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One Letter Per Day: $76,500 or 6 days of school

5/2/2012

4 Comments

 
My next letter relates to an issue that often flies under the radar in public schools: the fact that the last few days of school are often empty of instruction and even students. My first year teaching I was shocked to find that the day grades were turned in was before the last day of school. What benefit is it to students to come to school after grades go in? The question was answered at the end of my first year when my classes were empty. 

This year grades were supposed to close on June 14th - the last day of school. However, due to budgetary constraints, that timeline has been pushed forward to June 6th. This 8 day loss strikes at the heart of the debate: do we as a community care about money or do we care about education?

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To: School Reform Commission 
440 North Broad Street 
Philadelphia, PA 19130 

May 2, 2012

Dear members of the School Reform Commission,

I am writing again to share another concern I have with policy in the School District of Philadelphia. There has recently been an unfortunate change in procedure regarding this year’s report card system that is going to negatively impact our students. While teachers were originally given until June 14th (the last day of school) to calculate and input our grades, that date has been changed to June 6th. While I would like students to take school seriously even after grades have been submitted, from experience I know this not to be true. Therefore, it seems that instead of 180 days of instruction, this decision has subtracted 6 days from that number.

I understand there are budgetary limitations and any corner that can be cut might help the bottom line. If cost savings is the goal, reducing money spent on postage will help. That being said, shouldn’t the well-being and learning of our students be the bottom line? If so, we should be striving to maintain their focus for as long as possible; this new decision does the exact opposite.  

As a math teacher I wonder about the numbers behind everything. In this case, it seems that the costs of mailing report cards home after June 14th are negligible compared with the benefits of six more days of instruction. At $0.45 per letter, to send report cards to 150,000 in Philadelphia would cost $67,500 in postage. At $0.06 per business-sized envelope, that adds $9000 to the cost.

Therefore, it seems we are sacrificing six full days of instruction for a small gain of $76,500. I urge you to find cost savings somewhere else or attempt to raise money from a Philadelphia-based foundation to compensate. Something as specific as this is sure to have potential donors.

Thank you,
Brian Cohen
One Letter Per Day Campaign

4 Comments
Lisa Kelly
5/2/2012 09:19:42 am

Go Brian. I think you just won us a few more days of instruction time and avoided the unpleasantness at the end of the year, when even the most dedicated students will ruin their year's attendance by skipping the last week and when the school year ends not with a bang but with a whimper, leaving summer feeling oddly undeserved. We can't afford to treat students' precious time so cavalierly.

Which brings me to the three half-days this week.... Am I the only teacher who wonders why we're sacrificing instructional time for so many days? Maybe we could set up video chats, see more parents, and save gasoline and instructional time.

Reply
Mark
5/2/2012 10:59:51 am

Smart and true. However, if someone one that SRC listens to anyone - ever - I would be shocked. Thanks for the thoughtful article and articulation.

Reply
nk
5/2/2012 01:10:13 pm

Either that or close school early...that last week is a waste with few students attending and the buildings so hot, children can hardly stay awake--and many don't. We could SAVE money by eliminating that last week and as you say, it would not affect student learning since they aren't there anyway (whether due to absence or too hot to think).

Reply
Natalie Minkovsky
5/4/2012 01:23:02 pm

If they send letters by the bulk mail, it will cut cost in half.

Reply

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    I am a math teacher in the New York Department of Education. I infuse technology and real-world problems into my curriculum in order to prepare my students for the future. I would love for people across the country to recognize we teachers can't do it alone. If you don't believe me, come visit my classroom!

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