Comments on: Op-Ed: State Cuts to Pre-K Funding Hurting College Heights

By: csdteacher

csdteacher — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 22:49:13 +0000

As one the Pre-k teachers staying at CH this up coming year – thank you for all your support and thank you Allison for such a thoughtful letter! To answer the question of August – your $800 will go to cover the cost of the salaries of the teachers working that month. Not all children will be attending that month therefore not all teachers will be working that month.
It is important to continue to write your state and community representatives. Tell them that you want to have Pre-k back to 180 days. Even if you do not have children that will be attending Pre-k it is important to give all children the access to educations. Remember that the children we are teaching and the community we are building now are the ones that will take care of us in the future!

By: immodest proposal

immodest proposal — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 21:36:23 +0000

FYI – author says the 6 teachers have left for more profitable jobs, but it may be more accurate to say: they will continue to work for CSD at Glennwood for the same salary, but they will have more days on their contracts.

And it might be worth noting that all CSD have not not had a salary step increase in a couple of years.

By: kristend

kristend — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 21:31:12 +0000

Wait just a second! I have a child who will be in Pre-K at College Heights beginning in September. That’s right, I said September, not August like the rest of CSD. Due to the shortened Pre-K year they decided to start the school year in September, but give all of us the option to pay for a month of pre-Pre-K “camp.” The whole rationale (I thought) for this “camp” was to allow the children to start with the rest of the school system and to allow the teachers to get paid for the month that had been reduced by the state. We will be paying in the neighborhood of $800 for the month of August, which I am happy to do. But now I’m wondering what this money is going to be used for if it’s not to pay the teachers for that “extra” month.

By: Garrett Goebel

Garrett Goebel — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:39:49 +0000

I imagine losing 6 of 9 PreK teachers must be almost like starting over from scratch. What an opportunity lost. It is hard to believe the current budget proposes a 1.25% step increase for all teachers, when those funds or one of the options which were proposed might have saved the PreK program.

We are likely looking at the demise of State Funded PreK in Georgia. Teachers may be close to Saints, but they still need a pay check just as much as the next person. Underfunding PreK will undermine PreK.

By: Decatur's Token Republican

Decatur's Token Republican — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 20:09:08 +0000

I doubt you’ll find anyone who disagrees. Pre-K is a very valuable program with long-term benefits.

Our children didn’t go to College Heights, but we took advantage of a private pre-K that qualified for the state program. We were very pleased with the results and how ready they were for kindergarten.

Teachers have always made way too little for the effort they put into teaching our little ones. If there is a way to supplement their pay, I hope we find it.