With the passing of LB 641, the Papillion-La Vista School District was placed into a Learning Community with 10 other metropolitan school districts. The District is curious to know what patrons of the community think about the learning community concept. Are there questions you have or comments you would like to share?
The Papillion-La Vista School District sent out postcards to residents. Click here to view the postcard.
The District is also hosting a Community Forum on the Learning Community. For more information, click here to view the flyer.
Below are the recent stories from the Omaha World Herald about the Learning Community...
Learning community bills pushed by Papillion-La Vista
Learning Community progresses with boundary lines
Schools law faces renewed challenges
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8 comments:
I am very concerned about the new learning community. My family moved to Papillion because of the great quality of the schools. I am worried that we will have to lower our testing standards so that all schools within the learning community are testing on the same level. I do not want the quality of my childrens' education to suffer because of this new system.
In addition to the anonymous posting above, I have yet to hear a satisfactory argument as to how the Gerrymandering of metro school district boundaries will benefit the children in OUR school district. I can appreciate that officials in other cities, in other counties, have mismanaged their resources, but to send Papillion and LaVista tax dollars across those borders when families made a conscious decision to live in the PLV school district is stunning. Would Money Magazine consider watering down tax distribution a positive thing?
In addition to the anonymous posting above, I have yet to hear a satisfactory argument as to how the Gerrymandering of metro school district boundaries will benefit the children in OUR school district. I can appreciate that officials in other cities, in other counties, have mismanaged their resources, but to send Papillion and LaVista tax dollars across those borders when families made a conscious decision to live in the PLV school district is stunning. Would Money Magazine consider watering down tax distribution a positive thing?
So far I only see the potential for our district to lose money. I also see them opening the door for forced busing. That strategy has failed in every city in which it's been attempted. I plan to keep nagging elected officials until someone gets off the dime to fix this. We will move before we watch this learning communities thing destroy our district.
This is not a true learning community if I have to send my tax dollars to other school districts. Just like everyone else, I made a conscious decision to live in La Vista because of the quality of education. If those schools does not have enough funding it is not my district so they have to improvise ways to meet their needs such as closing schools that do not have enough enrollment or met educational standards.
A good point in the PLSD concerns poster is governance that will appropriate $1 million annually for the governing council which is money wasted for government expenses again. Why not spend this money for quality education?
And why is it only Douglas and Sarpy Counties that are required by LC law not the whole state of Nebraska?
I am appalled that someone who lives in Lincoln can even suggest to impose this "learning community" concept on us. How can he do it when it doesn't involve him, and yet we don't have a say in it as the residents and taxpayers of this area. Perhaps Lincoln or Lancaster County needs to join in too, since I'm sure there are underpriveleged students there also. I fail to see how this is is going to be best for everyone involved. If OPS needs more money to provide a better education, then let Omaha raise their tax levy to equal ours. If we wanted our children involved in the OPS system, we would have bought a house in that district and paid substantially less taxes. Doing this goes against the democratic system and capitalism. Why should anyone work hard to better their position in life if those who have are forced to provide for the slackers. This isn't about minorities. I have an integrated neighborhood with people of many different racial backgrounds, and they would all agree that they worked hard to be there. If we must do this, then lets make each county a school district so at least the representation and tax levies are already in place. Florida does it this way and it works very well. Why waste a million or more dollars creating another governing body for taxpayers to support? This is such a big change that it seems that it should be put on the ballot for all who are involved to get a chance to vote on it. If this isn't done, I really must object on teh grounds of constititional rights of representation.
I don't think most parents know about this. I suggest that the school district send out a letter to all parents with children currently in the Papillion-LaVista school district explaining this to them. Why weren't we given an opportunity to vote in a general election on this bill? I don't want my tax money going to some school in north Omaha! I want my money to stay in the district I live in. I happen to think this is an unfair bill. Why should I work hard only to have my tax money go to someone in Omaha that wants everything handed to them free? Omaha needs to solve their own problems. It is not our fault that they are in the mess they are in. I want my money to stay in Papillion! I want a vote and a say in this bill! Look at other school districts that have done similar things. They have horrible problems. If this bill goes into effect, teachers will be forced to either work in districts they do not want to work in or leave the teaching profession altogether. There will be no choice, the "learning community" will decide which teachers go where. Good teachers from Papillion will be forced to go to Omaha schools and Papillion schools will suffer. School administrators will change. Papillion may end up with a school administrator from midtown Omaha. Our children will suffer. All the money for education will go to this "learning community" and they will make all the decisions on our children's education. Someone in Omaha will decide what is best for our children in Papillion. Soon, we as parents will have no say over curriculum or possibly even be forced to have our children go to schools in other areas(look at Omaha). This is nothing more than redistribution of wealth and it is proven to be a failure. Please inform everyone you know about this bill, it is not good for Papillion.
The learning community is a bad idea and the people should never have let this happen to Papillion. Never should Omaha have been allowed to cross county boundaries to pull us into a mess like this. Now there will be busing and guess what, even those parents who can't afford to drive or don't drive, we'll have to bus them to events here in Papillion that their kids are in. We'll even have to transport them to parent/teacher conferences. Needless to say this will not HELP OUR KIDS in Papillion at all.
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