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Teachers in training uneasy over proposed budget cuts
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Photos by Joseph A. Garcia / Star staff Student teacher Melissa Cachu teaches arithmetic to fourth-graders at Driffill School in Oxnard. Cachu has been in CSU Channel Islands' teaching credential program for three years and is still committed to being a teacher despite proposed cuts to the state education budget.
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More from Education: CollegeBack when she started her teacher training, Melissa Cachu kept hearing that the state desperately needed teachers.
Now, three years later, Cachu, 28, sees the governor proposing major cuts to education and teachers across the state getting layoff notices.
Though she remains sure her calling is to be a teacher, she's wondering if she'll have a job when she gets her credential this summer from CSU Channel Islands in Camarillo.
"I'm uneasy," said Cachu, an Oxnard resident. "You hear so many rumors. It gets really confusing."
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed cutting 10 percent from the state education budget — a total of $4.4 billion.
In response, school districts across the state sent layoff notices to teachers last month — more than 600 in Ventura County alone.
While the budget is still in flux and must be acted on by the Legislature, the potential cuts and layoffs send a troubling message to aspiring teachers, said Charles Weis, Ventura County superintendent of schools.
"These budget cuts send a message to people in education that maybe there won't be a job for me," Weis said. "It sends a message to people in college that maybe they shouldn't pursue teaching. That's why we need stable funding in California."
Local educators say they don't know yet how those proposed cuts will affect teacher preparation programs and the students in them.
But Joan Karp, senior associate dean of the school of education at CSUCI, said she's seeing some uneasiness among the student teachers in her program.
Many of those students already are teaching in local schools while they earn their credentials.
"They're obviously concerned about this, unsure whether they will get jobs," Karp said. "It's a tough time for them."
CSUCI accepts applications to its teaching program through April, so Karp doesn't know yet if she'll have fewer applicants than in the past.
"Last month was a little down, but not as significantly as I thought it would be," she said.
Potential students are filling information sessions for the teacher credential program, but "they don't have the same feeling," she said.
California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks has not seen a drop in applications to its teacher credential program, but there hasn't been an increase either.
There has been more interest in special education, maybe because students realize there are jobs in that area, said Michelle Saucedo, director of graduate student services.
"It's a challenge to grow programs now," Saucedo said. "We do get asked the question more: What is the job outlook?' That's so hard to predict."
Linda Davis, 47, a student at CSUCI, decided to go into teaching after a career as a mechanical engineer. Despite the budget, she has no intention of changing her mind now.
"I worked so hard at this point that I won't give up what I've done," said Davis, a Camarillo resident and the mother of four. "I'm just going to go forward and hope for the best — that I will get a job someday."
Still, Davis is worried about her younger classmates.
"They're just starting a career," she said. "It would be really sad to go through all this and not get a job."
Posted by whatsup805 on April 25, 2008 at 9:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Of course this is only going to affect the regular working folks who can't afford to send their kids to a private school. No teachers means lots of children are being left behind, 35 , 40 kids per classroom, what's going on with NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND?....Thats what i dont understand. They are now saying you cant home school YOUR child anymore, but then againg they are firing teachers to balance the budget.
How about taxing the EXXON, MOBILE, SHELL & CHEVRON a little more to balance out the budget or stop giving them tax credits?
Each one is making over 10 billion in profit every 4 months or so. Talk about a brain drain for California...so sad.
Posted by holdenon_2000 on April 25, 2008 at 10:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Teaching will start to be a career that will be somewhat replaced by technology. My last three learning courses, did not have a teacher at all, the course was run through the internet. If I can get a cutting edge education from a computer, Im sure teens can get most of their curriculum from the web as well. Using the internet to train the future of tomorrow is much more cost effective then, having babysitters in the classroom, and you don't have to worry about teachers who preach political, religious, or un-moral beliefs to our youth. I think teachers have a place in society, however the need for teachers to educate at higher education levels can be replaced by more efficient un-biased computers.
Posted by lmcventura on April 25, 2008 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is sad, maybe the cutting of personnel should start at the Top....start letting those desk jockeys go, there has always been more managers and more non-teachers than is needed. Save the teching positions, and pay those people more, to make it more attractive, and keep the good teachers employed.....
For things like this, is where we should be spending, instead of a Phony War!!!!
Posted by Jacksprat on April 25, 2008 at 10:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It is always the case when ever there is a lay off the first to go are the workers. It does not matter that with out the workers there will be no product, be it a gadget or kid education. so that the fat cats at the top still keep their jobs, no pay cuts, and in a lot of case get a bonus for cutting costs. So now they cut the teachers back, and everyone yells that the kids are not learning, what do you expect. Time to step up and do something about it and get you elected officals to do their job and provide for the schools and teachers.
Posted by Face on April 25, 2008 at 11:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I can't help thinking about the huge reserves of oil and natural gas just off our coast that we could be getting a percentage of. Why are we just letting it sit there? Another thing, people are paying property taxes on 10 year old or more property values. What if we actually taxed property based on it value? I understand there may be a need to cut state employees, but why go right to the folks who are actually doing a real job and have a real impact on our society? I cannot believe a state with complete Democrat control of its legislature is going after teachers!!
Posted by freethought on April 25, 2008 at 12:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
whatsup805 - It's "No Child Left Behind... except when the state overspends and runs out of tax dollars."
Posted by staronline on April 25, 2008 at 12:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What everyone needs to realize that since Gov. Davis was recalled, State revenues have increased. The real problem is that the state has increased spending more than the increase of revenues. The state has hired excessive numbers of people and needs to cut those excessive number of jobs.
The thing that really perturbs me is that whenever there is a budget crisis, education and safety are always the first areas to have their budgets cut because politicians bank on the fact that education and safety will always get their funding back.
They should cut EVERY pet project out there leaving education and safety alone.
FYI: The state budget crisis has NOTHING to do with NCLB.
Hang onto your walletss folks, because Sacramento has painted a big bulls eye one them.
The the major target in their sights is PROP 13. The best thing you can do is vote out those that want to raise your taxes. Again this is not a revenue problem, it is a spending problem.
Posted by staronline on April 25, 2008 at 12:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
FACE said: Another thing, people are paying property taxes on 10 year old or more property values. What if we actually taxed property based on it value?
===============
This is the whole reason why we have Prop 13. There are people that bought their homes 40 years ago and are retired and have their homes paid off and paid their taxes for those 40 years. But now you want to raise their property taxes so high that they can no longer afford to pay the tax on their fixed income. They will be forced to sell the home they lived in, raised their family in and move out of state leaving family and friends behind. Put yourself in those shoes first and remember why we have prop 13.
Posted by FedUp on April 25, 2008 at 3 p.m. (Suggest removal)
california spends billions of dollars on illegal aliens. yet it is the students who are going to be paying for it in the long run.
also, some administrators have been offered early retirement, to offset some of the higher paying jobs. that does not mean they are taking the offer, but they are trying to rid some of the higher paying jobs.
all these budget cuts are a joke. all because Arnold is too afraid to do the right thing, and piss off potential votes.
Posted by Face on April 25, 2008 at 3:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Staronline, I never said Prop. 13 should be invalidated. I just know when I purchase a home in Orange County several years ago, I paid $223,000 for it and was paying taxes on an estimated value of $158,000. I am just saying that I probably should have been paying based on $223K. Property values should be estimated annually, and taxes increased (or decreased) accordingly. Whenever I say "pay property taxes based on the current value of your home" everyone automatically thinks I want to invalidate Prop 13 which helps a select few seniors. We may want to look at protecting all seniors, but making everyone else pay based on the ACTUAL value of their property. Oh, and in this case, this is definitely a revenue problem. All you have to do is compare what is taken in annually over the years vs what is coming in this year. Not that CA spending is a model of resourcefulness, but simply, if I make a lot less money this year, I cannot spend as much certainly.
Posted by FedUp on April 25, 2008 at 3:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
don't you pay based on what your property was valued at, at the time of purchase?
Posted by mlemay on April 25, 2008 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Holenon_2000, Do you really believe that a computer can replace a personal connection that teachers have with their stduents? I have been teaching for several years and look at my profession as more then just babysitting. I am insulted that people think that is all that I do in my classroom. I have a masters degree and have had work experience in many fields, this has been the most challenging. There is no way that teachers should be replaced by technology, and I believe that the course you took without a professor, or teacher was not as challenging, did not provided human contact and are plain wrong according to all of the research that I have read. I am sorry if your past in education hasn't been the best, but I don't want anyone to call my job "babysitting"
Posted by holdenon_2000 on April 25, 2008 at 4:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Mlemay, I respect the work and effort that Teachers provide daily, however, I think that in some instances the public overspends for Teachers. I dont believe that Teahers are overpaid, just over used. I have a brother who has been home schooled, via internet, and he is much more educated then most his age. If so many students can get a proper education, without a Teachers guidance, then we must question the value of Teachers. I recall my Honors High School History teacher. 90% of our class was watching History movies. I have to believe that this teacher was more of a babysitter than a teacher. I think I learned more in his class from the Tele, opposed to his speaking and guidance. Of course I have had educators that held excellent insightful courses, but I still think that 40-50 percent of the educators (not including post High School) in my life, really took the easy degree, union pay, and sat on their butts, complaining about politics, pay, benefits, when I think Teachers are paid their worth, get better benefits than I do, and work less. I just get tired of hearing teachers complain about how bad it is. If it is so bad, find another career, and if you all are so smart and valued, then you should have no problem working in the private sector, but the truth is Teachers don't understand Capitalist Corporate Job Positions of which employees are paid for production, instead they understand Union public service and employees are paid regardless of their success.
Posted by holdenon_2000 on April 25, 2008 at 4:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Melemay,
Also your response is typical of a Teacher. Your attempt to use your education, prior work experience, as justification to your value makes zero sense. Your only defense can be your results, which your failed to mention at all. Your are paid for your results, not your personal accomplishments. When a home school kid won the spelling bee, that speaks volumes about the results. When College Educated professionals decide to keep their children in Home School, again, that speaks volumes about the results, that public education provides. A typical teachers response is "we have language barriers, poor children, troubled kids, crowded classrooms, lack of learning materials, etc." That sounds like an excuse, not an explanation. I want teachers in the classrooms who have the charisma and drive to keep children interested. Sort of like sales people, the good ones sell and the results are rewarded, the underachieving sales person does enough to keep food on his table, but not more. Our public school teachers resemble the underachiever, not the top sales persons.
Posted by Face on April 25, 2008 at 6:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Who gets a better education, 1 teacher to 45 students, or 1 teacher to 1 student? Answer is obvious, but is Home Schooling being equated to Online Courses? Who has the kind of money to allow a spouse to not have to work in CA? Not many I would wager. There is a hideous problem with Education in this state, people are frustrated. But dismissing Teachers is not the answer. English immersion should be mandatory prior to entering into any Public School system. Reasonable class sizes should be a requirement as well. Holdenon is frustrated, and I can see he is strongly opinionated about his former teachers. They have obviously failed him as his comments attest. False Logic: All teachers have no real world experience. False Logic: My teachers were this way, so all teachers are this way. False Logic: I wasn't entertained by my teachers so it must be easy and they are lazy. Where did you get your education, online? "I respect what the teacher do daily.... really took the easy degree, union pay, and sat on their butts" Damn, hate to see what would be said if he disrespected what teachers do daily. I can see your are young Holdenon, as your judgment of worth is the almighty dollar and you believe you will be paid per production as though you were making auto parts. The real world is not so clean cut you will find. Teachers don't become teachers for the luxurious pay and benefits, they do it to make a difference in children's lives. Not all are the best mind you, and neither will all of your bosses and supervisors in the "Capitalist Corporate Job Positions" you so highly esteem. Good luck to you, and sing this song in 20 years we will see.
Posted by sickofsimi on April 25, 2008 at 7:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Holdeonon,
Your responses are typical of someone who knows next to nothing about public education, and they make little sense. Prior experience and education are everything when it comes to a teacher's qualifications. Pay is based upon those factors because a teacher who is better educated WILL produce a better product. Once a teacher begins their career, how do they express productivity? Counting the number of students that funnel through a classroom is certainly not a measure of productivity. In the private sector we expect results based on models of economy. That simply doesn't work in education. The only thing remotely close to a measure of productivity in the classroom is assessment of student learning, such as standardized testing, and that is seriously flawed. Standardized testing simply shows how a student does compared to a statewide compilation of the "normal" student. It is flawed in comparison of student performance from year to year, perhaps the most important measure. Further, the great number of variables in individual student performance can't only be traced back to "the teacher", and that is only more true if you are only using standardized testing as your source of information.
There is MUCH that needs to be reformed in education, but comparing teachers to salespeople is asinine. There are teachers that simply collect paychecks, sure. But it can't be a teacher's job to motivate students and stress the importance of education when parents don't. The biggest shift over the years hasn't been the decline in the quality of teachers. We have the best prepared and most qualified teachers we've ever had due to the stringent requirements the State now demands of every new AND continuing teacher. No, the biggest change over the last generation has been the lack of support from parents.
When parents value personal entertainment over personal enrichment, then all of society suffers. If you spend more annually on video games, DVD's and electronics than you do on books, you are priming your child for failure. How is the teacher to compete for your child's attention? You say a teacher should be a "salesperson". How can a teacher compete with the glut of entertainment that literally sits at our children's fingertips? Especially when said teacher has an annual budget of $200 and must purchase pencils, paper, crayons, paperclips, journals, etc. with that money? Yes, even paper must be purchased by the teacher.
I'd love to see an educated, informed discussion of educational reform on this page, but it's not going to happen until more teachers chime in. One can simply not compare teaching to the private sector and think they are making sense. Especially if that person has never been an educator themselves.
Posted by keepin_it_real on April 25, 2008 at 10:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think this is very sad. Our governator is letting down our children which he vowed he would not do. California does not need less teachers we need more teachers. Our children are our future. He is letting them down.
As far as the comments on teaching online. I think some cources are ok, but, where I work we get alot of training because we have to keep up with alot of changes. The company I work for has started to do this training online at our desks instead of in a meeting room with an instructor. I hate this. It is impersonal. You have a bunch of stupid questions at the end and there is no one to ask questions when you are finished. Usually there are questions that need to be asked that aren't covered. The fact that you did the training they consider you trained so if there is any problem they will come back on you and say you had the training and you can get in trouble. I believe none of these courses can replace what a human can do.
Good luck all you teachers out there. I wish you all the best!!! You deserve it...
Posted by Face on April 25, 2008 at 10:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Legislators do all the cutting and spending. The governor just signs or vetoes them. He has no veto power because the California legislature has a huge democratic majority. Otherwise, I agree with most of what KIR said above. I would like to see the governor veto such proposed cuts, even if in vain. I hope he does so and denounces the cuts as "no pun intended" Barbarian.
Posted by Face on April 25, 2008 at 10:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am all for cutting state spending, anybody know of any State jobs that could really use the axe vs. teachers? Be creative now.
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