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As a public school teacher working in a low income school district, cutting funding for elementary schools would negatively impact student learning, success, and work environment. Here are three reasons why.

Reason One: Prior to the first day of school, we discuss budget cuts as a staff and try not to feel too sorry for the first year teachers who were hired but may not be kept due to budget. If we are not able to keep one, or sometimes two of those first year teachers, students are then distributed amongst teachers within that grade level. When this happens, it becomes a class size issue. Teachers receive aide time, typically one hour per day to assist the overloaded teacher. It is less expensive to pay an aide minimum wage than it is to keep a salaried teacher. It is much harder to teach, work in small groups, and manage an overloaded classroom. Class size definitely impacts student learning.

Reason Two: In our district librarians, physical education, and music teachers are titled "Specialists." Each classroom goes to one specialist per day, which gives teachers their planning time. Specialists are typically the second people (next to classroom teachers) who loose their job when a budget cut occurs. At the beginning of this current school year 2007 2008, we lost our second P.E. teacher leaving our elementary school of 560 students with one P.E. teacher due budget cutting. When this happens classrooms have to double up their P.E. time. Meaning, there is one P.E. teacher for two overloaded classrooms. In other words, one teacher and one elementary school sized gym for sixty students.

Reason Three: At the beginning of every school year, teachers spend countless (non contracted) hours at the end of August preparing for the arrival students. In order to prepare, our school district offers $250.00 in compensation to be used for preparation. Although the $250.00 is greatly appreciated, teachers spend hundreds of dollars that exceed the allotted amount. Many teachers however refuse to spend their own money. Without spending more than what the district offers, teachers are left to teach with what their school provides. In our district that is very little.

Yes, students are given a list at the beginning of the school year of items to be purchased for particular schools and or classrooms. The problem is half of kids are not able to purchase those items and enter the first day of school empty handed. If those students do not have a backpack, pencils, crayons, markers, glue, paper, folders, etc. teachers are left to fend for those students, often resulting in purchasing those items. If budgets are cut, the little art supplies that our school does provide, will not be purchased.

The government should not be cutting elementary school budgets. As you can see budget cuts impact student learning, success, and environment!

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