and ADHD students who have a hard time focusing on anything that is not moving at warp speed. What were once regular students are now considered “gifted.”Standardized tests are not new. The difference is the importance that have been placed on them. No Child Left Behind is a national program. So why does each state spend the time and tax dollars to develop and administer its own tests? Why not enlist the expertise of National Board Certified teachers to design a national test for each tested subject area for each grade level and let those tests be THE evaluative tool. Then we can really see which schools in which states have problems and need the extra help. I went into teaching to help instill an appreciation for literature in my students. THAT appreciation for the written word will make them want to read and therefore help them become more functionally literate members of society. Testing them to death seems to bring about the opposite outcome.

By sarah

June 20, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this

We moved here from fairfax, va for my husband’s job. I can honestly say this is th worst school system I have ever seen. The education, the teachers, the budget ridiculousness, the criminalization of students, it is truly sad. This school system was cited as one of the top three for churning out more criminals than any others in the country due to their stupid policies and ignorant leaders. Not to mention my son covered the same material here in 3rd and 4th grade that he did in 2nd grade back home. terrible. Taxpayers - WAKE UP! DEMAND a better education for your children! Get Johnson out of here; that guy is useless! As is your school board!!

By Bob

June 20, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this

I agree PBC Teacher. I don’t really blame the teachers but I do blame the school board and a lot of blame goes to the parents who view school as a daycare and do not take a vested interest in their child’s education. Parents do need to take responsibility for their children. we can see the breakdown of parenting in many ways including schools, crime, drugs, etc..

By Rigor mortis

June 20, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this

These are PR people putting out commercials on Channel 19…how many of you watch Channel 19? These PR specialists are costing the district mucho dolares. A WHOLE department (at what cost?) of people to give the public GOOD NEWS! There IS a story why there are TWO PR specialists. One did NOT have the educational requirements for the job, so the other was hired back and the other kept on the job. (One of Art’s friends.)

Get rid of the department. If principals can’t handle PR, then get rid of them or give them workshops.

This school board cries when there is overcrowding and now is crying that people are leaving.

Too many students who do NOT make the basic grade reuqirements can’t be held back forever. They are past on to the next grade until they either drop out or are “given” a diploma.

If you can’t get your child into a well performing school…try a private school.

More safety, more academic rigor. Students can be kicked out if there is bad behavior.

Sad to see how this public school system has splintered. It was once cohesive.

Too much concentration on data. No balance.

By Mary Orman

June 20, 2007 4:03 PM | Link to this

The P.B.Co. School Board needs to learn to live within its budgeting. Taxpayer dollars, which are funding these unnecessary ads, are not designed for advertisement. The P.B.Co. School Board needs to be downsized and/or divided up into separate districts. These ads will not accomplish what the school board has in mind.

By bob

June 20, 2007 3:19 PM | Link to this

Wow, I just read the post by Derrick Manning. Is Art giving you a reach around or something? Our schools suck here. They have for the last 20 years. I was lucky to have my parents put me through a private school. I came out light years ahead 95% of the public school students. What I find amazing is that I know several parents whose kids are straight A students, win science fairs, etc and they fail the FCAT.

By Ron

June 20, 2007 3:12 PM | Link to this

To SOA96 and Ricardo, My daughter goes to BAK and is a straight A student who also got level 5s on the FCAT. My point is that, we should not need to send our kids to “special” schools. ALL schools should be “magnet” schools. The bottom line is ALL schools should be teaching the same high standard curriculum as the “special” schools. All kids should get the same high standards at their assigned school and not have to travel 40 minutes everyday to get her in a decent school. I wasn’t bashing the special schools, I just think all schools should be as good as they are. God knows we all pay enough in taxes for them.

By PBC Teacher

June 20, 2007 3:03 PM | Link to this

TO: PARENT - It’s no wonder the teacher’s get no respect from the students, your obvious lack of respect for teachers demonstrates EXACTLY where it’s coming from. Are techers any more busier than 10 or 20 years ago? Probably not, they just got lazier. LAZY?????, walk a mile in a teAcher’s shoes before you cast stones; we are busier, laden down with paperwork, behavioral issues, and district mandated nonsense, not to mention unanswered phone calls to parent’s who either don’t care, or take no responsibility for anything, believe that ‘their kid’ can do NO wrong, and it’s the school’s fault ‘their kid’can’t read and add. No blame whatsoever on the laziness of ‘their kid’ or lack of their own involvement, etc. It’s so much easier to put blame on others, teacher’s are easy targets. I taught my children to read BEFORE they entered kindergarten, and before I became a teacher myself. It’s really not about the money, it’s about respect.

By Parent

June 20, 2007 2:23 PM | Link to this

Do the math: rising cost of housing + a bad school system = change. Half of what my kids’ teachers taught didn’t come from the text books then when finals came around they had to hurry and attempt to teach the material for the standard finals. The worksheets never matched the books and the papers were graded incorrectly by wrong answer keys. Edline was set up to help parents stay in touch but my kids’ teachers never update it. Are techers any more busier than 10 or 20 years ago? Probably not, they just got lazier. Maybe the salaries will go up when teachers start teaching again. Don’t waste our money with expensive commercials. Use it to correct the problems.

By joni

June 20, 2007 2:13 PM | Link to this

So a lot of you are finding things too crowded and expensive. I moved 15 years ago after having lived there for 42 years. I feel your pain. But there is a part of me that resents having to move. While I understand that nothing remains the same, Florida has been overrun by greedy people. I’m afraid the school system is reflecting that.

By R. Stat

June 20, 2007 1:45 PM | Link to this

You don’t even address the fact that many teachers are becoming dissillusioned with the educational system in Florida and they are leaving , before retirement. Low pay, too many requirements which are not necessary, and not giving us the mandate to conduct our classrooms so that the children will learn and not just to take tests.

By Bob

June 20, 2007 1:42 PM | Link to this

I agree with a lot of what folks have written here. People are leaving Florida because of the outrageous cost of living increases in the last 5 years or so. Let’s see my taxes go up 20-25% a year. My insurance rates tripled even though I didn’t make a claim. Florida’s education program is one of the lowest ranked in the country. Our gang problem increases everyday. Fewer people speak English than 5 years ago. Middle income people can’t afford to even buy a home unless it’s on Tamarind Avenue. etc etc. It’s not a mystery why a lot of people are leaving here. It is not heaven on earth like it used to be. And that’s a shame because I love Florida yet I am leaving also.

By Steve

June 20, 2007 12:59 PM | Link to this

Sure waste money on advertising to beg people to stay. Why not start paying people to stay too? Collasal waste of taxpayers money, yet again

By SOA96

June 20, 2007 12:47 PM | Link to this

As an alumnus of the school for “doodlers & dancers,” I’d like to remind Mr. Ron that there are magnet programs for computers, math, science, medical, and various other programs in many of the schools in Palm Beach County. My fellow alumni and I resent the assumption that because we have artistic talents, we lack academic abilitty. In fact, Dreyfoos is consistantly rated amongst the best schools academically in the country. Us doodlers must have had a little intelligence somewhere.

And I agree, students are leaving because their parents are leaving the county in search of a more affordable place to live. It’s not just refelcted in the school system. Advertising is a waste of time.

By Adam

June 20, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this

Ok - I am confused. First we complain because the schools are overcrowded, not enough teachers, money, etc. Now that we have a chance to play catch up and to improve the school workings, we are complaining because we are not growing fast enough. I don’t see the logic in that. By the way, when i was in high school (8 years ago) it felt more like i was in a day care then a school. I left not knowing the everyday things of life (taxes, checkbook balancing, etc) and actually being a little confused about certain things that should have clarified in school.

By louis

June 20, 2007 12:44 PM | Link to this

Let’s see, stupid global warming scare tactics, forced homosexual, transgender acceptance literatures, increased social studies instead of American History, no accountability for poor grades, shall I continue ??

By 07 grad

June 20, 2007 12:17 PM | Link to this

by the way that GED of hers will never be seen as equivalent to a regular degree so good luck finding a job. So instead of whinning of how the system failed your daughter maybe you should invest some time in educating her a bit

By 07 grad

June 20, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this

nativechick if your daughter failed fcat then she deserved to leave school. simple as that!

By nativechick

June 20, 2007 11:46 AM | Link to this

Get rid of Art Johnson; get rid of the FCAT; and, change the curriculum. Art is a clown running a 3-ring circus. My daughter left school because she failed the FCAT. She didn’t want to repeat the grade. She didn’t have to, she took the GED test and now has a diploma. Many high school graduates can tell you about Ponce de Leon and MLK but still can’t write a simple check, balance their bank statement or complete a 1040EZ!!

By JoeC

June 20, 2007 11:37 AM | Link to this

Make no mistake about it. Families are Leaving because they can no longer afford that area, along with many others in South Florida..

By Ricardo Henry

June 20, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this

This comment is to the person that referred to students that attend school of the arts as doodlers and dancers. Studies have shown that students that attend these schools have a higher rate of success in higher education than their counterparts….ALSO we do have those “special schools” that focus on math and science. They are called magnet schools which focus on math, science, and technology.

By Ricardo Henry

June 20, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this

This comment is to the person that referred to students that attend school of the arts as doodlers and dancers. Studies have shown that students that attend these schools have a higher rate of success in higher education than their counterparts….ALSO we do have those “special schools” that focus on math and science. They are called magnet schools which focus on math, science, and technology.

By Ricardo Henry

June 20, 2007 11:25 AM | Link to this

This comment is to the person that referred to students that attend school of the arts as doodlers and dancers. Studies have shown that students that attend these schools have a higher rate of success in higher education than their counterparts….ALSO we do have those “special schools” that focus on math and science. They are called magnet schools which focus on math, science, and technology.

By Vic

June 20, 2007 10:52 AM | Link to this

Many factors come into play that are the reason for a drop in school roles are many;

The drop in home value vs purchase, causing mortgage defaults. The over the top spending and taxes by county orgs. especially Bd. of Ed. What future does a graduate have in SE Florida, food service employee, Targets, Walmart? If you’re rich you can live anywhere, if you’re a typical middleclass worker trying to keep a family together its another story.

Florida was and is a vacation-retirement area, it can’t support environmentally the massive influx of people it has in the past 10 years. The middleclass is slowly being erased from society to what it was 100 years ago, rich and poor.

When was the last time any of you had enough time to go to the beach? If you have, did you have enough quarters for the meters?

By Mark in Boynton

June 20, 2007 10:48 AM | Link to this

some politicians will not cut tax because of school funding….for who? these kids are leaving… WE also hear how FL is the lowest spending state per capita….maybe becuase we have lots of Senior citizens, small families, private schools and now deserting kids.

By Left SoFla

June 20, 2007 10:36 AM | Link to this

The enrollment drop is a great thing for the kids still left around, as they will surely get the teaching they deserve. Less students means teachers can spend more time with each student. PBC Teach hit the nail on the head, going back to basics is the way to go. Some of the kids today can barely speak, it’s disgusting.

By Christopher Mann

June 20, 2007 10:21 AM | Link to this

Try making it more affordable to live here and you might not see the masses leaving. The housing market has prices many, many people out of this market.

By Gary H

June 20, 2007 10:17 AM | Link to this

put the ads on mtv or spike channel and they may see it

By Gators

June 20, 2007 10:00 AM | Link to this

So they are creating TV spots for kids to watch. Please tell me when anyone under 18 ever watched Channel 19. The spots are a waste of time because they are not going to reach their audience. Howevever, I guess someone gets to keep their job, which is too bad.

By Liz

June 20, 2007 9:55 AM | Link to this

This has to be a joke! Commercials on the EDUCATION NETWORK to target kids to stay in school? I’m sure there lots of teenagers sitting at home watching channel 19 in the summer. Art, do you really think a teenager will be able to influence his/her parents who can’t afford to live (even working 2-3 jobs)in PBC to stay in the area so they can attend school in a state ranked so low? Thanks, for giving other states, yet another chance to laugh at our school system. “Hey mom, I know you’re working 3 jobs & living on 4 hours of sleep, but can I pretty please stay at my school where our graduation rate is so low & 7/9 months we talk about the FCAT? Come on mom, if we leave the District will lose $$.”

By Derrick C. Manning

June 20, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this

Palm Beach County is one of the finest school districts in the country. As a former eighteen year Palm Beach County teacher and administrator who worked in three other school districts, I can attest to the greatness of Palm Beach County Public School System and Dr. Art Johnson is by far one of the best educators in the country. I continue to use and benefit from the fine educational practices learned from him over the years that have sky rocketed my professional and personal growth/career. Somtimes we don’t appreciate what we have until we have to deal with another situation… Kudos to the Board of Education, the great Palm Beach County Teachers and Administrators, staff and Dr. Art Johnson…

By PBC Teacher

June 20, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this

SANDI - I can’t afford it here either! Just hanging by a thread until my youngest finishes High School, then we are headed out of here!

By Parent

June 20, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this

Can someone please help me to understand why do some honor roll students do so poor on the FCAT, especially in Math? Is it because our kids are not getting the proper education in school? How can a child make A&B’s all school year and then when they take the FCAT they score a 1. Apparently, these kids are not being taught/educated on what they need to pass these tests.

Can Art Johnson answer this?

By Sandi

June 20, 2007 9:39 AM | Link to this

Is Amy the only one that gets it? HELLOOOOOO! Doesn’t it seem obvious? People are leaving because they cannot afford to live here and of course there is no one who WANTS to move here so of course there’s a drop in enrollment.

By PBC Teacher

June 20, 2007 9:35 AM | Link to this

Eric and Amy AMEN!!!

By Eric

June 20, 2007 9:27 AM | Link to this

It’s pretty pathetic when the school board has to advertise. This pretty much validates the widely held view that public schools are marginal. The real kicker is that this is really all about keeping state funding to feed the bureaucracy.

By Amy

June 20, 2007 8:26 AM | Link to this

We left because we couldn’t afford the cost of living.

By PBC teach

June 20, 2007 8:10 AM | Link to this

As a HS Reading teacher, I can honestly say, we NEED TO GO BACK TO THE BASICS!!! Reading, writing, spelling and grammar and vocabulary (a lot of it!), handwriting, study skills and math ONLY in El. Sch., eliminate the FCAT from El. and Mid. School…use the test at the END of HS if it’s really assessing the skills. There shouldn’t BE HS Reading teachers! And those of you who believe the ‘parents’ are the reasons for success, come to my classroom for a week, and TRY to contact a parent! My students are the reason for their success and progress, most parents don’t care, aren’t available, or aren’t around! Stop generalizing your comments, parent support doesn’t exist in all of our schools. I don’t complain about my salary, but I do complain when they don’t even PAY me my contract amount! I struggle, take a second job, and do what’s necessary, but in no way should ANY teacher have to put up with not getting paid! PEOPLESOFT WAS A WASTE OF MONEY!

By SuzyQ

June 20, 2007 7:00 AM | Link to this

Art-don’t ever come back from vacation-take a permanent one! You and your board screwed up the school system even worse these last few years. How much do these TV ads cost? This tax payer money we give you each year is being wasted again! Also, to our wonderful State officials: Why do you think alot of people are moving out of FL? DUH? High taxes and insurance.

By RALPH

June 20, 2007 6:50 AM | Link to this

I don’t blame anyone for wanting to leave. I have been a teacher for the last 3 years and I understand completely. For a school system that is countywide, why is it that the same curricullum is not taught universally? Materials are lacking, Teacher training is a joke. All administration wants to hears is FCAT, FCAT, FCAT. Take my advise and run and keep on running

By Teacher

June 20, 2007 1:53 AM | Link to this

This campaign is a load of crap. Families are pulling their kids out because the system reeks of corruption, and the kids pay the price. PR just won’t cut it this time, Art. You’re finally reaping the consequences of all you’ve done to the system and its teachers.

By Ron

June 20, 2007 12:45 AM | Link to this

Yes Debbie, i’ve seen the tests and the FCAT coach books,daily practice books etc. They are pretty basic. My middle schooler gets level 5 rather easily. What’s that got to do with enrollment falling? Teaching what’s in the FCAT test used to be the standard we were all taught, long before FCAT came along. You act as if what’s in FCAT is some sort of abnormal incoherent mumbo jumbo that should not be taught or tested on. We need to put an end to social promotion just because we don’t want to hurt someones feelings.

By Debbie

June 19, 2007 11:49 PM | Link to this

Rob, have you ever actually seen an FCAT test or even a practice test? The High School Competency Test, better known as the HSCT was BASIC, not the FCAT. Check your facts please!

By Ron

June 19, 2007 11:38 PM | Link to this

I notice the ads seem to only target those who are in art, theater, etc. None are stressing their strengths in math, science etc. Why? Because they have none. Why have school of the ARTS? Why not open “special” schools for mathmatics and sciences, instead of doodlers and dancers? The PB County school board has their priorities in all the wrong places. Johnny sure can draw, but can’t pass an FCAT test which is the core, basic, minimal standards of reading, writing and arithmetic.

By Sarah

June 19, 2007 11:36 PM | Link to this

FCAT OR NO FCAT: I’m sorry to hear that you feel this way about “teachers”. I teach because I love it! I spend my summers at workshops so I can be a better teacher because I care. Sure, there are teachers who do the minimum but you get the same in almost every profession. Perhaps if teachers were better paid the more effective ones would stick around instead of going out of county and state or leaving the profession all together.

By Ron

June 19, 2007 11:27 PM | Link to this

Keep dumbing down the curriculum to placate the influx of illegals and other foreign language students, and the parents of AMERICAN children will yank their kids out. Private schools are busting at the seams with new enrollments, and most have hundreds on waiting lists. The high cost of living is also driving many out of the state entirely.

By FCAT_OR_NO_FCAT

June 19, 2007 10:40 PM | Link to this

Like most civil servants, teachers show up do the minimum and expect miracles. Those students whose parent push are the one getting a good education. The board of Ed. is only spending $B to provide a shelter and redistribute tax dollars so the big socialist programs facilitate by breaucrat can go on. How abot those pack libraries we continue to build every year?

By Rob

June 19, 2007 9:58 PM | Link to this

No they will just get more donations for the school of the arts.