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Wednesday, March 11, 2009
APS May End PTA-Paid Instruction
By Andrea Schoellkopf
Journal Staff Writer
In some Albuquerque schools, parents are making up the difference when it comes to having enough money for art, music or technology teachers.
But the parent contributions, made through the PTA, are at mostly affluent schools, and Superintendent Winston Brooks said the inequality with the poorer schools is so profound he'd like to end the practice — eventually.
"I'm not messing with that this year," said Brooks, who is dealing with a flat budget and trying to make sure all schools have at least a minimum amount for librarians, counselors, PE teachers and music and art teachers.
Ideally, he said, the Legislature would agree to changes in the school funding formula that would make PTA money for staffing unnecessary. Lawmakers are considering raising $360 million for schools statewide by raising gross-receipts and income taxes.
Currently, Albuquerque elementary students get art instruction one year, and music the next. Schools with more than 700 students get two teachers a year, and small schools have to share art or music teachers.
APS did not know how many schools have additional PTA-paid instruction. Phone calls to elementaries found several PTAs paying for educational assistants, technology teachers and art and music teachers:
n The PTA at Double Eagle Elementary, which seeks $150 in donations per student, helps pay for a part-time technology teacher and either an art or music teacher every year to complement the district's rotating program.
n Bandelier Elementary's PTA pays to have a music teacher during the off years, when APS doesn't.
n Hubert Humphrey and North Star elementary PTAs cover the cost of turning the part-time technology teacher position into a full-time job.
n Dennis Chavez Elementary's PTA pays for a full-time technology educational assistant.
n Monte Vista Elementary is seeking $60 contributions from parents this month to supplement staffing for that school's art and music program.
Parents in some of these schools said instructional budgets are minimal compared with lower-income schools that are supplemented by federal Title 1 dollars.
Teddy Decker, North Star PTA president, said there would be an uproar if APS forbids parents from helping to pay staff.
"(Brooks') idea of leveling the playing field, I think, is fabulous," Decker said, "as long as everyone else is expected to come up to our standards instead of lowering our standards."
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