Quote:All money for our schools are distributed during what is called a FTE period.  In the first week of school we have to a do head count and lay eyes on students in order to confirm that they are attending our school.  The schools funds are originally estimated by the county, but in order to hold onto these funds (or get more if more students randomly show up, which does happen) we need to have proof the students are attending the school.  After the initial FTE period there is a follow up that occurs towards the end of the first quarter.  At that point all monies are allocated based on student enrollment and no longer adjusted for the year.

 

Funds for enrollment are not shifted from school to school after that point.  If we get more kids, we don't receive more money per student.  

 

As for the comment about students being kicked out of charter and private schools, I can just tell you from my personal experience.  I always have a bump in students that are booted from both types of schools after the 1st quarter (which, for charter schools, coincides with the end of the FTE period.)  Also, I should note and probably should have been clearer in my earlier post, that many times the students dismissed from these institutions are for "disruptive behavior" or some other violation of school rules.  This often coincides with low grades and I find it tends to happen a lot once monies have been finalized (with charter schools, but I would be concerned the same thing would happen if vouchers were allowed on large scale with private schools.)

 

I know a lot of people would argue that if they are breaking the rules they should be kicked out, however, in the public schools we HAVE to take them.  I have had private school students come to my class for a variety of reasons (caught with pot, got in too many fights, etc.)  

 

Thank you for your response.  I can certainly see your point regarding the funding.  However, one thing that must be considered, after the first quarter is it possible that students have "acted out" during that period?  Generally speaking, using your examples of why students end up in your class (getting in too many fights, caught with pot), would you say a student that fit that profile generally has good grades or bad grades?

 

Here is my thinking, and it's all hypothetical of course.  Perhaps "little Johnny" has been getting into too much trouble at school and has bad grades.  His parents want him to do better, so they send him to a private school.  After two or three months (not sure how a quarter is defined on the school calender) little Johnny has gotten into lots of trouble by getting into fights, disrupting class, etc.  He gets caught with pot on school grounds, so the school expels him.

 

Is it possible that the timing just happens to coincide with the end of the first quarter going into the second quarter?

 

I would say that this is an indicator of a parenting problem rather than a school problem.

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