School Board query

[DemoLady]

"We need to educate our students that desire it in the vocational arts as well. I am not sure we do so in our schools here. Please enlighten me if such is the case. "

I totally agree that our current educational system is a cookie cutter one -- one size has to fit all. My previous comment related to AP Classes for the 25% of the students who are outstanding achievers and want to be accepted into competitive colleges and universities.

We do need to have a curriculum for those students who want to learn a trade and have employment by the time they leave high school. But, with the comments on this thread -- NO ONE wants the Board to raise millage. Providing equipment, teachers, buildings etc. for a top-notch vocational curricumlum would certainly require additional funding. What are our priorities and how will we pay for them?

 

[Bob Hudson]

Funding Levels Per Student levels are readily available from the State Department of Education and are broken down into four categories. Regular, Exceptional, At-Risk and Vocational. These are the comparitive numbers for Walton and Okaloosa County school systems.

Data is from FDOE and the latest available data is for the 2006-2007 school year.

Regular
Walton $7,226
Okaloosa $6,531

Exceptional
Walton $10,763
Okaloosa $9,560

At-Risk
Walton $ 6,549
Okaloosa $5,885

Vocational
Walton $10,610
Okaloosa $5,974


Interesting when you make the comparison to graduation rates, test scores, reading level, drop-out rates, Capital expenditures per student and the perception of the overall quality of education received in schools.

 

[idlewind]

Bob:
You should have learned the facts never get in the way of a good political rant. Who cares about numbers like you present when we can talk about someone playing pin the tail on the liberal or some other such game.

 

[John R]

No. I haven't seen a picture of the picture of Obama, just a rumor that there was one. ...I don't have a problem with it.

[ame="http://sowal.com/bb/showpost.php?p=485333&postcount=11"]SoWal Beaches Forum - View Single Post - Walton Victory Center Closing?[/ame]

 

[ShallowsNole]

http://sowal.com/bb/showpost.php?p=485333&postcount=11

So perhaps I was wrong about Obama on the jackass's butt. Honestly, if I had been asked to hold the dam thing, the only thing I would have been worried about is whether I was tall enough to avoid personal bodily injury from getting hit with a stick.

Take care.

 

[Bob Hudson]

Graduation Rate Comparison Okaloosa vs Walton

We want them all !

Okaloosa County Graduation Rate

2006-2007 - 84.7%
2004-2005 - 85.2%

Walton County Graduation Rate

2006-2007 - 74.2%
2004-2005 - 77.8%

Source FDOE Website: Data is for the 2006 -2007 School year

The following surrounding system have a higher graduation rate than Walton County.

Bay, Okaloosa, Franklin, Santa Rosa and Calhoun

Why ?

 

[Andy A]

Funding Levels Per Student levels are readily available from the State Department of Education and are broken down into four categories. Regular, Exceptional, At-Risk and Vocational. These are the comparitive numbers for Walton and Okaloosa County school systems.

Data is from FDOE and the latest available data is for the 2006-2007 school year.

Regular
Walton $7,226
Okaloosa $6,531

Exceptional
Walton $10,763
Okaloosa $9,560

At-Risk
Walton $ 6,549
Okaloosa $5,885

Vocational
Walton $10,610
Okaloosa $5,974


Interesting when you make the comparison to graduation rates, test scores, reading level, drop-out rates, Capital expenditures per student and the perception of the overall quality of education received in schools.

Interesting figures and they bring about some questions from one without children in the school system.
1. I note that funding for the exceptional category is above all others. What specific programs are in place to assist these students?
2. Right behind the exceptional category is vocational. Do the schools have the type workshops necessary to train these students in the specific vocational categories?
I recently returned from my 60th class reunion in Pueblo, Colorado and one of the events during the reunion was a tour of the present high school facilities. I was amazed at the laboratories available to the students. They were first class as far as equipment was concerned. Also, the automotive shop and carpentry shops would have paralleled any of the professional shops in business in the city. Do we have these types of facilities available to the students of Walton County? If not, why not? Again, since I have no children in school, I am not aware of the curriculum and facilities available to our students but would certainly be willing to hear more about our situation. To me, these are the type of questions and the pursuit of answers members of our school board should be seeking.

 

[idlewind]

And good questions they are Andy.

 

[Bob Hudson]

Does your child deserve a in-field certified teacher

Comparison of Teachers teaching out of field.

Much has been said about the growth in teacher salaries in the past few years. Reported to be 35% by the incumbent in the school board race.

How is Walton County Doing in this key State Evaluation Point ?

WORSE !

Walton County had 10.5 % its teachers who were not "in-Field" in 2006-2007 vs 3.3% in 2002-2003.

Franklin County had 0% Okaloosa 5.5% Santa Rosa 6.0%.

Frankling county has not had a teacher teaching out of field in any year since the 2002-2003 school year.

Walton Counties % of teachers with advanced degrees has dropped from 35.4% to 30.9.

Walton Counties average years of experience in teaching has dropped from 12.6 years to 9.5%

Why?

 

[John R]

Honestly, if I had been asked to hold the dam thing, the only thing I would have been worried about is whether I was tall enough to avoid personal bodily injury from getting hit with a stick.

Not being directly associated with the beating of the effigy of a presidential candidate? Don't get me wrong, you and Robert are of course free to behave any way you like. It just doesn't seem like that's the most positive image a political candidate wants to be presenting to the voting public. Different value system, I suppose.