Newsletter 07.08

$143 per barrel

If your school buses students, you may be surprised to discover fewer dollars available for art supplies, basketballs and even math books as school districts struggle to fill those bus tanks with diesel.

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal included a number of discouraging examples:

  • Bellevue (Nebraska) Schools are budgeting $600,000 this year for bus fuel, as compared with $250,000 for last year.
  • Bowling Green (Kentucky) Schools are increasing their fuel budget by 36%.
  • Durham (North Carolina) Schools are putting aside $3.3 million, more that twice what they spent last year.
According to the American School Bus Council, "more than 475,000 yellow school buses transport 25 million children to and from school each day." They drive almost 4.3 billion miles every year. Figure the average school bus gets about 10 to 15 miles per gallon and with diesel costing about $4.65 per gallon (average price in the US on June 30, 2008), that's a whopping $1,600,000,000 to get our kids to and from school - $623,000,000 more than last year. That $623 million has to come from somewhere.

Add state and local revenue shortfalls to the equation. It appears that almost half of the fifty US states will not collect enough tax revenue to fund normal activities (including education).

A quick look at a few headlines in California tell the story:
  • EMPIRE -- Staff will take $2.4 million in budget cuts to Empire Union School District trustees for approval Thursday night.
  • MODESTO -- Modesto City Schools board members voted unanimously Monday night to slash $2.5 million from next year's budget by cutting positions or reducing work hours for about 200 district support staff members.
  • RIVERBANK -- Trustees narrowly approved $1.4 million in cuts to Riverbank Unified School District's budget at a meeting Tuesday night.
  • OAKDALE -- Trustees cut Oakdale Joint Unified School District's budget by $1.6 million Monday night.
Start tightening.

For many educators, we've experienced budget problems before, and survived. But it wasn't pretty.

Unfortunately, some of the first programs to get cut are those that keep those "borderline kids" motivated to stay in school. Sports, music and art are often on the chopping block early in the budget cutting process. Field trips and lab supplies get slashed. And teacher aides disappear.

We know from previous downturns that there's a direct relationship between the health of the economy and school discipline problems: as money problems become more prevalent at home, students tend to bring frustration and empty stomaches to school. And there they find fewer programs and social workers to help them keep their minds off the fact that dad lost his job or the family can no longer afford that second car.

There are no easy answers or "quick fixes" to the problem.

Just being aware of it helps. But that's small solace for the teacher who has to deal with Sally in tears or Johnny swearing at Mike on the first day of school.

We can help a little. Our discipline material works. And it has been successfully used in the lower grades all the way through high school. Many schools report it can be used as a "preventative" measure, providing students with options to acting out before the pressure results in an outburst. (Our Survey results and user comments attest to this success.)

And just for reading this newsletter we're offering free shipping (no small token today!). Put the word "newsletter" on your Purchase Order or mention this newsletter when ordering on the phone and we'll give you free shipping. No matter how large or small your order. (Offer expires January 1, 2009)

It's a small measure, but hopefully, with creative staff and a little time to prepare, intelligent educators will figure a way to get through this period. We've done it before.

The Advantage Press, Inc. publishes a number of behavior packets based upon the "old fashioned" concept of actually having students read material that can help educators successfully manage student behavior. You are welcome to try our free samples.