or, do we really need another bloated agency?
Haven’t you ever wondered what the US Department of Education (USDoE) is all about? I know I have.
So I thought, should you be interested, maybe I can help us both learn a little more about this “important” Department. That’s why I’m starting this series of posts on the USDoE.
The first thing I did was go to the USDoE website to get their perspective on things. It’s a pretty substantial site, so be prepared to spend an hour or more.
Based on that search, it became obvious to me, that these guys are tasked into a lot of responsibility – some of which we will discuss in later posts and most of which, you will quickly learn, have little direct impact on EMSD#63 students education.
The first place to look when trying to understand any organization is their Mission Statement. It’s their reason for being, yes?
US Department of Education
| Mission Statement - USDoE Website |
| “Congress established the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on May 4, 1980, in the Department of Education Organization Act (Public Law 96-88 of October 1979). Under this law, ED's mission is to:
|
I suspect we’ll be looking at this statement again as part of future posts.
A quick search using Answers.com filled in a few more blanks.
Dollars and Sense or Cents
So how many taxpayer dollars is this Department responsible for in 2012’s budget?
So, what about prior year spending?
Dollars per Employee
| Year | Total Dollars | # Empl. | $$/Employee |
| 2007 | $100,047,663,000 | 5,000 | $20,009,533 |
| 1996 | $32,293,918,000 | 4,800 | $6,727,900 |
| Diff. | $67,753,745,000 | $13,281,633 | |
| 209.80% | 197.41% |
Look at those total dollar and dollar per employee increases, and in just 11 years too. Many of those years were George Bush’s No Child Left Behind/Compassionate Conservative years.
Dollars per Taxpayer
| Total Dollars UDDoE Budget | $100,047,663,000 |
| Total # Taxpayers 2007 | 138,000,000 |
| Average $$/Taxpayer | $725.00 |
Source: USDoE Budget History and Wikipedia,Taxation in the United States
So what does this bureaucracy do? They sure aren’t involved with teaching EMSD#63’S children.
Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Summary — February 14, 2011 is a good place to start.
| USDoE - Organizational Chart |
 |
I’m not against a USDoE per sue, some one has to collect and annualize educational related data at the national level.
That said, how did the country survive? How did my grandparents, my mother and father, my wife and I, most of you or most of them for that matter, ever receive a good education without the help of the US Department of Education, its dedicated civil servants and all that money?
And to think, every state has their own version of this critter.
15 comments:
You said the following......
"They sure aren’t involved with teaching EMSD#63’S children".
•$489 million for the Grants for Infants and Families program under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), an increase of $50 million, or 11 percent, over the 2011 CR level, to help States implement statewide systems of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families.
•$11.7 billion for Special Education Grants to States, an increase of $200 million, to continue paying a significant share of State and local costs of improving educational outcomes for children with disabilities. The request would provide an estimated average of $1,765 per student for about 6.6 million children ages 3 through 21".
There are no special needs children in d63??? None??? That is over 12 billion in this one area. Could that number be tightened up?? I am sure it could as with virtually every number in government and, to be clear, I am all for that!!
But, as always, you go compeltely off the deepend.
Anon: March 01, 2011 7:05 PM
Yes, I repeat, “They sure aren’t involved with teaching EMSD#63’s children".
Unlike the Peace Corp, the USDoE does not send out “volunteers” to help in the classroom. They do not teach children!
One only needs to look at their Mission Statement.
The USDoE is not geared to teach. They are geared to collect and interoperate information, implement policies and law, manage and distribute tax-derived dollars as prescribed by law; in some cases, distribute that money in the form of Grants.
The USDoE does not teach one of EMSD#63’s students!
As to your other remarks:
“…$489 million for the Grants for Infants and Families program under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), an increase of $50 million, or 11 percent, over the 2011 CR level, to help States implement statewide systems of early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families….”
“…$11.7 billion for Special Education Grants to States, an increase of $200 million, to continue paying a significant share of State and local costs of improving educational outcomes for children with disabilities. The request would provide an estimated average of $1,765 per student for about 6.6 million children ages 3 through 21…".
You’ve used these examples of tax-redistribution to make your case for what, the generosity and benevolence of the Federal Government via USDoE Grants?
The USDoE did not create these dollars. They acquired that Grant money from Congress and Congress got it from the IRS, and the IRS got it from the taxpayer. Assuming you’re a Federal Taxpayer, that’s you and me.
You went on to declare: “But, as always, you go compeltely off the deepend.”
I don’t think I went over the deep end here. Guess that’s just one more thing for us to disagree on.
Mr B:
Perhaps the off the deep end remark was unfair and, if so, I am sorry. It is just that you throw out this number for the total budget and then make a connection to number of employees which is foggy at best. I brought up the 11Billion for special needs becuase it shows a reality. That being that much of the budget represents grants. Again, I am all for better oversite to make sure that this number is a "fat free" as possible. While they are at it, I would like them to take a peek at the DOD - the waste there would dwarf anythong in education, but I digress.
You asked the question how did we or our parents survive....etc. Well the truth related to special needs is very simple. They did not survive in our educational system. They were pushed in a corner. Inclusion did not exist. There have been HUGE advancements in this area. Like so many other things, there is an assiciated cost. Are you saying you do not want your tax dollars going toward this expense?
Anon: March 02, 2011 2:13 PM (Part 1)
Let me respond to your points one at a time.
“Perhaps the off the deep end remark was unfair and, if so, I am sorry.”
Answer: It was unfair and uncalled for. You apparently didn’t like the facts I presented. Fair enough. The facts presented were derived from the government agencies websites.
When all is said and done, our goal here at Butterly on Education is to inform and further the dialogue on those subjects presented.
“It is just that you throw out this number for the total budget and then make a connection to number of employees which is foggy at best.”
Answer: The Budget numbers come directly from the USDoE webite. I am sure you confirmed that via the link I provided. The number of USDoE employees were derived from the USDoE and OMB websites.
You are challenging my use of dollars per employee as a measure of USDoE growth. Forgive me if I don’t understand why a measure commonly used to define many a school system should be considered “foggy at best”. My intent was to get you to focus on the growth in those numbers over a relatively short period of time. This is a small agency by US Government standards. That much “walking around money” (Grants) in the control of small an organization is troubling to me.
“I brought up the 11Billion for special needs because it shows a reality. That being that much of the budget represents grants.”
Answer: What reality?
What we’re talking about with Grant money is the redistribution of taxed money; Monopoly money so to speak. Issuing of these Grants are the moral equivalent of landing on “Community Chest” or “Chance” and when you turn the card over, it says; “You’ve Won a Special Needs Grant - $1 Hundred Thousand Dollars”.
“Again, I am all for better oversite to make sure that this number is a "fat free" as possible. While they are at it, I would like them to take a peek at the DOD - the waste there would dwarf anythong in education, but I digress.”
Answer: The first part of this comment makes no sense to me in light of your prior statements on Grants. Your DoD comment; I consider it a red hearing and irrelevant.
“You asked the question how did we or our parents survive....etc. Well the truth related to special needs is very simple. They (we) did not survive under our educational system. They were pushed in a corner. Inclusion did not exist. There have been HUGE advancements in this area. Like so many other things, there is an assiciated cost. Are you saying you do not want your tax dollars going toward this expense?”
End of Part (1).
Anon: March 02, 2011 2:13 PM (Part 2)
Answer: What “truth” are you talking about?
I’m not aware of the world are you are living in. I don’t know who you are or your background. All I can say is, you or your ancestors must have had a different American experience than I or mine.
My grand parents and parents did not just survive the American Educational System they prospered. Each received a solid education within the Public School System of their day.
My father was an average student. Yet he received an above average public school education. Several years ago I visited the Glendale California School District; the District my father attended. I was lucky to find copies of my fathers High School Year Books. In order to graduate students were required to take Greek and be able to read Ancient Greek literature. They took Latin and were required to read and speak in that language. They were required to take philosophy and read, understand and quote the works of Plato and Aristotle. They had to be knowledgeable in the Physical Sciences, World, US and State of California History and Geography. Reading, writing and math proficiencies were expected upon graduating 8th grade. In high school, they read the great books of literature, and were required prior to passing their Freshman English course, to produce papers that were error-free in grammar and spelling. There were no word processors or spell-checkers back then. And, there was no such thing as social promotion.
My mother received a similar education in, now get this, a Chicago Public School.
My first years at school were at St. Michaels Grade School, in Chicago. This was back in the early 1950’s. The nuns who taught me at St. Michael’s had of 30 or more children in their classroom. More than half the kids in my third grade class were refugees from a dozen war-torn countries from Europe and Asia. Most spoke no English in September, but somehow spoke passable English by May. They were not “pushed into a corner” as you imagined.
Inclusion? We were all “included”. The same can be said for the CPS schools most of my friends attended. Black, brown, yellow and white were the colors of our world.
Most of my friends had (2) parents who worked. I lived in what would be a culturally rich neighborhood of Chicago. Italian, German, Polish and Spanish could be heard most hours of the weekend day. Quite a few parents did not speak English in their home. But their kids spoke English out of the home.
I guess in the end, we had good, knowledgeable and tough teachers. I wish you could have been there.
As to “HUGE advancements”, I have no Idea what you’re talking about.
Finally, no matter what I might think, in the end, I’m stuck supporting a failing school system with my tax dollars.
End part (2).
Mr. B:
With all respect, you missed a fairly important of my post. I said the following...."Well the truth related to special needs is very simple. They (we) did not survive under our educational system. They were pushed in a corner". Just to be clear , you put in the (we). I had a very positive educational experience.
The part you missed or possibly ignored was (caps for emphasis) RELATED TO SPECIAL NEEDS. My prior posts have mentioned 11 Billion + for special needs that is about 10% of the budget. Even you have to agree that there have been huge advancements in the way our education teaches and includes special needs childern. Back in my parents day, and, to some extent even my day, you did not even see special needs kids at school. These changes have asociated costs.
So again, I ask the question are you saying you do not want your tax dollars going toward this expense?”
By the way, related to the red herring comment, that is the problem, you look at only one piece of the process. I understand we all have our hot buttons and yours is education to do so and ignore the rest of the process is just dumb. The waste in our DOD and contractors would pay for multiple dapartment educations. Does that mean that everything in our education is good and not worthy of review- OF COURSE NOT!!!!! But private companies have gotton rich off of our tax dollars for things they did not do or did terrible but you rail about the greed of teachers.
Here is another red herring for ya. Yesterday ther was a bill in congress that would have stopped our tax dollars subsidizing the oil industry. We continue to subsidize the oil companies even though they have been the most profitable industry in the world over the last 10 years making literally trillions of dollars in profits. Do you know how much we give them?? 40 billion!!!! 40% of what it costs us for the deartment of education for the entire country is given to oil companies. Guess what??? The bill was voted down.
But back to those damn greedy teachers.....just another red herring.
Anon: March 03, 2011 4:47 AM and 5:10 AM,
You are absolutely right. I did place the “(we)” inside your quote. My mistake. Sorry!
When I was in school there were kids with what you would call “special needs” in the same classroom with me. Those kids (somehow) learned. They didn’t see themselves as “special” or “in need” of additional high priced educational services. The same can be said for their parents and educators.
You write of “special needs” as if it were a disease or handicap in need of a cure.
You talk of huge advancements in dealing with “special needs” as if these new advancements were required.
Teaching children is not the same as fighting birth defects and you guys are not the March of Dimes.
You are (I assume) a teacher. Your job and those of your colleagues, is to TEACH and to apply all of your skills to that end. The educators of my youth did whatever they had to do to get THAT job done.
It’s possible; just possible, educators in your generation have created a problem where none exists – to make more money. It’s possible; just possible, teachers in my generation were just better educators.
As to your second comment, I have the following to say.
Your reference to the Department of Defense budget was a red herring. Butterly on Education is about – EDUCATION. We were dealing with dollars currently being spent on education not dollars being spent on defense.
The rest of your rant was just – silly tripe!
So let me understand this, you had kids with, for example, autism in your class room??
March 03, 2011 11:36 AM,
Autism? No. Emotional disorders or visually and hearing impaired?
Yes.
Your intention seems to be, to discuss and expand upon one significant aspect of teaching that you are interested in, professionally or personally.
This post is about the USDoE. The post following it is about EMSD#63's ILBoE pay records. Both of which you have referenced.
That said, continuing down this path, at this time, under this blog posting, in my opinion, does not serve the interest of the site or the reader.
May I suggest we stay on track and discuss “special needs” as part of it’s own post?
It's your blog so I will certainly respect your wishes. Please allow me just one more comment. I went to one of your sources (Wikipedia) and did a bit of research.
Please read the following.
Before the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) was enacted in 1975, U.S. public schools educated only 1 out of 5 children with disabilities.[18] Approximately 200,000[18] children with disabilities such as deafness or mental retardation lived in state institutions that provided limited or no educational or rehabilitation services,[19] and more than one million children were excluded from school.[18] Another 3.5 million children with disabilities attended school but did not receive the educational services they needed.[18] Many of these children were segregated in special buildings or programs that neither allowed them to interact with non-disabled students nor provided them with even basic academic skills.
The EHA, later renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), required schools to provide specialized educational services to children with disabilities. The ultimate goal was to help these students live more independent lives in their communities, primarily by mandating access to the general education standards of the public school system.
Initially, children with disabilities were often placed in heterogeneous "special education" classrooms, making it difficult for any of their difficulties to be addressed appropriately. In the 1980s, the mainstreaming model began to be used more often as a result of the requirement to place children in the least restrictive environment (Clearinghouse, E. 2003). Students with relatively minor disabilities were integrated into regular classrooms, while students with major disabilities remained in segregated special classrooms, with the opportunity to be among normal students for up to a few hours each day. Many parents and educators favored allowing students with disabilities to be in classrooms along with their nondisabled peers.
With all do respect, it would appear that much of this occured after you were out of highschool.
You can certainly feel that this is all a waste and/or not want your taxes spent on it but don't pretend that there have not been any changes. Wiki is far from perfect but this would indicate 4.5-5 million kids that were not even in the system that over time were integrated into the system. These kids probably are more costly on a per student basis.
March 03, 2011 1:14 PM,
As I indicated to you earlier, the subject of this post was USBoE.
I am prepared to discuss your subject separately. In another post! That said, maybe, since you appear to be knowledgeable and passionate about the subject, we might find it to be in our mutual interest to collaborate.
Send me an email if you agree. You'll find the email address on the upper right-hand corner of this site.
Now, let's go back to the subject at hand.
Oh well...I guess I have nothing else to say. Please understand that I am far from an expert on special needs. I have gotten to know some kids through experiences with my daughter at school. I have to guess most people these days know an autistic child. I just happened on that page while scrolling through your link. There are many other interesting things in that budget worthy of discussion. I guess I do not see how we discuss the subject at hand without discussing the pieces which make up the USDoE or the programs on which they spend all that money. For example, I see a pretty good chunk of that budget foes to Pell Grants and other student financial assistance but we can't talk about that.
Apparently you are looking for either a thumbs up or a thumbs down on this department. If that is the case, I would have to give it a thumbs up. I hope that congress takes its responsibility for oversite and tightens up that number but I do see enough there that the states would not or do not do that it is more than worth having this department. Of course that debate would require we discuss the pieces and that is not the subject at hand!!
Looks like the reader discovered what the rest of us have known all along...Butterly isn't interested in all the facts. He only wants to dicuss the ones that he thinks support his beliefs, which appear to be somewhere in the vicinity of a staunch Tea Party member. The reader on these posts has done an amazing job bringing out the facts and now we see what Butterly does...he retreats!
Anon: March 05, 2011 10:20 AM,
What the reader discovered, was that there is a limit to the amount of time I am prepared to waste with someone who implies knowledge of a subject, just to learn after much wasted time, that the writer knows nothing or next to nothing about that subject.
I quote:
“Oh well...I guess I have nothing else to say. Please understand that I am far from an expert on special needs. I have gotten to know some kids through experiences with my daughter at school.”
Shame on me for playing the fool by offering to collaborate with the writer on a post specifically dedicated to his purported subject, “Special Needs” .
So tell me Anon: March 05, 2011 10:20 AM, why should I continue wasting my time by continuing a dialogue with someone who led me on, and by his own admission is ignorant on the subject being discussed?
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