Is this common practice in school district budget crises?

[BrerGnat]

I need some advice from experienced parents of school aged children.

My son currently attends a state funded school district preschool. He is in the special education preschool program (for autism). He goes 3 days/week. This is at no cost to us.

We are in CA, and CA is experiencing some major budget issues. The most current proposal (not even passed yet) is to cut the state spending in the schools for NEXT year. My son's "Parent Booster Club" recently sent home letters to the parents asking for monetary contributions to help offset a current freeze in spending.

Here is the letter's pertinent info:

Dear Preschool Parents,

The most recent state budget proposal will reduce (our district) funding by approximately $12.5 million. As a result, (our district) has recently placed a freeze on all spending directly impacting (the preschool's) day to day operations.

Last week, we exceeded our goal of selling $4,000 at our book fair and (our preschool) is well stocked with books thanks to all that participated. Now, with the freeze on spending, our school is in desparate need of equipment, supplies, and the every day disposable products needed to support our children and their education for the remainder of the school year.

Let's rally together and support our school by raising $20,000 for our children's classrooms (16 in total), the applied behavioral analysis (ABA) clinic, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech clinic and the nurse's office.

We all know the positive impact (our preschool) has had and continues to have on our children and it's easy to forget that private therapy (speech, OT, PT, ABA) can cost approximately $100-150 per hour. So, when you write your tax deductible check payable to (our preschool) please remember than 100% of the funds collected will immediately be distributed to (our school's) special education services to benefit your child and his/her future. Please send your check in the attached envelope to your child's teacher or speech clinic therapist.

Thank you in advance for supporting (our preschool).

Sincerely,
Parent Booster Club

Ok, first of all, I'm a bit offended at this letter. I am appalled that they are blatantly asking each parent to send in a check for $100-150. The "remainder of the school year" is like 2.5 months. This budget proposal has not even been passed yet. And, I go to this school very often to observe my son/attend classroom functions, and there does not seem to be a shortage of "supplies" as far as I can see (his teacher's personal cabinets are completely stocked with stuff that the PARENTS of the classroom (myself included) DONATED at the start of the school year. We all pitched in and sent in wipes, napkins, paper plates/cups, etc. and we all contribute $5 per month to the teacher to provide snacks daily.

I am just wondering if I'm being too cynical abou this. This preschool program is free to me, as I mentioned, and I'm not trying to be cheap, but I don't want to be a sucker either. Is it common practice (and acceptable) to turn to the parents for money when the state budget cuts spending? I have actually read a report from our district on what they plan to do to save the $12.5 million for the next school year and they HARDLY mention cutbacks at the preschool my son attends. Most of the cutbacks are happening in the middle/high school level and affect sports/music programs and field trips. The ONLY proposed change for the preschool is to move to a year round calendar and an am/pm model. That's IT! That would not cause a shortage of "supplies" or staff to provide essential therapies.

I feel like $20,000 for the next 2.5 months is an insane amount of money to want to raise. I mean, really, it's not like they've fired people or drastically cut any services, and this money does not seem to have a clear cut purpose.

This booster club tends to do this a lot throughout the year, but this is the first time they've actually gone so far as to send an envelope with the letter and instructions to return the check in the envelope to your child's teacher.

What would you do in this situation? I would actually be FINE with sending in needed supplies. For example, if they said "we're running low on band aids in the nurse's office" or something to that effect, I'd gladly send some in. I'd rather donate specific items that are needed than cash which will go who knows where.

Any advice?

[goingbacktodisney]

I find this very interesting! I am a kindergarten teacher in upper east TN and we cannot even ask for supplies for our students. At the begining of the year we can "show" items that they kids will be using on a daily basis, but cannot ask the parents to purchase anything. We simply graciously accept what we get and provide for those that bring items in, such as glue, scissors, pencils, etc. As teachers, we are expected to pay for these out of our pocket, as our district "doesnt want to place a burden on parents", some who live in half million dollar homes. Parents in our area have become accostome to this practice, and now feel that their tax dollars should cover it. Some are suprised that we as teachers have to provide for those that are not provided for with no assistance from the system.

As for your case, I think that it is wonderful that you are willing to donate items that are used daily in the classroom and help replenish when things run out. I think that should be expected of parents. However, I am with you regarding a request for $ for programs that do not involve my child. By your statement, I feel that if a teacher came to you and said we need some classroom equipment to be used for special needs children, you would help contribute if possible. If this request for $ is for "non-academic" items to be used throughout the district, then I would be offended as well. Let these groups do some fundraising or make request to private companies. Then let the state of CA make cuts where cuts are needed.

As for special ed kids, make sure you know your rights and laws regarding all that the school system is responsible for and make sure that they are help accountable for them.

[Jeri]

I don't know a lot about this, but my preschooler goes to school 4 days a week and we too don't pay for it either. ( speech delay)

I agree with you I would be very mad about them telling me how much to send in. I am with you I would have no problem sending in supplies but not money. Like you said they have not had the budget cuts yet.

At the preschool my son goes to we only had to bring the usual school supplies at the begining of the year and $5 towards the cost of party stuff for the whole year. They have a different snack family each week and that child brings a healthy snack each day of that week for the whole class and the school provides milk every day.

I was always under the impression that if your child recieves special sevices that it is all paid for by state and federal funding that is completly separate from district funding. Maybe it is just here though. I know when he was younger and he recieved his speech services at home that was all paid for by our county, and he was guarenteed a spot in preschool for free.

Is he going to the same preschool next year? I would not send in the money. I would just tell they that you are going to wait and see what next year brings after the meetings.
Actually I might not even give them a reason. I would tend to believe that if there are budget problems they would make different cut backs at higher grade levels not special ed preschool. I would think they couldn't make cuts for that.

Sorry to ramble like I said I would not send in the money.

[IC10]

We live in AL and my kids DS15 and DD12 have seen notes like please donate money and we will reduce the amount of fundraiser....ugh. To we have run out of toilet paper for the year and we are asking for donations. Each year our back to school list have copier paper, dry erase markers, paper towels, toilet paper all stuff that my child will use but the thought is that I should not have to get TP. Now we are going to cut 3-4 teachers per school. I am at a loss on how to help.

I would not send the check you pay taxes. Hope that does not sound as bitter as it is typed.

[MsMin]

I don't have school age children anymore (unless you count vet school ) but I do work closely w/ state and federal funding. I was running a program several years back that was cut in a 4 million $ Mental Health cut while nearly 5 million was spent on state funded "male drugs". Legislators don't always make the best decision and like this one was influenced by lobbiest for the drug companies.
This doesn't sound right though b/c I thought that fed law, which can't be superseded by state law and I thought the law requires basic therapies for children in need, of course Pre-k may fall outside of these laws. Some special ed teachers out there would have more accurate info b/c it's not my focus. It doesn't sound right either for funding to be removed??? I know that state funding can vary for special programs b/c I have also worked with some head start programs which were funded through federal grants. It sounds like they would qualify for headstart funding (haven't worked in this segment for about 3 years).
When we lived in Alabama my dd was in public school and we had to send TP and paper towels-- every week, but services were not cut for special ed.
I would check it out, see if you can find what has been cut by the state. Don't just take their word for it. How many of the teachers have applied for federal grants? That is the only way we survived former budget crunches.
I too would hesitate to just "send a check".

[Dakota Rose]

I think MsMin is on to something. Ask if anyone has checked into federal grants. There's probably something to help you under the No Child Left Behind Act. And you could also check with the First Five Association of California and the California Autism Foundation.

Since we lived in CA before, after and during the Prop 13 crisis, when taxpayers voted against a property tax and the schools suffered severely for it (went from the top 10 to #48 in the nation), I can tell you that California is notorious for education cuts, especially if taxpayers have recently voted against a new tax or a tax increase.

I wouldn't send a check. I would, instead, encourage the parents group to arrange some fundraisers like a spaghetti dinner and auction or something like that.

And since this hasn't been passed yet, I think the parents group would better serve their school by getting petitions going and acting politically before asking parents to dip into their pockets.

[ElenitaB]

My son has been in both public and private elementary school, and prior to that, a private daycare (which had a state-funded special ed program as well). Ever since he started kindergarten, we have received a list of supplies that are to accompany them to school the first few days of school (no "donations" here... it's expected), including everything from colored pencils (or crayons according to what grade he was in) on through hand wipes, paper towels and paper plates. Believe me, the list he now receives is quite extensive. I'd say we spend a good $75 on supplies other than traditional school supplies. This happens at both public and private schools here in NYC. At some point during the school year there will be another request for plates or plastic forks or paper towels. In addition, there are multiple fund-raisers held through out the year. I've come to the point where I just write out a check as I do not want to bother family and friends to buy "stuff" that no one really wants or needs. At least your school district is being up front about needing the money instead of having you sell junk from a catalog, or sell ads and buy tickets for an annual dinner dance.

That said, as parents, you do have the right to ask for an accounting of how the money will be used. Is there a parent association (besides the "Parents Booster Club")? On the other side of the equation, teachers also end up spending incredible amounts of their own money on teaching supplies for their classrooms...

The only other suggestion I'd have would be to write/call your state representatives and ask them how special education services will be impacted by the budget cuts. The cuts may have already happened but it never hurts for our elected officials to hear from the families potentially affected by them.

[BrerGnat]

Just to clarify, this is NOT the teachers asking for money, it's the Booster Club. To me, this seems like a fundraising effort, MINUS the "effort" on their part to put something together. They do several fundraisers throughout the year, and they are usually very successful, but this seems excessive, to expect the PARENTS to come up with $20,000. I mean, really.

I have NO problem donating needed items to my son's classroom. His teacher does ask when things are needed, but I know that she also spends a LOT of money out of her own pocket to provide things for the classroom (as all teachers do). His teacher has never demanded or required donations, but I have complied when it has been something I can provide. For every class party so far, I have (gladly) provided snacks or decorations, and I see no problem with this. I will send in a Costco pack of wipes or napkins "just because". I know how useful this stuff is and I know that little donations on my part are appreciated by the teachers.

This blatant request for money has me really angry though. It's as thought the booster club expects that we are so naive as to just write a check, without questioning it. In the first part of the letter, it mentions "critical supplies", while in the second, they go into different clinics/therapies (which are funded by the federal gov't, as far as I know). So, what exactly will the money be used for???

This school will not be impacted that much by this budget cut (if it even happens). However, it seems like the booster club is using this budget cut to "up" their own ante as far as how much they can squeeze out of the parents, so they can brag about how "successful" at fundraising they were this year. This is the reason why I don't volunteer for these committees.

[crazypoohbear]

Hi Natalie,
Hope everyone is feeling better.
I would be Leary of this "booster club fund raiser" I would ask exactly how much money was going to your particular classroom.
for a public school that seems like a lot of money to "request"
I too believe, at least here in MA. that for sped students everything is covered by Fed Law

Here in my town there is a parent group that has fund raisers specifically for their autistic children. they raise money and use it during the year to fund field trips and help pay for camps during the summer. As you know it is very difficult to get autistic kids to socialize and this group of parents do things to keep there kids together, it helps with the anxiety that some kids go through. But, this is their thing to do and is not associated with the school other than all the kids are in the same type of inclusion class rooms together
You could also call the superintendent and ask why money is being sought before the budget has passed. It could be that the boosters are just being over zealous.
Until you are sure the money would go to benefit your son I would not donate anything.

[Dznygrl79]

Here in Delaware its not uncommon to request supplies but they do not ask for money (except field trips and special events) until high school.

We get a list of supplies at the beginning of the school year, as well as a request that each family send a box of tissues, hand sanitizer, paper plates, napkins, and sometimes depending on the age and teacher a favorite book to be donated to the class library. We have two fundraisers fall and spring.
Last year the school referendum did not pass so this year we lost heat at out afterschool activities but we have not been asked for money.
If I where you I would consider asking for a proposed list of expenses that the money was going to help with and then make my decision.
You are not wrong in being apprehensive, you should always know what your money is going for before you pay.

[TikiGoddess]

I am a teacher here in CT. My problem with parents donating money (or a booster group donating money) is that you set a precedent --- if you pay for it, next year the state will say "oh, the parents took care of that last year, we won't give them any funding".

I think it's ridiculous that parents should be giving supplies to classrooms, and even more ridiculous that the teachers are expected to pay for supplies in some parts of the country! If you work for an insurance company, you're not required to bring in your own copy paper. The lack of funding that education receives is appalling.

TikiG

[BrerGnat]

I think it's ridiculous that parents should be giving supplies to classrooms, and even more ridiculous that the teachers are expected to pay for supplies in some parts of the country! If you work for an insurance company, you're not required to bring in your own copy paper. The lack of funding that education receives is appalling.

TikiG

I agree with that.

However, since he is only at the preschool level, I don't feel it's too much to ask to donate some basic supplies; it's never a requirement. Honestly, I feel so fortunate that my son has this program to attend, and since it's free, it feels right to donate items that are needed. Not many parents get free preschool for their kids...I am grateful that this is out there for him. It has helped him SO much already, donating some items is the least I can do to show my appreciation.

I'm sure as he gets older and into the elementary school, the "required" school supplies list will get large and expensive, and at that point, I may not feel the same way about it...

I agree that education should receive top priority for funding. Sadly, it does not.

[Quest4fun]

You should contact your school and have them look into the CMAS (California Multiple Award Schedule) program which uses federal money that is set aside for things like school supplies, desks, computers, etc. There are actually several federal programs out there that are not utilized for public schools even though they're intended for them. (Unclaimed funds are re-circulated to provide raises and bonuses by the way.)

There are millions of dollars going uncollected in the state of California because nobody is asking for it.

I used to be a contractor for California and you could not convince a school board that there was federal funding for what they need. I would even provide documentation stating all of this. They still thought they were being "pitched" to so they would just ignore me. Very sad.

That being said, this money is still out there. Talk to your elected School Board members and tell them that this stuff is out there and they're being stupid by ignoring. Use those exact words.

[MNNHFLTX]

At my son's high school they have booster clubs for sports and other extra-cirricular groups, but not a general booster club for the whole school. This is because spending cuts tend to affect non-essential activities first. We are bombarded constantly with fundraisers and requests for donations from these extracurricular groups, but have never been asked to pay for regular academic necessities for the school. Well, on occasion a teacher in a specific class may send out a request for a supply of something not typically covered by the school--for example, my son's statistics teacher asked for bags of skittles to be sent in for a special project.

Personally, I would not send in a check without clarification as far as what it will be spent on and then only if it made sense to you. The booster club owes parents more of an explanation than what they gave.

[BrerGnat]

Thanks for all your replies. I am definitely NOT sending in a check. And, to be honest, I have way too much on my plate right now and the last thing I have time for is to harrass the booster club to find out what they want money for. I am confident that the school is able to provide what MY SON needs at the moment. As long as they follow his IEP, I don't have any problem. I tend to think that, in this (affluent) town, especially, the booster club tends to get a bit over zealous. I don't think the situation is as "dire" as they make it out to be.

This is a Special Education PRESCHOOL, for goodness sake. There are no "extracirricular" activities or programs.

I plan to email my son's teacher and ask her specifically if there are any supplies SHE needs for HER classroom. I will gladly help her out.

Thanks again for your feedback.