I vote for DragonFire and Big Black Jack as New Warren County Board Members!

Honestly, I would be happy with that. But I don't see it. I just don't think the county at large has as much issue with the situation. Especially the Duvall/McMichael district. If I had to guess, the guy that will be in danger will be Basham in two years.

 

I'm writing myself in on Tuesday!

Saw this thread a week or so back and last night Nov 10 I know WCBE voted to appeal the commissioners and state boards decision to Franklin circuit court. The reason given was the date for appeal falls before the latest round of mediation/negotiations are to begin. They also stated it was to protect the process and not have to start over should it all fail again.

So get ready for it to all ramp up again.

Saw this thread a week or so back and last night Nov 10 I know WCBE voted to appeal the commissioners and state boards decision to Franklin circuit court. The reason given was the date for appeal falls before the latest round of mediation/negotiations are to begin. They also stated it was to protect the process and not have to start over should it all fail again.

So get ready for it to all ramp up again.

 

Meanwhile my SO, who was hired this year, had to shell out $200 of her own money for classroom materials.

 

Do your thing WCBOE!

To be fair, if the WCBOE is losing money by "hundreds" of kids attending BG schools, why would they not want them to return to the school system they are supposed to be in?

To be fair, if the WCBOE is losing money by "hundreds" of kids attending BG schools, why would they not want them to return to the school system they are supposed to be in?

 

The SEEK money returned to educate those "hundreds" of kids will not come close to paying for the cost of educating them. That has become factual evidence in every hearing this issue has encountered. WCPS continues to be a growth district even with the number of parents that choose to send their children to BGISD. This is really not about the money.

Because 2 different arbitrators and the state board of education have told them to honor the agreement that they had in place with the BGISD.

Because 2 different arbitrators and the state board of education have told them to honor the agreement that they had in place with the BGISD.

 

I thought the agreement or contract they had expired?

The SEEK money returned to educate those "hundreds" of kids will not come close to paying for the cost of educating them. That has become factual evidence in every hearing this issue has encountered. WCPS continues to be a growth district even with the number of parents that choose to send their children to BGISD. This is really not about the money.

 

IMO it's about test scores. Does that correlate with money?

To be fair, if the WCBOE is losing money by "hundreds" of kids attending BG schools, why would they not want them to return to the school system they are supposed to be in?

 

You have hit on what it is all about. According to News press and other info there is no written agreement between the two school districts on the number of students. The agreement was an gentlemen's agreement between the former superintendents for 750 students that was agreed to several years ago. Since then the state has allowed the students of the teachers to attend the district where they are employed and the SEEK money stays with those students. My understanding is the Rub came when the County realized that those students were no longer being included in the 750 count. In one of the articles the city said that number was about 60 students but in another article it stated it was in excess of 150 students. (I am not positive on those numbers or the exact situation trying to go by memory.) But for instance if it is an additional 150 that puts the number at 900 students not 750 and the county feels it is loosing approximately 500,000 dollars because of this change in the state law. What they are talking about is a little of 3,000 dollars per student and where should that money be going the County or the City.

 

The county has put out numerous times that they want the number cut down yet they do not want to effect current students or siblings of current students that attend the City School system. I think the problem that both are facing is numbers. The City nor the county really has any idea of the number of teachers children that are attending the school district which is skewing the numbers and money. If for instance the number is cut to 600 and there is 150 teachers kids that are not included then the amount would still be 750. That would be the perfect solution but no one knows from year to year how many teacher kids are going to be there so if it was cut to 600 and there is only 60 it would be 660.

I personally don't blame either side for their arguments because you are talking about money to be spent on education of our youth and children in this issue. I just wish they could come to a written agreement and move forward with other issues that the school systems are facing.

IMO it's about test scores. Does that correlate with money?

 

This issue has been to a hearing officer twice. If you read his last findings (granted it is very tedious reading) his decisions were almost unanimous with BGISD on each argument presented as evidence in the case. The finding clearly shows that here is no financial hardship being encountered by the WCPS due to the agreement that is in place. By the way, part of the finding kept the agreement in place, reducing the number from 750 to 650.

 

The appeal to the Commissioner and subsequent appeal to the KY State Bd of Ed have done nothing to change the findings of the original hearing officer. The St Bd of Ed did mandate the two school systems to negotiate a future settlement and report back to the St Bd of Ed in December. It appears to me that the appeal to the Franklin Co court symbolizes that the WC Bd of Ed is telling the St Bd of Ed that they have no intention of negotiating and that they are looking for a way to circumvent the power of the Commissioner and State Bd of Ed. Meanwhile, a lot of $$$ is being spent on litigation, not on education.

This issue has been to a hearing officer twice. If you read his last findings (granted it is very tedious reading) his decisions were almost unanimous with BGISD on each argument presented as evidence in the case. The finding clearly shows that here is no financial hardship being encountered by the WCPS due to the agreement that is in place. By the way, part of the finding kept the agreement in place, reducing the number from 750 to 650.

 

The appeal to the Commissioner and subsequent appeal to the KY State Bd of Ed have done nothing to change the findings of the original hearing officer. The St Bd of Ed did mandate the two school systems to negotiate a future settlement and report back to the St Bd of Ed in December. It appears to me that the appeal to the Franklin Co court symbolizes that the WC Bd of Ed is telling the St Bd of Ed that they have no intention of negotiating and that they are looking for a way to circumvent the power of the Commissioner and State Bd of Ed. Meanwhile, a lot of $$$ is being spent on litigation, not on education.

 

Again, do higher test scores correlate with schools receiving more money? I'm not being rhetorical, I honestly do not know the answer.

You have hit on what it is all about. According to News press and other info there is no written agreement between the two school districts on the number of students. The agreement was an gentlemen's agreement between the former superintendents for 750 students that was agreed to several years ago. Since then the state has allowed the students of the teachers to attend the district where they are employed and the SEEK money stays with those students. My understanding is the Rub came when the County realized that those students were no longer being included in the 750 count. In one of the articles the city said that number was about 60 students but in another article it stated it was in excess of 150 students. (I am not positive on those numbers or the exact situation trying to go by memory.) But for instance if it is an additional 150 that puts the number at 900 students not 750 and the county feels it is loosing approximately 500,000 dollars because of this change in the state law. What they are talking about is a little of 3,000 dollars per student and where should that money be going the County or the City.

 

The county has put out numerous times that they want the number cut down yet they do not want to effect current students or siblings of current students that attend the City School system. I think the problem that both are facing is numbers. The City nor the county really has any idea of the number of teachers children that are attending the school district which is skewing the numbers and money. If for instance the number is cut to 600 and there is 150 teachers kids that are not included then the amount would still be 750. That would be the perfect solution but no one knows from year to year how many teacher kids are going to be there so if it was cut to 600 and there is only 60 it would be 660.

I personally don't blame either side for their arguments because you are talking about money to be spent on education of our youth and children in this issue. I just wish they could come to a written agreement and move forward with other issues that the school systems are facing.

 

You have written a couple of long authoritative paragraphs that aren't true. BGISD has had their numbers ready and all of their ducks in a row to answer every question posed by the arbitrators and the state commissioner in these hearings. That is why BGISD is 3-0 in these hearings and the county is continuing to appeal the defeats.

:popcorn::popcorn:

"You have written a couple of long authoritative paragraphs that aren't true. BGISD has had their numbers ready and all of their ducks in a row to answer every question posed by the arbitrators and the state commissioner in these hearings. That is why BGISD is 3-0 in these hearings and the county is continuing to appeal the defeats."

 

The following information is from WCPS website and is what I was speaking about:

 

"Following Mr. Hullet, Warren County Public Schools called district employee Pat Stewart to the stand. Mr. Stewart has been the Director of Student Services for four years and has been employed by WCPS for 33 years. He testified that an agreed 750 non-resident students were allowed to attend Bowling Green Independent Schools with an additional 100 students enrolled as children of BGISD employees in compliance with Kentucky House Bill 182.."

 

"In an email submitted as evidence, Mr. Stewart confirmed that BGISD Superintendent Joe Tinius had estimated the number of students of BGISD employees at 100 based on a 5-year average. Tinius had indicated that the number would decrease due to graduations, retirement and other changes in employment. However, it was revealed by attorney Tad Pardue that the number had increased to roughly 180 students."

 

"During his testimony, Stewart and Pardue revealed that no single school district of the 173 in Kentucky receives more non-resident students from a single district than the 750 received from Warren County by BGISD."

 

"In actuality, WCPS requested in a brief filed last week that the Kentucky Board of Education allow all currently enrolled students to continue their education without interruption. Additionally, WCPS requested that starting with the 2015-2016 school only currently enrolled students and their siblings be permitted to attend BGISD until an agreement has been reached between the two districts. Understanding this distinction is imperative to understanding the totality of the appeal. Despite BGISD enrolling additional nonresident students above the 750 ordered by the Commissioner last school year, WCPS has no intention of moving any child who is currently enrolled in BGISD. This includes those students enrolled above the Commissioner’s 2013 Order."