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wendydarling823 · 6 years ago

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How to fix public education?

The reason for the question mark is 2-fold

1) I want to know other people’s ideas and theories. I can’t get enough of articles of teachers who have left the profession pre-retirement because they have snapped under the weight of the problems in our schools. These are the people that know what’s wrong because we are in those trenches every day. Don’t ask a superintendent or a SBoE rep how to fix schools - they’re the ones doing the breaking. Ask the teachers.

2) My ideas are only based off of what I’ve seen and read. I’ve taught in public school for 4 years. I’ve worked in public schools for 10 years. I’ve worked with children for 16 years. I know a lot, but obviously I don’t know everything.

So, how do we fix education? Longest freaking post I’ve ever written.

1) Spend money, obviously. But what the money goes for has to be taken into consideration. You don’t need to fund a program for high schools to have a 1:1 Chromebook to student ratio - these kids are carrying computers in their pockets. You don’t need to spend thousands on a boxed curriculum unless your teachers have tried it and specifically ask for it because they believe it will help the students they have in front of them. You don’t need to hire a superintendent for each high school feeder zone AND a district superintendent, plus 20 other administrators in between and off to the sides. So what should the money go for?

A) Teachers.

i) Reduce class sizes hire more teachers so teachers have fewer kids in a class at a time. When your child is struggling to learn, do you put them in a class with 20 other kids? No, you pay for one-on-one or at least small group support. At the very least, there should be more teacher’s aides. Hell, student teaching should be a paid internship when that teacher is in my room every day.

ii) Pay teachers more. We have a college degree, often advanced degrees, we are constantly earning more hours of professional development and honing our craft (because it is a craft) but we are being paid like (paid) interns or apprentices. Compared to other jobs with commensurate degrees and experience, we are paid nearly 20% less. And we pour our money right back into our jobs to buy things we want/need to make our classrooms comfortable, effective, and fun for ourselves and our kids.

B) Books. I started to type “and supplies” and then I realized that books are a category of their own. What determines a child’s success later in life more than any other factor? Number of books in the home, and whether parents read to them. We can’t barge into houses armed with books and force parents to sit at their kids’ besides and do the voices for the characters. But we can do that for them at school - we can make libraries into palaces, we can work with the city library to get a bookmobile that visits every neighborhood zoned for our schools and we can gift books to children that they can keep forever. Hell, Dolly Parton will send your child 60 books (1X a month every month until they are 5), we can do that.

C) Supplies. Paper. Pencils. Manipulatives. Markers, paint, glue, scissors. The basic supplies of an art room for the purpose of giving every student the opportunity to CREATE. A dedicated closet or cart of everyday items that students can view with new eyes. Is that a Q-tip for cleaning out your ears? Or is it a bunch of bones you can use to recreate the skeleton of that stegosaurus you read about in your book? The supplies for the creation of writing, the creation of art, the free space to work out a math problem and show every step of your thinking. Some schools have so much they waste it, other schools don’t have enough.

D) Technology* The star is because the current model is ‘technology for technology’s sake,’ and that’s wasteful and also reductive. These kids have phones and tablets, they are digital natives. They know how to use computers for writing, computation, research, slideshows, video production. Show them what else they can do! Teach them to design. To compose music, to edit and add effects. Yes, let them learn to code if they want to, but don’t force it. A friend of mine wrote a grant to get a 3D printer in her school, and she got it, but not a single other teacher was interested in learning how to use it so they could teach their kids. Spend the tech money on things that will prepare students for the real jobs of the future.

2) When you spend the money, spend it fairly. Not equally, fairly, justly. My school district is decently sized. Theoretically, every person who owns property zoned for our district is paying their tax dollars into a single fund that is being spent per student, right? But even inside our district limits there are schools so poor the teachers don’t even have a supply closet of basics (I’m talking printer paper, staples, paperclips) and schools so rich the teachers get $400 to spend on their classrooms. Why? Because the poor school is in the part of town that is mostly low income, and the rich school is in a master-planned community that gets money from the HOA foundation and has a PTA that can do the old “Spend money to make money” method of fundraising. It’s funny, because the poor school is poor enough to get extra money because they are poor (Title I), but it’s still not as much as the rich school is getting.

3) RESPECT. YOUR. TEACHERS. Sure, paying them, making their classes smaller, and giving them the tools they need is a big part of respecting them, but there are other components.

A) Respect a teacher who says that a student is creating a bad environment, even if that student has a behavior plan. We’ve pushed the LRE (least restrictive environment) for a couple of decades now, and for the most part it is a very important thing to honor. Kids who point and gawk a at a student in a wheelchair or with leg braces or who has Downs or CP are kids who’ve been taught to view that population as “other”. They should have kids of all abilities in their classrooms to foster community and empathy, and because all should be welcome to the table of education. However, when a student is able to terrorize a classroom, physically injure or attack a teacher or another student, and get off with little more than some isolation in the office, and then appear back in class the next day, you’ve created a restricting environment for the other 19 kids, and the teacher. The teacher is walking on eggshells so the student doesn’t throw a chair or shove another student, and boundaries are not set or enforced. The students hold their breath each time this child speaks, wondering if this is the point where they have to have class in the hallway while their peer turns all the desks over and makes it rain crayons.

B) Respect a teacher who says that not every part of this curriculum is appropriate, and fills in the gaps with things that are. Tina Fey says, “In most cases, being a good boss means hiring talented people and then getting out of their way.” You ostensibly hired that teacher because they demonstrated an ability to understand and teach the standards, manage a classroom, make learning accessible, whatever it is that they bring to the table. Lessons in a box are a product sold to make money for someone. They can be an ingredient in a recipe, they are not the only thing you serve or the only store you shop at. Respect a teacher who knows from experience and backs it up with research. You will not teach every 5-6 year old how to read right away. Some are just not ready yet. Not every student develops the same way at the same time, so why would they learn the same way at the same time? And why, when the studies show that early childhood is birth through age 8, would you expect Kindergarten kids to sit at a desk all day reading and writing? They should be learning through play. Respect a teacher who wants to introduce more banned/challenged books to her literature circles. Respect a teacher who challenges the set curriculum when they know it is what’s best for their kids, and FOR PETE’S SAKE ask the teachers who are STILL. IN. THE. CLASSROOMS. for their input in adopting curriculum standards. If I had my way, any person who makes decisions regarding schools, whether it’s a principal, a superintendent, or a member of the SBoE would have to re-enter the classroom every 10 years. Sort of like recertifying. They want to issue rulings and set standards? They better know what that’s going to look like on the most micro level. Once a year, every decade, they must teach a class or a section of a subject in order to keep being in charge of making decisions.

C) Respect a teacher against a parent. You don’t work in customer service, you don’t owe it to the parent to bend over backwards to make them happy. When mama bear comes roaring using the “B” word (bullying), ask them to sit down with the teacher and make it clear that you trust the teacher and her handling of the situation. When you do have to intervene, make sure that teacher knows you have their back.

4) Shift the entire cultural narrative to valuing education and educated people, build schools that are places of value to a community (and hey, the school can be a community center after hours, so long as classroom hallways are locked up). Public school is not just a babysitter for your kids until they turn 18, it should be treated as their job and their responsibility. It should be able to teach them things they will really need - social skills, survival skills, basic home economics, finance, SEX ED and actual health. It should offer creative outlets for everyone - art, music, theater, dance, woodworking, metal shop. Learning should be given as a right but revered as a privilege. That starts with all of us right now.

#education #teaching #super long post #I needed to vent #rant #educhums

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plglobal · 2 years ago

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What is FTA and PTA?

What are Free Trade Agreements?

A free trade agreement, as its name suggests, is a contract between two or more nations that establishes a free trading zone. In a free trade zone, trade barriers between the participating nations are loosened, which often results in lower or eliminated import levies and tariffs. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which was later replaced by the United States Mexico Canada Agreement, is among the most significant free trade agreements (USMCA).

Importance of Free Trade Agreements

Trade agreements are crucial for the growth of international trade since they promote collaboration and open up access to one another’s businesses. Countries can specialize in commodities they can produce effectively and cheaply relative to other countries thanks to the free flow of goods and services.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, India has 13 free trade agreements (FTAs) with other countries. Exports and imports with FTA partners have advanced, according to the economic effect evaluation of FTAs.

In accordance with the Free Trade Agreement with India, the 20% customs tariff that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) imposes on leather shoes was zero. The Indian exporter will be more competitive than an exporter from a non-FTA member country if other costs are equal. You can get additional information related to free or preferential agreements from one of the best import export business ��PL Global Impex Pte Ltd”.

Read more: Types of International Export Business with high profit.

What are the advantages of free trade agreements?

The main way that free trade agreements lessen or do away with trade obstacles and levies is to promote international trade among the signatory nations. In other words, an importer might anticipate reduced landed costs and fewer trade barriers if they import a shipment of goods from a country of origin that has a free trade agreement with the importing country. Therefore, for an importer to source goods from nations with which their country has free trade agreements.

1. Reduction in tariff

Due to cheap customs charges and other incidental taxes, FTAs give exporters access to the global market. For instance, 450 listed products had their tariffs reduced from 10% to 100% after India and the South American trading group MERCOSUR inked an FTA.

2. Diversification of International trade risk

A country’s ability to deal with the effects of a global recession or unfavorable geopolitical event is improved when their trading basket is diverse.

3. Competition and innovation

Integration with global markets encourages the adoption of best manufacturing practices, which raises product competitiveness.

Read more, click here…

Website: https://plglobal.com/

Email: [email protected]

#free trade agreements #fta #pta

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tiozambia · 4 years ago

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2022 National Budget ambitious-NDC

By MAIMBO MWEEMBA The National Democratic Congress Party (NDC) has urged Zambians to be cautious in the manner in which they embrace the proposed 2022 budget which is pegged at K173 billion. NDC Deputy Spokesperson Zuwa Sinkamba believes that the budget is ambitious on the expenditure side, whereas questions are arising as to where the money will come from to finance K25.7 CDF per constituency, employment of 11,200 healthy workers and 30,000 teachers. “ The general citizenry should note that there will be a significant increase in domestic and external borrowing to fund these ambitious projects, and on the other hand, government will reduce percentage allocation of funds towards FISP, Health from 8.1% to 8%, Education from 11.5% to 10.4% and certain infrastructure projects,” he said. Mr Sinkamba said that it would have been more prudent to impose a windfall tax in the mining sector considering the fact that copper prices are projected to be high in the foreseeable future. He said that this would have solved a lot of problems than more borrowing. “The PF were borrowing for infrastructure, however, in this case we are borrowing for social spending. Therefore, we see a situation where the UPND will come back to Parliament with an appropriation bill to increase the borrowing threshold for this fiscal year by about k20 billion about ($1billion at a rate of k17 to a USD), forcing us to stay in a debt cycle and unsustainable debt level,” he said. Mr Sinkamba said that the level of domestic and foreign borrowing has increased from last year’s budget by K20.6 billion. “We hoped the new government would have given a meaningful relief from PAYE tax, the K500 increase in except threshold is too little, as the government is proposing to increase the fees charged by agencies like RTSA which will negate the k4,500 PAYE threshold benefits,” he said. Mr Sinkamba however said that building of 130 Secondary Schools, abolishing of tuition, examination and PTA fees, as well as renewal of PSV license every 5 years as opposed to annually, importation for Stock feeds for cattle to be zero rated, for all retirees to be paid in 2022 are some of the positives of the 2022 National Budget. Read the full article

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rickeydoering · 6 years ago

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Buy used phones on your own risk as they could be fake and not registered

Due to the implementation of DIRBS, buying used phones is now riskier than ever because of a number of problems that are associated with them. People generally buying used phones at cheaper price tags don’t generally go into the specifics and in particular, if the phone is not registered or has a tampered IMEI, it will get blocked after 2 months of its purchase. Plus used phones don’t come with a warranty so you wouldn’t be able to claim them later on.

Traders and buyers have been informed by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) that if they have a smuggled phone in possession, they should get it registered as soon as possible to avoid the ban. This was done via awareness campaigns at the start of this year because the smuggled phones business is costing the government a lot of money due to no taxes being paid on them.

Due to the mass blocking of phones, both retailers and buyers are now in fear. Retailers held negotiations with FBR but the talks were inconclusive. Chairman FBR Shabbar Zaidi remarked in a press conference: “If tax on a mobile phone is Rs. 20,000, the traders are demanding we tax [the same device] Rs400, which is not acceptable.” On the sidelines, Government is considering to further reduce taxes to increase the appeal of phones and persuade the mass public to register their phones with the DIRBS.

Traders across the country are now required to produce their CNICs if they purchase or make sales of Rs. 50,000 and above to come under the tax net. The traders have protested against this and have observed a shutter down strike across the country on 13th July.

Are you comfortable purchasing used phones now?

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getfastestnews · 7 years ago

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Unregistered mobile phones to become unusable after October 20: PTA

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced on Friday that the long-anticipated Device Identification, Registration and Blocking System (DIRBS) would become functional on October 20 after which all unregistered mobile phones would become unusable.

The DIRBS is an indigenous solution aimed to combat the use of smuggled or counterfeit sets which either serve to reduce tax revenues for the state or pose health problems to unsuspecting consumers.

“We recommend that consumers buy only PTA-approved phone sets after Oct 20. A consumer should text the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number printed on the box of a new handset to 8484. But he or she should pay for the handset only after (s)he receives reply that the set is compliant with the regulatory standards,” said PTA’s director general for services, Talib Dogar.

Device identification system aims to tackle use of fake or smuggled sets which pose health hazards

The technology will help the authorities counter the issue of counterfeit devices that adversely affects the government, mobile phone operators, distributors and consumers, according to Mr Dogar.

These are the devices that are not registered with the Global System for Mobile Association (GSMA) and may be mass-produced by manufactures who do not comply with international standards of production, resulting in the proliferation of counterfeit, possibly hazardous, mobile phones.

PTA also said it had legalised the nearly 160 million compliant and non-complaint mobile devices, active on all the networks, before the launch of DIRBS. All these devices would not face any service interruption as they would not be blocked by DIRBS.

“However a consumer, who inserts a SIM card other than the one (s)he was using before Oct 20 in a non-compliant mobile device after the amnesty period, will be required to register the phone’s IMEI with PTA within two weeks to be able to continue using the handset,” Mr Dogar said.

Similarly, the consumers who purchase handsets abroad would have to register them in Pakistan by logging onto the PTA’s DIRBS website. After the one-time registration, the consumer would be able to operate the handset after furnishing information about identity card number, the IMEI of the handset and the country’s name where the set was bought, etc.

“In exceptional cases, such users on roaming services, they will continue to use their phones without interruption. However, as soon as they insert a local SIM they will have to register their mobile devices with PTA,” Mr Dogar said.

Another senior officer, Nouman Khalid, explained that in order to create public awareness PTA was sending SMSs to all subscribers about the status of their mobile devices.

The four types of responses that can be received by a subscriber inquiring about the status of the IMEI include “compliant devices”, which are the PTA-approved devices legally imported into Pakistan.

The other response is “valid devices”, which are the ones having valid IMEIs but which are not PTA-approved. To facilitate such users, PTA will auto-register the IMEIs active on mobile networks before Oct 20, and their status will be compliant after the said date.

Mr Khalid said that “non-compliant” devices are those where the IMEI is either not allocated by GSMA or is duplicated. To facilitate such users, PTA will auto-pair all such IMEIs active on mobile networks with specific SIMs before Oct 20. After that date, such users will be able to use their devices with paired SIMs only.

Finally, the “blocked devices” message indicates that the IMEI is blocked as this IMEI has been reported stolen earlier.

Mr Khalid said that after coming into effect the system could help the government increase revenues from $170 million to $200m on imported phone sets.

#Technology News

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informationxone · 5 years ago

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DIRBS collected a total of Rs 45.4 billion in taxes from mobile phones

The DIRBS system was developed by a Pakistani company 3G Technologies (Guarantee) LimitedBased on Qualcomm open source for PTA, it managed to collect Rs 45.4bn in taxes from mobile phones during the eight months from January to August 2020, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) reported. The project was launched to reduce the free flow of counterfeit and smuggled mobile imports and to provide an…

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#Billion #collected #DIRBS #Mobile #phones #taxes #total

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componentplanet · 5 years ago

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2020 Chrysler Pacifica Review: Swallow Your Pride – This Beats an SUV

For most Americans, a minivan is the best people-hauler for the demographic called parents-with-kids-and-all-their-crap. And the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica minivan serves the demographic better than virtually every other sports utility vehicle or minivan. You can have a Pacifica sort-of-inexpensive or trimmed in leather, with or without hiding stowable second-and-third-row seats, or as a plug-in hybrid, all with third-row seats usable by adults. Come 2021, you’ll again be able to get the Pacifica with all-wheel-drive.

The Pacifica handles relatively well. The plug-in hybrid goes 32 miles on battery power and has a battery-plus-engine cruising range of 520 miles. It is roomier and lighter than a full-size SUV. On the downside, some useful driver assists are optional on the Pacifica. Pacifica’s reliability from recent years past is not on par with competing minivans, especially from Toyota and Kia.

The Pacifica is one of the few three-row vehicles comfortable in all three rows.

On the Road with Pacifica

I drove an upscale Pacifica Hybrid with a full suite of driver assists, the latest UConnect 4 infotainment system, and black leather seats with contrasting stitching. It feels roomier than a full-size SUV because it’s roughly the size of the full-size Dodge Durango SUV, 203.8 inches versus the Durango’s 201.2. With a shorter nose and without the sloping rear of some SUVs, plus a couple more inches of width than Durango, there’s a lot more room in the Pacifica for people and cargo inside.

Handling is pretty good for something that weighs a handful of pounds shy of 5,000. It gets to 60 mph in about 7.5 seconds via a 3.6-liter V6 Atkinson cycle gas engine (higher efficiency, lower peak power) and an electric motor that net 260 hp, all driving the front wheels. Once in a while during testing, the nine-speed automatic was slow to shift or thunked into the next gear. The shifter is a rotary knob on the dashboard. Most reviewers hate shifter knobs (or buttons). I say: They leave more room for cupholders and phones on the dash or console. Nobody manually shifts a minivan. This knob would work better if it was coated in grippy rubber.

The infotainment system and navigation, called UConnect and now up to version 4, continues to be one of the easier packages to comprehend. The display is 8 inches diagonal, which is good, but a 10-inch display would be nicer (likely on 2021 models).

2020 Chrysler Pacifica.

The Pacifica excels three ways:

Around town, driving is almost zero-cost because the 16-kWh battery tucked under the floor lets you cover 32 miles of commuting to work, car-pooling, and handling daily driving tasks. It will recharge overnight on 120-volt power, or in about two hours at 240 volts. Many owners won’t burn any gasoline most days of the week, although maybe you might, because there’s no button to force the Pacifica to run electric-only before going to the combustion engine. So Chrysler uses an algorithm to decide when to use what. In a week of driving, I averaged 29 mpg, close to Chrysler’s 30 mpg EPA overall rating, which is quite good for a 2.5-ton vehicle.

Second, on longer weekend or vacation trips, you get up to 520 miles of driving. You only have to fill up once a day. Yes, the kids have to go pee more often than that, but the interstate service area choreography of one parent taking the kids to the bathroom while the other heads for the fueling islands, then meeting up while the refueler parent dashes back to the restrooms, seems to save very little time.

For weekday carpooling tasks and weekend family trips, you can fit up to seven people; the middle row is always two buckets, not a bench. And everybody, in every seating position, is plenty comfortable, especially in the hybrid. The under-floor battery means there’s no space for the stowable (Stow ‘N Go) seats that fold into the floor, but those stowable seats are thinner and less comfortable. The comfier PHEV’s seats are heavy to take out, though.

The Pacifica has upscale finishes on most trim lines. The UConnect 4 center stack display is 8.4 inches.

Lots of Trim Lines

Shopping for a Chrysler Pacifica starts with “Where do I start?” There are eight Pacifica gas-engine versions, five of them called Pacifica Touring (gut none called Pacifica Car Pooling); plus six Pacifica Hybrid versions; plus more two gas-engine entry model Pacificas, only they’re called Chrysler Voyagers (explanation below). As for the hybrid models, there are three Touring models (Touring, Touring, 35th Anniversary Touring L) and three Limited models (Limited, Limited 35th Anniversary, Limited Red S). The hybrid 35th Anniversary (of the first Chrysler Corp. minivans) and S models are upholstery, badging, and paint variants. If this sounds confusing, it is, and there’s not much on the Chrysler Pacifica website that helps you see what features are on what trim lines.

The least costly hybrid, the Touring, is $41,490 including $1,495 freight. That is $6,250 more than the gas-engine Touring, but you are eligible for a $7,500 tax credit, so really it costs less. The Touring gets you power-sliding doors, heated mirrors, keyless entry/ignition, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, three-zone climate control, the 8.4-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and USB jacks. Driver assists are blind-spot warning/rear-cross-traffic-alert (same system) and rear parking sonar. No forward-facing driver assists.

The Touring L, $45,780 including freight, may be the sweet spot: It adds leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a power liftgate. But it, too, lacks a full range of driver assists.

The Limited, $47,340, is where you can add a fuller array of driver assists. It has nicer leather, vented front seats, navigation, UConnect Theater (rear entertainment), and 20-speaker audio. For $995 you can add the Advanced Safety Tec Group: stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, advanced forward collision warning, advanced lane departure warning, parallel/perpendicular parking assist, front sonar (rear is standard) with auto-stop, and surround cameras. You can also add a $1,895 panoramic sunroof.

The top-line Hybrid Limited Red S fully optioned runs $52,000, before tax credit.

Be still my heart: the 1984 Dodge Caravan, enabler of the soccer mom demographic. It’s also 28 inches shorter than today’s Pacifica.

The Shrinking Minivan Market

Minivans as we know them date to the 1984 Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager, boxy vehicles, some with woodgrain wrap on the sides. They helped keep Chrysler Corp. alive. (The vehicles, not necessarily the woodgrain.) Sales of minivans, all brands, peaked in 2000 with 1.4 million sold, 8 percent of the year’s 17 million sales. Most had three rows of seats, and even the third row was reasonably comfortable at a time when there were far fewer SUVs. And they drove like cars at a time when SUVs didn’t.

Minivans were popular with college-educated boomer parents in the suburbs who drove their children to sports practices a lot, had similar-to-each-other buying patterns, got involved in the PTA, and tended to vote. Demographers called them soccer moms or soccer parents, which annoyed the heck out of them, more because soccer mom was too easily understood as well as misunderstood. In retaliation – “how dare these people reduce me to two words” – they switched to SUVs that were bigger, top-heavier, tipsier (until electronic stability control came along), cost you 3-5 mpg in fuel economy, and lacked room for teens in row three. Nothing like seeing six kids in shorts and cleats disembark from a GMC Yukon Denali, not a Pacifica, to prove you’re not a soccer dad or mom.

Fast forward to 2019, and sales of the five minivan models (plus leftover Chrysler Town & Countrys) amounted to just over 400,000, or 2 percent of the (again) 17 million sales of light vehicles. The best-seller Dodge Grand Caravan gets the majority of sales in fleet markets, making the Honda Odyssey and Pacifica the top two sellers to individuals.

Minivan Model 2019 Sales 2018 Sales Change Dodge Grand Caravan 122,648 151,927 -19% Honda Odyssey 99,113 106,327 -7% Chrysler Pacifica 97,705 118,322 -17% Toyota Sienna 73,585 87,671 -16% Kia Sedona 15,931 17,928 -11% Chrysler Town & Country 5 6 -17% Totals 408,987 482,181 -15%

Between 2000 and today, more than a dozen minivan brands departed the market: Buick Terraza, Chevrolet Uplander, Chevrolet Venture, Chrysler Voyager, Ford Freestar, Ford Windstar Cargo, Mazda MPV, Mercury Monterey, Nissan Quest, Oldsmobile Silhouette, Pontiac Montana, Saturn Relay, and Volkswagen Routan. The one significant entrant is the Kia Sedona in the 2015 model year.

In 2020, the aging Dodge Grand Caravan goes away this spring, to be replaced by the Chrysler Voyager, effectively an entry-level Pacifica. That will likely be the rental-fleet minivan. Insiders say the two-name strategy helps the residual value of the Pacifica. Any time more than half the sales for a model go into fleets, it depresses resale prices.

The 2020 Pacifica measures 203.8 inches long, 79.6 inches wide, and 69.9 inches high. This allows for superb cargo space: 32.3 cubic feet with all seats used, and 140.5 cubic feet with the middle and rear seats down.

Should You Buy?

If you do a lot of urban driving, you’ll likely love how much of it can be on electricity, where the cost of electricity (low) is equivalent in cost to the Pacifica getting 82 mpg on gasoline. It is roomy on legroom as well as side to side shoulder room, so you really can get three across in back.

The Pacifica scores well on IIHS safety tests: good overall on crashworthiness, and a Top Safety Pick. However, it’s light on standard driver safety assists: Blind spot warning is standard, plus government-required features such as a rear camera. If you want a fuller range of assists that help especially on long highway trips, you’ll really want one of the Limited trims and the features of the Advanced Safety Tec package.

Only when you reach the Limited are significant additional driver assists offered in an options package.

Against the competition, the same money, roughly, will get you the sensational Kia Telluride or Hyundai Palisade three-row SUVs with less space and a premium-car fit and finish. Against other SUVs, the Honda Odyssey is well-thought-out and so is the Toyota Sienna, which is the only minivan to offer all-wheel-drive. The Kia Sedona, less flashy, has rock-solid build quality and reliability on its side. Consumer Reports rates recent Sedonas at 3, 4 or 5 of 5, while the Pacifica is rated at 1 or 2 out of 5.

The Chrysler Pacifica has been out since the 2017 model year. It gets a significant refresh for the 2021 model year with all-wheel-drive offered on the gas-engine Pacifica only (Chrysler last had an AWD minivan in 2004). Chrysler could have redirected the PHEV’s electric power to the rear wheels for all-wheel-drive (as Toyota has done to create AWD on a front-drive car), but chose not to. There’s a new, version 5, of UConnect Drive by Android software. And there’ll be an additional trim line at the top end, called Pinnacle. To keep up with the competition, the 2021 Pacifica will make standard forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and lane departure warning/lane-keeping assistance.

Now read:

2018 Honda Odyssey First Drive Review: Tech Makes It the Ultimate People Hauler

2020 Kia Telluride Review: The New Benchmark for Midsize SUVs

At Last: Driver-Assist Terms Will Be Common Across All Cars

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/307788-2020-chrysler-pacifica-review-swallow-your-pride-this-beats-an-suv from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2020/03/2020-chrysler-pacifica-review-swallow.html

#2020 Chrysler Pacifica Review: Swallow Your Pride – This Beats an SUV

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cfl4u · 7 years ago

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Candidate Q&A: Lewisville ISD

Election Day for Lewisville ISD will take place May 5. Early voting runs from April 23 to May 1. Go to votedenton.com for voting locations. Below is a questionnaire for the candidates:

Place 1

Kronda Thimesch

Green Meadows Landscaping business owner

27.5 years in the district

What is the most important issue facing the school district and how would you solve it?

LISD’s primary focus should be student achievement. I’m proud of the work from our students and teachers. As a district that continues to excel as an educational organization, we must proceed with our goals of exceeding improvement benchmarks. We must be intentional in our efforts and work toward meeting the individual need of each student. With 1/3 of our student population at or below the poverty level, and $35.5 million going back to the state in recapture funding, our end goal has to remain the success of each student in the district.

With the growing diversity within LISD I want to continue our laser focus on identifying opportunities for each student. The definition of success must be more than a score on a standardized test. I want LISD to create a portfolio that allows us to show the continuous improvement of each student apart from a one-day test – something the state would recognize as a more tangible assessment of our students.

What would you do to ensure the whole district is represented equally?

Representation for all of our students and families includes considering more than geography. LISD represents 13 cities and communities, 127 square miles, a student body that speaks almost 70 different languages, economic diversity and more. Representation is an important question that includes multiple layers. Ensuring equal representation for our diverse community must include purposeful planning. My experience in LISD over the last almost three decades has provided first-hand knowledge of the growth, changes and opportunities for our families with an understanding of each community that makes up LISD. Our district has community groups that partner to garner input with group make-up intentionally having members that include multiple layers of representation across the district. Having an understanding of the diversity ensures that we are seeking out members to represent each sub-population.

Are there any existing programs LISD should re-think or remove? Why?

LISD strives for continual improvement in all of our programs. Programs are monitored, and reviewed through a scheduled process to ensure that they are still relevant for our students. The Gifted and Talented program, Special Ed Programs and AVID in place currently will be reviewed in a three- to five-year rotating cycle to monitor and allow for program adjustments if needed on a large scale. What is relevant and working today may need to change in a few years. We want to have plans that hold us accountable for the efficient monitoring of the programs moving forward.

Are there any programs you think LISD should considering implementing?

I would like to see an expansion of the LISD Grandparent Program. There are two different types of “grandparent” programs in the District. One where LISD has received a grant for grandparents to come into the classroom room each week and work with students at campuses that have qualified for the grant program. The other program is creating more opportunities for “grandparents” or retired community members to partner with us in the classroom. More community members impacting the lives of our students. This is a win-win for both the adults LISD. Increasing one-on-one investment time with students, and it does not have a monetary impact on our budget.

Do you support LISD becoming a District of Innovation? Why or why not?

I did support District of Innovation for LISD. The District of Innovation allows districts a process to have more control or flexibility at the local level. We know what is best for our unique community and students. Having more local control to meet the needs in our district is a step in the right direction.

Is LISD’s technology program working appropriately? Would you change anything?

LISD has worked diligently to review our current technology programs, and the future needs for our students and teachers. The 2017 bond package includes technology updates that will replace current devices that are at the end of their lifespan. The strides LISD has made in the area of technology over the last several years have been impressive. Looking at our devices, online security, back-up systems, and wireless access.

What do you think should be done to address school safety?

The safety of our students is our highest priority. School safety has to be a continuous conversation with our local police departments, schools, and security experts. LISD recently had meetings with local police, neighboring school districts and the FBI to collaborate on best practices for safety and security for our schools. LISD is also looking at opportunities to have SRO officers at our middle school campuses that would have the ability to have touch points with their feeder elementary schools. The 2017 bond package included security updates such as the hardening of our campus entries, and more security cameras on the campuses.

Why are you a better candidate for this position?

I am running for re-election because my passion has been and will continue to be a desire to move LISD forward as the best educational experience for all of our students. Having almost 3 decades of experience in LISD as a business owner, parent, community advocate, and taxpayer uniquely qualifies me. I have seen the explosive growth within LISD, and our communities, as well as the downturn in the economy that affected school finance when the state significantly reduced school funding in 2011. I have seen the continued growth in the diversity of our student population, including students who have an increasing amount of needs.

My professional relationships within LISD are a clear asset; Lewisville ISD is the 15th largest school district in the state of Texas, and it encompasses all or part of 13 different communities – in each of which I have personal and professional relationships with community members with an understanding of the culture diversity in each area. My business experience across the district gives me a unique perspective. Strengths also include strong chamber, nonprofit and community partnerships.

I have been a part of LISD through these changes the last couple of decades, and I have the knowledge and experience to continue our path forward. Public education is a foundation for healthy communities and LISD is an excellent school district.

What is your history of involvement with LISD?

Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce

Lewisville Chamber of Commerce, Annual Gala Planning Committee

Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Business Forum, Ex-Officio

Flower Mound Rotary

Lewisville Education Foundation Board

Communities In Schools Mentor Hedrick Elementary

Hebron Football Booster Club, Future Hawks Committee

Hebron High School PTSA, Programs Chair

Castle Hills Education Foundation

Hebron Football Booster Club, President

LISD Bond Oversight Committee, 2012-2015

Hebron HS PTA Lifetime Membership Award, 2014

Former member and volunteer in the PTA programs of Castle Hills Elementary, Killian MS and Hebron HS

INSIDE LISD Leadership Program, 2013-2014

Chairman of the Castle Hills Grant Foundation, 2014-2017

Hebron High School Building Leadership Team, 2011-2015

Peters Colony (2014-2016) and Rockbrook Elementary (2016-2017) Mentorship Program

Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce

Lewisville Chamber of Commerce, Annual Gala Planning Committee

Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Business Forum, Ex-Officio

Flower Mound Rotary

[email protected] 214-769-0525

Sandra Weinstein

Product marketing manager

2.5 years in the district

What is the most important issue facing the school district and how would you solve it?

School finance is the biggest issue for our district. Most of our property taxes (70 percent) goes to financing LISD. LISD only gets 14 percent of its funding from the state and 1 percent from the Fed. Due to rise in property values and an unanticipated decline in enrollment, over $35 million will go from LISD to Austin for recapture. Additionally, we are facing a deficit of $4.6 million this year. As a trustee, I would partner with the town councils and work with legislatures to advocate for school finance and property tax reform. I would seek to understand plans to create affordable housing to attract young families. Additionally, I would solicit input from the community and work to decrease the deficit with as minimal an impact to programs as possible while also engaging to ensure we have a robust marketing plan in place to promote the benefits of the LISD and grow enrollment.

What would you do to ensure the whole district is represented equally?

The best way to ensure equal representation is to create a more open dialogue with all communities in the LISD. This includes monthly town halls that are held mostly in the evening, when all parents can attend, using community groups on Facebook and using the LISD Facebook page to promote, educate and solicit input, and actively promote working sessions and board meetings to educate the public while also providing a means for input into the decision making process through committees and community forums.

Are there any existing programs LISD should re-think or remove? Why?

I think the LISD should consider expanding the Red Ribbon drug prevention program to include education for parents on the long term effects of drug use (including marijuana) for teenagers and include mental health ramifications, legal ramifications and how to spot drug abuse. This could be done in partnerships with external agencies and programs to avoid cost. The Red Ribbon program is great, but ultimately parents need to sign on to reinforce the message at home if drug abuse in high school is ever going to be significantly reduced.

Are there any programs you think LISD should considering implementing?

I think the LISD should consider implementing a mental/emotional health coordinator. This position would serve as a conduit between the schools and parents to identify and connect parents and distressed students with resources to meet their needs. We have a wonderful guidance department, but it needs to be more proactive in identifying children starting in kindergarten who are lonely and sad and helping them integrate with their peers. Once in high school, more emphasis is placed on college placement than being in tune to a student who may be suffering mental or emotional stress. Teachers and counselors need to be trained on how to identify signals and refer such students to a coordinator who can then work with parents and the student to get access to appropriate resources.

Do you support LISD becoming a District of Innovation? Why or why not?

I did not support the LISD becoming a District of Innovation because a) there is no innovation involved and b) the flexibility provided to schools by DOI do not fundamentally contribute to improving education overall. Becoming a DOI is attractive because it imparts control over the school calendar, but the most popular options adopted only serve to create convenience in, e.g., how the district manages the number of academic hours or in hiring non-credited teachers for hard to fulfill positions. There are other, more harmful options that a different school board could choose to adopt, like canceling teachers’ contracts, cutting teachers’ pay and eliminating planning and prep time. Attracting and hiring qualified teachers is the life blood of any school district. With the possibility of eliminating these benefits in order to “save money,” we risk downgrading our school district and eroding the quality of education our children receive.

Is LISD’s technology program working appropriately? Would you change anything?

I have no issues with LISD’s technology program, other than I still think we should be leasing technology instead of purchasing it. Technology goes out of style so fast, that even major companies have found the leasing makes more financial sense than purchasing.

What do you think should be done to address school safety?

We are fortunate to live in a community with an engaged law enforcement and a Security Operations Center that monitors social media and other communications to identify and act immediately on security threats. Most schools are hardened with an enclosed front desk to protect personnel, door locks to prevent entry by an aggressor, and cameras trained on points of entry. There is a plan in place to complete this for any school not completely hardened and to educate staff and students on the importance of keeping points of entry closed. The next best thing that we can do is become more pro-active starting in kindergarten to help children who are lonely or disenfranchised and help them befriend peers, identify children who are emotionally distressed and connect them and their parents with community resources and services, and to overall become more engaged with the mental/emotional well-being of our students.

Why are you a better candidate for this position?

I have experienced many different school districts across the country both as a parent and as a Junior Achievement Mentor, and I have seen what works and what doesn’t. I have strong leadership skills and a passion for education as well as a strong communications background that I will bring to the LISD to solve problems and promote the LISD as great school system

What is your history of involvement with LISD?

I am a member of the LISD District Improvement Committee, and I have been participating in Inside the LISD. I regularly attend school board meetings, and I follow LISD news closely.

Place 2

David Hernandez

Student

18 years in district

What is the most important issue facing the school district and how would you solve it?

I believe the most important issue is giving attention to the technology we utilize and make sure it’s cost-effective, has a positive impact on student education, is up to date and is chosen carefully. For example, Smart Boards were brought into classrooms across the district but mostly sit unused nowadays. The technology had little longevity and simply became outdated. They are used as glorified projection screens in most cases and just don’t have much use nowadays. While they may have seemed great at the time, there was no long-term plan for their usage and as a result lots of money was simply wasted in haphazard implementation. Whenever new technology is brought in, there would have to be a much more rigid plan for how they would be utilized and what they could be used for, as well as a more thorough assessment of how long they would remain viable.

What would you do to ensure the whole district is represented equally?

The most important aspect of ensuring equal representation is mobilizing equal participation of students and parents in each district. Providing more opportunities and focusing more on showing the benefits of involvement within the district in areas that are less represented would close the gap of representation within the district. This process would require research and meeting with individuals to see how what would involve them more within the district.

Are there any existing programs LISD should re-think or remove? Why?

The current program about iPads for education should be rethought. While I think there is potential for using them to enhance the education of our students, they were implemented haphazardly, without any instruction on use, standardized planning, or objective goals to be met by their use. The whole program needs to be reconstructed so we can measure the benefits they bring objectively.

Are there any programs you think LISD should considering implementing?

Teacher mentor programs should be implemented across the district so that more experienced educators can guide newer teachers to assist them on adjusting to the particular educational environment of LISD and their specific school. Those that have worked there for some time likely have insights on which styles of teaching are effective and which are not, as well as other knowledge that will benefit new teachers and make them more effective educators.

Do you support LISD becoming a District of Innovation? Why or why not?

While I do not know a great deal about the pros and cons of being a District of Innovation, what I do know makes me inclined to think it is beneficial. Often students and parents choose charter schools because traditional education lacks something they are looking for out of their education. Being a District of Innovation gives us greater local autonomy to tailor the education and schooling we provide to those who live here rather than simply follow state mandates. The flexibility promised by being a District of Innovation seems to outweigh potential drawbacks. Regardless, we are a District of Innovation now and should seek to use that designation to its full potential.

Is LISD’s technology program working appropriately? Would you change anything?

As I mentioned in my response about what the biggest issue in our district is, LISD has handled technology problematically in the past. While there is a need to integrate useful technology to improve education, not enough research is done and solid plans are not made for standardized implementation. When new technology is introduced, we need solid proof to make sure it will last and benefit the students, as well as make sure it is rolled out effectively so that people know what to do with it rather than rely on teachers to utilize it at their own discretion, as this creates a divide between educators who believe in the usage of technology and design their lessons around using it while others simply ignore it.

What do you think should be done to address school safety?

Research needs to be done first before we implement a possibly faulty program. Through consultation with experts, community meetings and statistical analysis, we should determine what course of action would benefit LISD the most, whether that be arming teachers or just increasing security through officers and metal detectors. Increasing the safety of the students is top priority, and any action will of course require proper budget allocation, so an increase in funding for security will be crucial for the future.

Why are you a better candidate for this position?

I have had direct experience as a student in the district my entire life and have unique insights on how district policies and actions affect the students. As a result, nobody else can offer the perspective I have on LISD. I find that there is a significant disconnect between students and their parents, who act as advocates on their behalf. In order to rectify this, I can serve as a direct voice of students who otherwise would be unable to voice their opinions, thus making our district better able to serve those who it is meant to.

What is your history of involvement with LISD?

I have been a student within LISD for my entire life, attending Rockbrook Elementary, Durham Middle School, Lewisville High School’s Harmon Campus, and Lewisville High School’s Main Campus. I have served as a student government officer since freshman year and served as president of my campus during sophomore year, served on my LISD zone’s disciplinary committee and was a part of my district’s advisory board during these years.

Allison Lassahn

Part-time consultant, full-time mom and volunteer

20 years in the district

What is the most important issue facing the school district and how would you solve it?

Next fiscal year, LISD must send approximately $30 million (of your tax money) to the state of Texas due to recapture, aka, “Robin Hood.” The district is already looking at budget issues that will come up due to this flawed program. Long term, we need to advocate for public school finance reform with our legislators. Short term, we need to look at the district’s budget carefully to ensure that we are spending money in the most efficient way possible.

What would you do to ensure the whole district is represented equally?

I would seek out representative parents, teachers and staff to give input on various district issues. I have connections at several campuses throughout the district that I will use to get input and opinions.

Are there any existing programs LISD should re-think or remove? Why?

I think with the current budget climate, everything is on the table. I believe it is good practice to frequently evaluate which programs are working and which ones are not.

Are there any programs you think LISD should considering implementing?

I would like for the district to expand the academy program where specialized programs are brought to certain schools, especially schools with low enrollment. I would especially like to see a music/arts academy and to explore the idea of a campus with alternative learning classrooms geared towards kids with special needs.

Do you support LISD becoming a District of Innovation? Why or why not?

Currently, I do support DOI. However, I think that we should proceed with an abundance of caution about future DOI initiatives.

Is LISD’s technology program working appropriately? Would you change anything?

I am in favor of the way the technology program is currently being managed. When the iPad program was first rolled out several years ago, it was not done well and had many problems. For the new bond program, almost $100 million has been earmarked for technology and the district has spent over a year evaluating devices to replace older iPads. They have put much time and thought into the entire process including upgrading the network on which these devices will run. I believe over the past few years there has been scrutiny of the program to say that I would not change anything as long as we keep evaluating and keep an eye on the program.

What do you think should be done to address school safety?

This is a huge issue that I believe no one person can solve. If elected, I would be open to any idea community members have, and then consult safety experts to see which ones will work for LISD. There is money from the 2017 bond set aside for more security cameras and hardening the entrances to our schools to help ensure that only those we want to come into the schools can come in. However, this does not prevent a student from bringing a weapon onto campus. This is probably the most challenging part of school safety, keeping weapons from coming into schools, and we need to focus on this issue.

Why are you a better candidate for this position?

I have spent the past two years preparing myself to run for this office. I have attended many school board meetings and board workshops over the past two years learning about the district. I have also served on three different district level committees. I have done all of this because I believe that the office of trustee is one of THE most important elected offices. Because as a board member, you are tasked with making decisions that shape our kid’s lives and I believe that an excellent education system is the cornerstone of excellent communities.

What is your history of involvement with LISD?

My children have been attending schools in LISD for the past 10 years. I have been on the board of four different PTAs in the district in various capacities. I currently serve on the Community Bond Committee and the District Leadership Team for LISD. Last year I served on the Facilities Advisory committee, and I am a graduate of the Inside LISD program.

Denise Riemenschneider

Stay at home mom

8 years in the district

What is the most important issue facing the school district and how would you solve it?

In my opinion, the safety of the students is most important. However, declining enrollment and college readiness are both important also. For security, I think there needs to be a school resource officer at every school within the district. For enrollment, discovering why parents are enrolling elsewhere is the first step in marketing initiatives that will bring the students to LISD. We have an outstanding school district that is excellent in providing an education that allows the students to excel in their future.

What would you do to ensure the whole district is represented equally?

If the first priority is education of the children, then any favoritism of a school will disappear. I will listen, educate myself and vote appropriately to be fair to all schools.

Are there any existing programs LISD should re-think or remove? Why?

*Editor’s note: Candidate did not provide answer

Are there any programs you think LISD should considering implementing?

*Editor’s note: Candidate did not provide answer

Do you support LISD becoming a District of Innovation? Why or why not?

I do support this as I believe it further prepares the students for life after high school.

Is LISD’s technology program working appropriately? Would you change anything?

I believe it is necessary in the older grades. However, I don’t know if it is necessary at the elementary schools.

What do you think should be done to address school safety?

Have armed resource officer at every school.

Why are you a better candidate for this position?

I am passionate about children, and I want what is best for all of them. I am confident that I can be fair in all of my decisions while always putting the student first. I am organized, straight forward and hard working. I am prepared to represent and serve this school district in a humble, family focused way.

What is your history of involvement with LISD?

I have been involved with our local PTA since my children started school four years ago. I am a volunteer at the school. I attend the LISD board meetings to gain a better understanding of the decisions being made.

Source Article

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leonardmicheals-blog · 8 years ago

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stickyyouthstudent · 8 years ago

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General election 2017: IFS says Tories offering five years of austerity and Labour's plans 'would not work' – politics live

As election campaign resumes, Labour leader to draw link between UK foreign policy and terror attacks, and criticise Tories over police cuts

The Snap: sign up for our daily election email and read today’s

9.05am BST

You can watch the IFS briefing live here.

Carl Emmerson, the IFS deputy director, is speaking now.

9.01am BST

The Institute for Fiscal Studies is about to publish its analysis of party election manifestos at a briefing in Westminster.

According to the summary sent out under embargo until 9am, their verdict on the Tory and Labour plans is highly critical.

Neither Conservatives nor Labour are properly spelling out consequences of their policy proposals.

The Conservatives have very few tax or spending commitments in their manifesto. Additional funding pledges for the NHS and schools are just confirming that spending would rise in a way broadly consistent with the March Budget. These plans imply at least another five years of austerity, with the continuation of planned welfare cuts and serious pressures on the public services including on the NHS. They could allow the deficit to shrink over time with no additional tax rises over the coming parliament. But getting to budget balance by the mid-2020s, their stated aim, would likely require more spending cuts or tax rises even beyond the end of the next parliament.

8.51am BST

In his speech Jeremy Corbyn says: “Many experts, including professionals in our intelligence and security services, have pointed to the connections between wars our government has supported or fought in other countries and terrorism here at home.”

This is a reference to the evidence emerged after the Iraq war, partly in the Chilcot inquiry but also elsewhere, showing that Tony Blair was warned by the intelligence services that invading the country would increase the terrorist threats.

The JIC assessed that al-Qaida and associated groups continued to represent by far the greatest terrorist threat to western interests, and that threat would be heightened by military action against Iraq.

The JIC assessed that any collapse of the Iraqi regime would increase the risk of chemical and biological warfare technology or agents finding their way into the hands of terrorists, not necessarily al-Qaida.

Our involvement in Iraq radicalised a few among a generation of young people who saw [it] as an attack upon Islam.

8.41am BST

For the record, here are the extracts from Jeremy Corbyn’s speech released in advance.

On fighting terror threats generally

This is my commitment to our country.

I want the solidarity, humanity and compassion that we have seen on the streets of Manchester this week to be the values that guide our government. There can be no love of country if there is neglect or disregard for its people.

To keep you and your family safe, our approach will involve change at home and change abroad.

At home, Labour will reverse the cuts to our emergency services and police. Once again in Manchester, they have proved to be the best of us.

We will also change what we do abroad. Many experts, including professionals in our intelligence and security services, have pointed to the connections between wars our government has supported or fought in other countries and terrorism here at home.

That assessment in no way reduces the guilt of those who attack our children. Those terrorists will forever be reviled and held to account for their actions.

8.30am BST

This is what Ben Wallace, the security minister, said about the speech that Jeremy Corbyn is giving later today, extracts from which have been briefed in advance.

First of all, I think [Corbyn’s] timing is incredibly disappointing and crass given there is a live police operation ... This is why his timing is also appalling, because I don’t think the substance of what he says is correct at all.

8.23am BST

Q: Do you accept that the Iraq war contributed to this?

No, says Wallace. The person responsible was the terrorist.

8.21am BST

Q: Jeremy Corbyn will criticise cuts to the police in a speech today. Some 19,000 police posts have gone. Have the cuts gone too far?

Wallace says Corbyn’s timing is “incredibly disappointing and crass”.

8.19am BST

Q: Are companies like Facebook letting terrorists off the hook?

Wallace says the government thinks they can do more.

8.18am BST

Q: NHS England have told trauma units to be on standby. Have they given specific information about threats?

Wallace says that is predominantly precautionary.

8.12am BST

Sarah Montague is interviewing Ben Wallace.

8.10am BST

Good morning. I’m taking over from Claire.

Ben Wallace, the security minister, is about to be interviewed on the Today programme.

8.04am BST

Andrew Sparrow is now picking up the live blog.

A reminder: you can sign up here to receive our daily election briefing email, the Snap.

8.03am BST

Today is what the Fair Funding for All Schools campaign is calling a national day of action against cuts in funding.

Caroline Lucas, the Green co-leader seeking re-election in Brighton Pavilion, will be speaking at one rally on her home turf this afternoon, and her party has also set out plans to boost school funding by £7bn each year by 2022.

The Tories’ plans for our schools will leave teachers stressed and stretched, and risk our children’s education. PTAs are already fundraising to pay for essential equipment like pens and glue sticks; the situation is getting desperate.

7.51am BST

The Welsh Liberal Democrats will publish their manifesto today, with a focus on Brexit and what they will say is the need for a second referendum ahead of any deal that could “wreck the future for our children, our economy and our schools and hospitals”.

Leader Mark Williams – who was, until the dissolution, the party’s only Westminster MP in Wales – will launch the manifesto promising that voters should have the chance to reject any deal and instead stay within the EU.

7.22am BST

Lord Carlile, the former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has been speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme about how authorities can deal with those suspected of having links to extremism.

He says it was a “grave mistake” for the coalition government to remove control orders.

There was a political resistance to imposing these orders on people who were reasonably suspected of being terrorists.

The use of Tpims has increased since the 2015 election from about zero to seven today.

It’s very easy to say we need more police … I do not believe the number of police officers is the central issue.

7.20am BST

Barry Gardiner, the shadow international trade secretary, has been on Radio 4’s Today programme ahead of Jeremy Corbyn’s speech later this morning about the links between British foreign policy and terror attacks.

Gardiner says the Labour leader’s argument is a nuanced one:

There is no simple causal relationship … We need profoundly to reassess the ways in which there are linkages.

Libya is a country in which we intervened … what we did there was made a military intervention and then withdrew and that country has been in chaos.

The pattern that we’ve seen time and again has been one in which military intervention has gone in hard but then lost its way … Look back to Iraq, look back to Afghanistan … the stabilisation of a country is so important.

Absolutely clearly the responsibility for these atrocities is with those who have perpetrated them … but they use these things as an excuse.

These are people who simply want to destroy our way of life … There is no negotiating with these people.

6.58am BST

Schools in England will face real-terms funding cuts for years to come if the Conservatives win the general election, according to analyses by two thinktanks. The figures show year-on-year falls over the coming parliamentary term despite a Conservative manifesto promise to redirect £1bn in additional funding to state schools by slashing free school meals for infants.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said school funding would fall by nearly 3% by 2021, even with the additional £1bn a year, after adjusting for inflation and a rise in students enrolled.

Related: Schools face years of funding cuts if Tories win election, say reports

6.36am BST

Welcome back to the politics live blog as national campaigning restarts after a pause in the wake of the Manchester terror attack.

I’m Claire Phipps with what you need to know today, and the early news. Our live Manchester coverage continues here.

Good counter-terrorism is when you have close relationships between the policing and intelligence services. That is what we have … It’s also about making sure we get in early on radicalisation. But it’s not about those pure numbers on the street.

our foreign policy reduces rather than increases the threat to this country … Many experts, including professionals in our intelligence and security services, have pointed to the connections between wars our government has supported or fought in other countries and terrorism here at home.

That assessment in no way reduces the guilt of those who attack our children. Those terrorists will forever be reviled and held to account for their actions. But an informed understanding of the causes of terrorism is an essential part of an effective response that will protect the security of our people that fights rather than fuels terrorism.

Exc: Times/YouGov poll would give the Tories an overall maj of TWO (down from working maj of 17) if swing repeated uniformly across Britain

It would have been unedifying, to say the least, to watch Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn squabble as the body count was still rising – but they must now join a conversation that has already started without them. Even if we consider it opportune to hold our tongue for some amount of time, there’s no way to pause our brain’s ability to form opinions. There’s fierce disagreement about both the cause of this sort of violence and the most effective policy responses … How can we expect these events not to dominate election discourse for the remainder of the campaign period?

A conventional interpretation will settle about this terrible week, in which Mrs May was saved from her botched manifesto by the need to be prime ministerial in response to an atrocity. The temporary suspension of campaigning, it will be said, came at the ideal moment for her and changed the subject from social care to security, on which she is strong and Mr Corbyn is weak.

It’s always a mistake to read the election up so close, though. Almost all elections are won by fundamental questions determined long in advance of the campaign itself. When Jo Cox was murdered during the European referendum campaign there were confident predictions about its impact. In the event, there was no impact. The campaign had been going on for 40 years.

. @jreynoldsMP got his first ever tattoo done to raise money for the victims of the Manchester bombing, then got caught by his mum: http://pic.twitter.com/kHHb7G37TG

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deniscollins · 8 years ago

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PTA Gift for Someone Else’s Child? A Touchy Subject in California

What would you advise if you were a consultant with the Santa Monica-Malibu school board and the PTA group from Malibu complained that they are tired of the fundraising money they raise be used to support many activities in Santa Monica schools and they don’t think it’s fair anymore: (1) Split the one district into two (one for Santa Monica and one for Malibu), (2) continue to invest the money as needed, or (3) develop some other system to distribute the money raised that favors the PTA group that raised the money? Why? What are the ethics underlying your decision?

Of all the inequalities between rich and poor public schools, one of the more glaring divides is PTA fund-raising, which in schools with well-heeled parents can generate hundreds of thousands of dollars a year or more.

Several years ago, the Santa Monica-Malibu school board came up with a solution: Pool most donations from across the district and distribute them equally to all the schools.

This has paid big benefits to the needier schools in this wealthy district, like the Edison Language Academy in Santa Monica, where half the children qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The campus is decorated with psychedelic paintings of civil rights icons such as Cesar Chavez and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the work of the school’s art teacher, Martha Ramirez Oropeza, whose salary is paid by the pooled contributions. That money has also funded the school’s choral program, teacher aides, a science lab and a telescope.

The funding program is considered a national model, and has many enthusiastic supporters. But for some locals it is a sore point that has helped fuel a long-simmering secession movement in which Malibu — more solidly affluent than Santa Monica — would create its own district, allowing it to keep all of its donations in its own schools.

Craig Foster, a school board member from Malibu who favors separation, said parents voluntarily giving money wanted to see the fruits of their donations.

An ideal PTA system gives a parent “the opportunity to put your money where your heart is,” said Mr. Foster, a former managing director at Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse. “It has to be an emotional appeal, and it has to be for the benefit of the donor.”

Indeed, the powerful appeal of helping one’s own child has turned the apple-pie PTA into a mirror of society’s larger stratification. According to a new report by the Center for American Progress, a liberal advocacy group, schools that serve just one-tenth of 1 percent of American students collect 10 percent of the estimated $425 million that PTAs raise nationwide each year.

And those schools, not surprisingly, are some of the least needy, according to the study, which analyzed PTA tax returns from 2013 and student demographics. The richest PTA in the nation, with $2 million in revenue, was at Highland Park High School in a suburb of Dallas, where no one qualified for free or discounted lunch. (Nationwide, about half of public school students are eligible.)

Only 9 percent qualified at the second-richest, Public School 87 on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, where the PTA’s revenue exceeded $1.5 million. The money was used to pay for dance, yoga, chess, and math and literacy coaching.

The issue has bedeviled policy makers who abhor the idea of unequal classrooms, but also do not want to discourage families from digging into their pockets. In California, for example, schools may depend on donations because the state’s Proposition 13, passed by voters in 1978, keeps property taxes relatively low.

Leaders at several overachieving PTAs also said their generosity addressed another kind of inequality: Their schools did not benefit from Title I, the federal taxpayer-funded program for schools that serve large numbers of poor children.

But Catherine Brown, a co-author of the report, said that when richer PTAs paid for teachers and programs that poorer ones could not afford, students in less well-off schools fell even further behind.

“Kids that come from needier backgrounds need more money,” she said. “They have more of a vocabulary gap before they even get to school, and their home environments are not as literacy-rich. They need greater investments in order to achieve their full potential.”

Only a handful of school districts nationwide, including Portland, Ore., and Palo Alto, Calif., have tried to put their fingers on the scale by restricting the use of PTA money at individual schools.

In New York City, PTAs may not pay for teachers of core subjects — English, math, science and history — so that all schools have comparable access to that instruction.

There is no shortage of affluence in Santa Monica or Malibu, two sun-kissed coastal communities with elegant homes and designer boutiques. At this year’s PTA gala for Point Dume Marine Science Elementary in Malibu, 10-person tables cost between $2,000 and $15,000. In an auction, parents could bid on a Las Vegas vacation, private chef services and a pink guitar signed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

But there is poverty, too; of the 11 elementary schools in the 11,000-student district, four in Santa Monica, including Edison, qualify for Title I aid. Half of Edison’s students come from low-income families, and three-quarters are Hispanic. (The school is not affiliated with EdisonLearning, the for-profit education company.)

A telescope or new science lab “would never happen here” without pooled fund-raising, said Edison’s principal, Lori Orum.

“We’re not the community where people are writing $2,000 checks,” she said. “We’re happy if we get $20 out of people.”

The donation-balancing system was put in place in 2011 by the district’s crusading former superintendent, Sandra Lyon, and the elected school board. Malibu parents — and a few from Santa Monica — objected to the change, saying they worried that affluent families would stop giving altogether or flee to private schools. At one rowdy school board meeting covered by Malibu Patch, a local news website, a Malibu mother said the plan would “bring everybody to a mediocre middle ground that serves nobody.”

Parents can still donate to their own schools to cover expenses like campus beautification, technology and field trips. But those who wish to help pay for teachers’ salaries or school-day science and arts programs must now donate to the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation, which redistributes the money across schools.

Total donations — between $4 million and $5 million annually — did not appear to drop in the first couple of years, according to tax returns for the foundation and 15 school-level PTAs, though more recent records are not available. But just 21 percent of Malibu families have donated to the central fund this school year, compared with 41 percent of Santa Monica families, according to foundation data through February.

Megan Histand, the PTA president at Franklin Elementary in Santa Monica, said that sharing parent donations across schools was “pragmatic,” since all the district’s students feed into two high schools, and that parents should want their children’s classmates to be academically and socially well prepared.

Still, some parents at her school, one of the wealthiest in the district, objected after their PTA gave $200,000 to the central fund when it was falling short of its fund-raising goal last year.

“The idea that a parent is helping another child without helping their own child is a myth,” said Ms. Histand, who has worked in theater production and, in addition to her labor running the PTA, is a stay-at-home parent.

But Mr. Foster, the only Malibu resident on the school board, called the centralized fund-raising system “ideological,” and said it was a poor fit for a district as divided and sprawling as Santa Monica-Malibu, which combines two discontinuous towns with schools up to 23 miles apart. During rush hour, it can take nearly an hour to make the drive up Route 1 between urban Santa Monica and beachy Malibu, and for decades, some Malibu activists have wanted to separate the district into two.

That movement accelerated after the new fund-raising system began. It gained another boost in 2013 when toxic PCBs were discovered in several Malibu schools and parents were dissatisfied with the district’s response. A school board vote on separation will take place this year, potentially followed by a referendum in each community.

Even if not universally beloved, the shared-donation program has become such an integral part of the district’s culture that some advocates of secession say that if Malibu becomes its own district, it should have a centralized donation system to equalize funding across the town’s four schools. They point out that disadvantaged children are in Malibu, too — about 12 percent of the student population qualifies for free or discounted lunch, compared with 30 percent in Santa Monica.

On a recent Friday morning at Juan Cabrillo Elementary School, which is perched on a hill overlooking the Pacific, Malibu parents watched their fifth graders put on a ballroom dance performance. The students had studied with a dance teacher from a local college, in a program paid for by the centralized donations distributed by the Santa Monica-Malibu Education Foundation.

The foundation also supports Cabrillo’s art, science and music programs. Several parents said they were grateful for the group’s support. But they think Malibu could pull in even more money if it separated from Santa Monica.

“I wish the kids could get more,” said Karen Clark, treasurer of the Cabrillo PTA — for example, dancing in the third and fourth grades, in addition to fifth grade. “We would do just fine” if Malibu became its own district, she said. “The Malibu community would be very generous.”

#Public Schools

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