The state funding formula for schools is the real culprit here. While expenses (energy costs, salary and benefits, etc.) go up at 4% or more each year the state only increases the student per pupil amount by 2.75% or less each year. The funding system is set up for failure - unless your school district is growing in student size and able to bring in new revenue through increased pupil count. Brodhead is one of the last districts in its area to ask for a referendum to exceed the revenue cap. Sooner or later every school district that is not growing will have to go to referendum.

"If you think that people will avoid a school without a sports program, wait until you see how they avoid one that is labeled failing."

Schools are failing Don Ciego. Why do you think more kids are being home schooled and sent to charter schools? Because of poor educational socialistic environments that have liberal educators who push their agenda on our kids. In addition, poor teachers continue to teach and get paid way too much for what we get in return. In the real business world (most of the time) poor peformers are let go.

freebird007 one problem Brodhead has as far as cutting from the top is their administrators managed to get a 2 year contract thru last year therefore nothing of theirs could get touched while they are trying to get this referendum thru.

It's strange that if the referendum doesn't pass, they'll have to cut teachers and extra-curricular activities. I wonder who decided they couldn't freeze increases in retirement health benefits. They probably just overlooked those. They're not much anyway, probably only $100k per teacher. Nothing to see here class, move along.

Don Diego I guess I do not understand the way you cover up poor leadership. In the business world we call that poor job performance and that means dismissal. I still cannot understand why it is hard to train anybody at any level. Evidently the Brodhead Superintendent states in the paper that in order to continue the quality of education this budget must pass. So, you tell me, is it about education or is it about pay and the quality of living for his management team. I differ on the way you think because I had teachers who made it interesting when I was in school and it made me learn the skills that I have now, but today's teachers are not held accountable and do not accept nor are required to hold a higher degree of ethics and that comes down to the bottom line and that is the person in charge needs to be replaced for lack of leadership. Poor leadership will sink any business or school and I believe we both agree on that. It is sad that that school district is going thru this but look at what the janesville school went thru years past and believe me, things were changed. I beleive the people of Brodhead are not getting the full answer to what is needed. They need to know if it is a need or a want and the way it states in the paper it seems to be a want right now to continue to manage the way he does. How sad!! That people like that are in positions they are in and are kept there. Who knows, maybe the Brodhead people will ask some very good questions when they hold a forum on this issue before it is voted on!

Many years ago we had only 1 school for 1st grade all the way to high school in smaller communities. Only 1 principal, 1 secretary and the principal would teach a class if they needed a sub..but now days there are way too many extra people. They think they are threatening the people of Brodhead with the sports issue? How dare they!! We have a school board why can't they figure it out. Why would you need a superintenent if you have 3 principals? We had 30 kids in a class and that was not real good as the slower learning kids got passed up. We don't need to cut $30,000 teaching jobs we need to start at the top and go down!!..

Unfortunetly what freebird doesn't undrestand is NCLB, which is what HAS to concern the superintendent most. If the quality of the education suffers and students do poorly on the WKCE then the ditrict will be in even more hot water. Yes I am a teacher and I understand the extrodinary pressures the superintendent is facing as a result of federal law. The government is not taking over schools because they have bad sports teams or none at all. They are taking them over because of poor academics. If you cut the academics too much, you will suffer the consequences. If you think that people will avoid a school without a sports program, wait until you see how they avoid one that is labeled failing.

Don_Diego
Dec 18, 2009 at 9:02 a.m.
Suggest removal Obviously freebird needs someone to teach the difference between principles and principals.

Evidently Don_Diego needs to learn what business 101 is. Brodhead school district is over staffed and is top heavy. Face the facts! 15 students per teacher last reported to state!
enrollment down and they hire more teachers per newspaper articles, plus they give pay raises every year! The issue is that Brodhead lost two major companies in that town and one other has major layoffs, how can you ask people to pay more when they do not even have a job!!! Oh, maybe you have a job Don_diego, maybe you are a teacher or such in the educational world. What cracks me up is that teachers are supposed to prepare you for the outside world and all they are doing is teaching that you need to pay taxes with or without a job to support them. come on, this stuff is getting to old to just ask the people for more money when the Brodhead people do not have it. Cut the sports is not the way to go. Cut the ones that make the big bucks and start there. The only thing that will increase enrollment is to have a low millrate because no one is going to live there if they are going to get taxed more.

Got that right, gary.

High School athletics is the last thing any struggling community needs to eliminate. You think you are in tough economic conditions now, wait until Brodhead athletics is wiped out......VIVA PARKVIEW!!!!

Cutting athletics is not the solution. You think you have a deficit now, wait until open enrollment hits and all the athletes go to other districts.

Perhaps the school system in the US can take a page from the rest of the world. If people want their child(ren) to play sports, they pay to join a club team. If they can't afford it, too bad! The society needs educated citizenry, not better basketball/football/etc players. Sports are a luxury, not a necessity. I applaud the school district for putting it to the voters. Pay up!

Obviously freebird needs someone to teach the difference between principles and principals.

I think they should eliminate the superintendents job.

According to the figures, the tax icrease exceeds what they need to continue. My solution would be to eliminate the Superintendent's position and staff and replace it with one of the principles and use the secretaries at the school to absorb the work. I think the Superintendent's office exceeds $200,000 a year to operate and then no teachers will be cut and extra curicular activities will continue, plus Brodhead sports is very good and they bring in alot of money especially the football program there.

The article leaves out some very important information - just why is there such a deficit? e.g. declining school enrollment, depressed property assessments, union contracts? Please give the story behind the reason for the deficits!

The nuclear solution - cut sports. There is no other issue that will get hoi polloi's attention as much as that one.

"-- All middle and high school extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, etc.)" This is a good one. They always slap this on the list of cuts. But actually, since school is for learning academics, this may be a good place to start. In fact, I would change the wording to be, "-- All middle and high school extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, etc.), also included would be Superintendent Chuck Deery"