By FITSNews || After spending the last year decrying so-called “budget cuts” to public education, hundreds of the state’s highest-paid educrats are preparing to hit the beach for another week of sun and fun – on your dime.
The S.C. Association of School Administrators (SCASA) is headed back to the luxurious Kingston Plantation in Myrtle Beach next month for its weeklong “Summer Leadership Institute,” which will include an annual address from S.C. Superintendent of Education, Jim Rex.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Making Miracles Happen Every Day,” which is pretty ironic considering the current state of public education in South Carolina.
For starters, the latest data shows that South Carolina’s graduation rate remains among the worst in the nation – which is consistent with our state’s declining SAT and ACT scores. On top of that, our rural graduation rate also ranks dead last in the country.
Meanwhile, recent funding for public education is at its highest level ever (click here and here), with our public schools sitting on $715 million in cash reserves on top of more than $9 billion in annual expenditures.
WEB EXTRA
SCASA Summer Leadership Institute
By schousehopeful May 26, 2010 at 10:35 am
We need school choice for parents!!!!!Make these administrators take notice of the students leaving their schools for better education across the street and they will change the way they do things.
By EasleyJack May 26, 2010 at 10:40 am
Again, you are missing the issue on the reserve funds. As stated previously, Pickens Co’s reserves run about $15 million. That “float” ran down to $2 million last fall when the money from the state was late in being transfered. $2 million isn’t enough to make payroll. Does it need to be $715 million in reserve funds? I can’t really say. But the way that the districts have to run, which is beholden to the crowd in Columbia, they have no choice but to run enough in reserve to cover costs for 2 months minimum.
By CNChapin May 26, 2010 at 10:50 am
Holy fucking flying pig’s balls! A story NOT about Will Folks boning Nikki Haley!? I can’t damned believe it! This is a story un-and-to itself!
By sclawboy May 26, 2010 at 10:55 am
Why is Nikki Haley’s name nowhere in this post?
By thestruz May 26, 2010 at 10:57 am
I wouldn’t call Kingston Plantation luxurious.
By Bill Doyle May 26, 2010 at 11:02 am
Paradise? Have you been to Myrtle Beach before?
By Bill Doyle May 26, 2010 at 11:09 am
Paradise? Have you ever been to Myrtle Beach?
By Ohmaar May 26, 2010 at 11:11 am
Hey, you fail everyday and not only do you get to keep your job but you even get a raise?! Sounds like “Making Miracles Happen Every Day,” to me!
By FunkyChicken May 26, 2010 at 11:17 am
For the love of God, please stop calling yourself a journalist. You are a joke and South Carolina is laughing at you now. This website is nothing more than a commercial for any special interest who wants to pay for air time. I am sure your family is proud of you.
By colleen May 26, 2010 at 11:29 am
Whew what a change of scenery! Wonder if the Nikki episode went the way Will was hoping or did it backfire on him?
By CNChapin May 26, 2010 at 11:36 am
Oh, I got so excited I forgot to comment on the story.
Here it goes:
Taxation is theft.
If I stole your money and used it to go on a vacation, would I not go to jail?
Anyone who uses tax dollars to cover ANYTHING more than the BARE necessities is worse than a fucking thief. They’re gluttonous pigs at the trough of evil. They are not even good enough to be used as something I wipe my shoes and ass with.
By CNSYD May 26, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Is SCASA a taxpayer funded entity? If not, how is their meeting “on my dime”?
By huh? May 26, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Haley flew to China on the taxpayer’s dime. So?
By Recovering Lobbyist May 26, 2010 at 1:13 pm
CNSYD: Do you think the educrats pay for that junket on their own dime? No, their employers (school boards) pay the bill. Adding insult to injury, the event is a fundraiser for SCASA. You could not figure that on out on your own?
By the Space Boogey May 26, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Well, the educracy needs to ‘convene’, to meet SOMEWHERE. Why not in Myrtle Beach, their home-state? Keep all the ‘tax-dollars’ there?
Anyway, using a “Tourist and Convention” Megalopolis makes money more efficient, goes farther. There’s motel rooms with convention meetings. The Myrtle Beach convention center. It’s like Las Vegas, the beach is now.
And all the Christianity here, there’s BooCoo entertainment and performers and all must go to church, somewhere. This is Jesus at the Beach, Lamb on Broadway now. Million Dollar electronics with an enormous supply of “technocrats,” singers, performers and Musicians. Let them go to church while they’re here.
By You Talkin' to Me? May 26, 2010 at 1:29 pm
Hey Will,
How much money did you get paid for this meaningless cheap shot? If it were my money, I would be asking for a refund — or at least to have you work it off in an inappropriate physical way.
By Canofworms May 26, 2010 at 1:32 pm
Kingston isn’t luxurious? Sure it’s not the Ritz but it ain’t a Motel 6 either.
By CNSYD LACKS BALLS May 26, 2010 at 1:34 pm
CNSYD was a public school teacher, so of course he’d defend them and the wasteful ways of public schools. The fact that the public school where he taught tree-ology is a major host of such retreats for public school teachers provides a basis for his bias in favor of this sort of waste. http://www.clemson.edu/newsroom/articles/2008/march/teacher_renewal.php5
By thestruz May 26, 2010 at 1:50 pm
@ Canofworms – If you consider an Embassy Suites or Hilton luxurious then call it what you like.
By Publicly Educated May 26, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Compare apples to apples…
South Carolina requires 24 units for graduation.. Here is the breakdown:
* English/Language Arts: 4 credits
* Mathematics: 4
* Science: 3
* U.S. History and Constitution: 1
* Economics: 0.5
* U.S. Government: 0.5
* Other Social Studies: 1
* Physical Education (or Junior ROTC as a substitute): 1
* Computer Science (includes keyboarding): 1
* Foreign Language or Career Education: 1
* Electives: 7
Iowa has a 93% graduation rate in the statistics I reviewed. Guess what their requirements are:
* Four credits of English
* Three credits of social studies
* Three credits of mathematics
I am not suggesting that we lower our requirements. I do think that ignoring the differences in requirements is being intellectually dishonest.
By Ttiger May 26, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Do we really think that if we let a child in Allendale choose to go to another school that THIS will keep them from dropping out of school? Come on! School choice is nothing but another form of discrimination designed to help the richer half of our population and deny the poorer half a chance at a good education. How many of the experts have actually been in the classroom? It amazes me that the two favorite whipping boys of the right (and I mean far right) are corrections and education. And the solution always starts off with “if you would just do this…” Okay, what if we use the “reserve” funds? In two years we will be in the same situation except all of the districts will have poor credit ratings due to a lack of reserves. How about we get some balls in Cola. and fix the tax system that exempts everything from wedding dresses to handguns?
By Joe Willie May 26, 2010 at 2:22 pm
It appears that SCASA is a membership-supported organization and the Summer Leadership Institute is paid for by registration fees. But don’t let that stop you. Cheap shots take less time than serious fact-finding. And who wants reasoned debate anyway? That just takes time away from wondering what Nikki Haley looks like in garters.
By baker May 26, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Folks can disagree with money being spent on retreats and professional training or whatever….understandable with budgets the way they are (assuming that this event is paid for out of school district budgets).
But calling these people “lazy educrats” is cheap and, I think, incorrect. The vast majority of school administrators work long hours and deal with a lot of stress — they are paid well, though not nearly as well as people in private business who work similar hours, have a similar number of employees, similar size budgets to deal with, etc.
This is just an example of Will’s slipperiness on important issues.
By CNSYD May 26, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Recovering Lobbyist, so what you are saying is that their expenses are approved by the hundreds of individual school boards in the state, all of which were elected by the voters in their district. Is that correct? So is your complaint with the attendees or those who approved the expense? Does any of these administrators have it in their contracts that the expenses will be borne by the district? If so, whose “fault” is that?
By CNSYD May 26, 2010 at 2:50 pm
By CNSYD LACKS BALLS on May 26th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
CNSYD was a public school teacher, so of course he’d defend them and the wasteful ways of public schools. The fact that the public school where he taught tree-ology is a major host of such retreats for public school teachers provides a basis for his bias in favor of this sort of waste. http://www.clemson.edu/newsroom/articles/2008/march/teacher_renewal.php5
Those who lack balls are those who hide. I am not nor have I ever been a school teacher, public or private. Is Clemson unique in this state for holding events for teachers? I would seriously doubt it. All learned professions require continuing education in order to maintain your license. I assume you view that as “waste” also. You can reach me at tomwinsc@hot.mail, unless you lack the balls.
By CNSYD May 26, 2010 at 2:51 pm
excuse me, that is tomwinsc@hotmail.com.
By owen May 26, 2010 at 2:53 pm
where should they meet? myrtle beach is in south carolina and has facilites for a group of what may be over 1000. that many people can’t meet in newberry. i suppose they could meet in columbia, but who wouldn’t prefer the beach over columbia in june? do they need to look for an ugly, uncomfortable place to meet?
By edubrat May 26, 2010 at 2:59 pm
CNSYD: of course it’s on your dime. Any money a school spends is on your dime! We’re funded by tax dollars and nothing else. Heck, even school fund raisers are paid for “by the people”! And we have a blast at the beach. Not only is the hotel paid for but there are vendors there that provide us with free food, booze, and golf! Not only that, but districts provide up to $36.00 per day per person as a per diem AND we can take our family too since everyone gets their own private room. So yeah, we’ll let teachers go without paper before we give up our yearly trip to the beach.
By edubrat May 26, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Pub. Educated:
Therein lies the crux of the issue in education rankings. Each state decides what to teach and how to test it. There in no consistancy and therefore, the rankings are meaningless. The feds don’t have the balls to stand up and say everyone should teach A, B, and C and we have a standard national test to measure if you are progressing or not. They can’t trample states rights! But yet they expect us to all be at the same level of proficiency. It’ll never work if you don’t have a clear cut and difinitive set of standards, that are not open for interpretation.
By ceilidh10 May 26, 2010 at 3:16 pm
I think professionals have the privilege to gather and have a nice meeting. Every group does it.
I went to Catholic schools in Charleston so I never experienced a public education through high school but I do know that the schools were better in the past. The High School of Charleston has its valedictorian give the farewell speech in Latin. I remember when I was in high school, A.C. Flora in Columbia hosted a model United Nations and had many National Merit Scholars.
Good students don’t really need a good school to move ahead. I have known bright successful people from poor high schools who were terrific people. It all begins with the home and the values of the parents. Stressing achievement is imperative. Cutting off the TV is imperative. It is all about the leadership at the top: the parents. I had that. Did you? Most kids do not.
By CNSYD May 26, 2010 at 3:22 pm
edubrat, MB is not my picture of paradise but to each his own. Wow $36/day per diem. I hope you don’t spend that all in one place. Do they furnish maps of all the fast food places?
By CNSYD May 26, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Pub Educated and edubrat, you have to compare ALL demographics and not just credit requirements. Are not the SAT and ACT nationally normed tests? Won’t they measure the outcome and therefore can be used as a basis for comparison? I am very familar with the nationally normed examination given to college seniors in a learned profession. Iowa has always led the way in pass rates.
By From the middle May 26, 2010 at 3:59 pm
This meeting brings people from all over the country.Several states promote this meeting and send their principals. It has been going on for 30 years and is one of the top training programs for princpals in the US. Get off their backs.
Plus it is a huge boost for MB and SC. Keep nagging and more tourist jobs will be lost!!
By mike May 26, 2010 at 4:48 pm
It would be nice if public employees could hold their conventions or retreats in economically distressed areas. Logistically this may not be possible, but its worth a try.
By The Truth May 26, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Not even near as bad as what you are doing with your so called Nikki Haley story!
By jeremy edwards May 26, 2010 at 4:59 pm
As a vendor that spends a considerable amount of time working with school districts in this state and who has taken part in these meetings numerous times over the past 10 years, I can tell you that this event is heavily funded by dues that vendors pay to be associated with public school districts within the state.
In addition, those educators that attend this particular event would call this trip anything but a vacation. While attending, there are numerous classes on a daily basis that they attend in order to receive REQUIRED on-going certifications. These classes typically start at 7:00 AM and run non-stop until 6:00 PM, with a 1 hour break for lunch and 10-15 minutes between 2 hour courses.
In the past, this event has been held in other areas such as Charleston, Greenville, Columbia and Hilton Head. It is basically open to anyone so I would challenge you to make plans to attend and see what this is REALLY about. I’m certain you do not have the guts to show your face in a public forum though.
By Eyes R. Open May 26, 2010 at 5:06 pm
This is wonderful!!! True transparency!! Yes, we have no money in our budgets, yes we will take a trip on the money we have, and yes we will have fun in an expensive place like Myrtle Beach!! What are you gonna do John Q Public? What an “in your face” moment to the taxpayers, but this is what transparency is all about isn’t it? Get over it “From the middle”, this is WRONG!!!!! Bet you’re voting for the adulteress to govern our children also,.. This event doesn’t promote tourism, it could have been cheaper to have the event in Columbia or Charleston even, not at Kingston Plantation. Myrtle Beach only has a problem with tourism when a hurricane hits.
By CNSYD May 26, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Eyes R. Open, MB is “expensive”? It is a red neck vacation spot. HH and Charleston are more upscale and expensive. Columbia? Give me a break! Who would want to go there? Obviously you have never been to a large meeting. You need a place where all participants can be together where you can easily walk from dining to meetings to your room.
By David May 26, 2010 at 5:45 pm
The organization is 100% publicly funded. All dues and registration fees are paid with tax money. Where should they meet? They shouldn’t meet at all when we are lying off teachers. At best, it’s a beach party with a few half useful sessions. One thing good you can say about it though, is that at least they are meeting at Myrle Beach, unlike the Association of Counties party and the Municipal Association party which are held at Hilton Head.
By Eyes R. Open May 26, 2010 at 5:55 pm
CNSYD, 1. price the plantation 2. When you are cutting teachers and having teachers beg for supplies on tv from the public, you don’t do the resort. 3. I used Columbia as an example, it is cheaper and the participants should walk, it’s called healthy. 4. When the budget is wonderful, kids are educated, teachers are getting paid what they’re worth, go to Boca Raton for all I care. I’ve been there.
By Doyle May 26, 2010 at 6:08 pm
After the 8th of June Jim Rex will no longer be relevant!!
By CNSYD May 26, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Eyes R. Open, in my years of experience putting on large annual meetings for technical (non-government) clients, you get room deals based on numbers and long term contracts. Plus as another poster stated, vendors pay for a lot of what goes on. Vendors always sponsored meals for us. In regard to kids getting educated, if you had to rank the schools in your area based on what you know about them, do you think you would be approximately parallel to scores on nationally normed tests? I bet you would. I know one SC public school that historically does well on nationally normed tests. What is the demographic of that school? Mostly the children of college professors. You see demographics have a high degree of importance. If we (the US) were smart we would adopt the UK model and realize not all children are going to college nor should they. At about age 12 you test them and separate the sheep from the goats.
By Fits Lies May 26, 2010 at 6:23 pm
Stupid to even think of holding that meeting, Rex should cancel it. However, the idea that every GOP Gov candidate wants to give away public money to the private sector, through school vouchers, will only drive us farther down the educational ladder. Another Republican give away program of public tax dollars to fund the private entities that only the more affluent, rich peoople that the GOP only cares about, benefit from. It again points out the only thing that the tea party fascists have right…..we have to vote out the ruling class and in SC, that means getting rid of the GOP control of the legislative and executive branches….
By Wow May 26, 2010 at 8:04 pm
If the ed budget is so out of whack then why not cancel such events until they are back on track!
Nope they spend money they dont have.
By Publicly Educated May 26, 2010 at 8:33 pm
CNSYD: SAT and ACT are great comparisons, if you test the same populations… Most states don’t ‘encourage’ kids that have not been in a college prep curriculum to take those tests, but in SC it is very common. Compare the top 10% in class rank of SC students taking the tests with the same in other states and you will see that our rankings look markedly improved.
A normed test is great, but if state A only lets college prep kids take it and state B lets anyone and even encourages anyone to take it then the comparison is not equal.
By Billy Bob May 26, 2010 at 8:55 pm
Kinda like the RNC in Hawaii??
By Eyes R. Open May 26, 2010 at 9:22 pm
CNSYD, for an educated person who has so much experience “putting on”???? large annual meetings, you missed my point completely. Nix the party!!!!
By CNSYD May 26, 2010 at 10:26 pm
Eyes R. Open, what “party”? Meetings of this type are not “parties”. Obviously you have zero experience in this type arena. Meetings of this type allow for continuing education of the participants, opportunities to hear how peers are handling similar problems, etc. Is that is your idea of a “party”?
By edubrat May 26, 2010 at 11:08 pm
CNSYD:
As Pub Edu. stated, ACT and SAT are great comparisons. However, they are not required to be taken by anyone unless they are trying to gain admission to a post-graduate program. Here in SC we develop our own standard test..PACT, PASS, and whatever else it’s been called over the years. The problem is, it’s OUR test, Made up by us, taught to by us and compared to tests that other states make up. With that being the case, the scores become meaningless. Yes the SAT or ACT should be the final graduation test for everyone across the country, then you could truly, for once and for all, compare apples to apples.
As far as using Columbia for the conference, there are a couple of reasons. Rooms may be cheaper..it’s not a vacation resort. Columbia is in the center of the state. Many people could travel to Columbia and not HAVE to stay overnight. And if you’re not staying overnight, the districts don’t have to pay the daily per diem. For me, being about 1.5 hours from Columbia, If I didn’t stay overnight and no per diem, would save approx $1180.00 of taxpayer money. That’s just 1 person. In my district, 22 people would go. $25960.00 saved. 25 districts would be a savings of $649,000.00
By lee May 27, 2010 at 4:01 am
Edcucation Specucation-bring back more Niccky stories with pictures and positions and sex talk and distinguishable birthmarks-that’s want we want.
Not some lame story about educators going to a a meeting at the Redneck Riviera.
By lee May 27, 2010 at 4:03 am
Also, if there were any props, devices, role playing etc would be greatly appreciated.
By Mike at the beach May 27, 2010 at 5:09 am
Edubrat;
Nice! You obviously get it. Taxpayer money is different than corporate or private money. Should be, anyway…
Bureaucrats (generally) just can’t seem to think in business terms.
By upstategirl May 27, 2010 at 9:50 am
Let’s not forget that these administrators pay taxes, too, so it is on their dime whether the district pays or not.
By CNSYD May 27, 2010 at 10:49 am
Not all students should take the SAT or ACT. If they have no plan to go to college then they will “Christmas tree” the answer sheet. As I said before, do what the UK does. Test all students at about the age of 12. Those who show appitude for higher education get sent to schools that prepare them. This is the ONLY place where the SAT or ACT should be used. Those with only vocational skills go to schools to teach them those skills. For the riff raff, send them to whatever schools are for can’t learn/don’t want to learn. Stop this foolish dream that every child can go to college and be a Ph.D. It ain’t so. I know it will horrify parents that little Johnny or Suzy did not make the college prep group but life is like that.
By antikneejerk May 27, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Pretty sure that SCASA locked in a multi-year deal with Kingston some time ago and can’t get out without a hefty termination fee. Also pretty sure they get the rooms at a great rate (right around $100/night). Try doing that at any other facility in the state large enough to host an event of this size.
I still don’t understand why it’s a bad thing for school administrators to attend a continuing education event. There are also tons of vendors who attend to promote their software/goods/services. They own privant sector businesses that generate jobs. They also pay large fees to have a “space” on the floor at these events, which reduces the taxpayer’s costs.
Finally, whoever says that it should be in columbia so everyone can drive is living in Neverland. It is a multiday program that starts early and ends late. Nobody would drive more than 30 minutes each way.
Sorry, as hard as you try, this just doesn’t fit easily into the same tired old “educrat” narrative.
By CNSYD May 27, 2010 at 6:12 pm
antikneejerk, how dare you interject logic and sense into this discussion. Shame on you!
By Jerry May 27, 2010 at 11:27 pm
More of the same stuff from state government. When things are bad head out to the beach and don’t pay the bill. Let the illerate taxpayer pay for the surf and turf. I am recovering from Nixon.