Aaron Renn, "The Urbanophile," writes that cities are still using outdated thinking when looking to generate economic recovery and development. Pointing out massive job-losses in cities during the last decade Renn says cities need to think more about job creation and less about real estate development, green initiatives and the like.
http://www.newgeography.com/content/001726-city-thinking-stuck-90s
I assume we are discussing the "1890's" right?
What's the best way to assure job creation? Invest in education. Unfortunately, Florida and Jacksonville are mostly going the other way. Maybe there is a correlation of sorts here with our higher than average unemployment.
Instead of spending $114 million for JTA/I-95 improvements and another tens of millions for 9B and possibly $1.8 billion for the Outer Beltway, how about spending a fraction of those sums on investing in our educational institutions. I would gladly give up some of my transit convenience and urban sprawl for better education of our citizens.
stjr +2!
QuoteDuval County schools Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals, whose district faces a potential shortfall of almost $125 million next year, said he was “excited†about the new funding.
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2010-08-24/story/florida-makes-cut-race-top-money
Above quote from today's article on Florida obtaining "Race to the Top" Federal funding. Money for roads but not for education. Hmmmm....
I guess Paul Harden must be on retainer for JTA!
Couldn't agree more with an increased emphasis on education. Economic volatility is less predominant in "knowledge-based" economies. As many have noted, we are transitioning from a brick-and-mortar economic foundation to one driven, instead, by information and technology. Take any admirable city in the U.S. (or internationally) and you will find this common thread. Knowledge-based economies not only continually feed highly educated employees into the local workforce, but also support research, teaching hospitals, technology, etc. As you could imagine, such graduates of the knowledge-based contingent go on to outperform their peers in less forward-minded locales. Such KB activity is a growth loop whereby more bright individuals/groups/ideas are attracted to like minded people and opportunities. Further, substantially more funds (both public and private) flow to such economies as their research, technology, and teachings benefit not only the local economy but also the greater good.
Unfortunately for Jacksonville, not taking a step in this direction only buries their seeds of progress further underground.
Just consider the economic viability of markets such as Boston, NYC, Chicago, LA, Houston, etc. Each city has multiple top tier institutions, technological centers, and research powers. The areas that are moving in this direction, again, use the same formula (e.g., Seattle, Research Triangle, NoCal).
These more stable, intelligent, and nimble economies rely not on reactionary terms where folks wait for leading indicators to buttress advancement (e.g., housing yields development, which yields construction, which yields materials, etc), but instead they diversify and invent.
If Jacksonville wants to move, it needs to leverage its medical research, medical teaching, higher education, logistics, transportation, and IT. Don't get me wrong, brick and mortar businesses are what supports America and every economy needs it as their largest employment base. But to advance, Jacksonville must diversify its resources and heavily support those local institutions capable of expanding the city's knowledge-based footprint.
Quote from: stjr on August 24, 2010, 08:29:37 PM
What's the best way to assure job creation? Invest in education. Unfortunately, Florida and Jacksonville are mostly going the other way. Maybe there is a correlation of sorts here with our higher than average unemployment.
Instead of spending $114 million for JTA/I-95 improvements and another tens of millions for 9B and possibly $1.8 billion for the Outer Beltway, how about spending a fraction of those sums on investing in our educational institutions. I would gladly give up some of my transit convenience and urban sprawl for better education of our citizens.
There's a few major hurdles to overcome to meet this goal. First one, moving money from transportation pot to the education pot. People in the transportation pot will do anything they can to prevent money from being moved. They also are helped by the fact we have taxes on specific areas (i.e. gas) which are set by law so that money there must be spent on roads. So to change that, we need the legislature to vote and who knows what kind of backlash that will produce.
Second one, retirees. Especially retiree voters. Florida is the retiree capital of the United States. For the most part, these retirees don't want to spend money on education because it's supposedly useless to them. Since these are THE major voting block in this state, you need to change their idea of education to improve the education of the state. Though to their credit, I think they are slowly changing their ways but I don't think it's fast enough. Well, the other choice is to get younger people to vote more but........... I think only Obama managed to do that.
Of course education isn't a cure all but in the case of Florida, we just plain need it.
Moving money from the transportation pot to the education pot?
In this culture of "me first"?
People can get richer, faster by greasing the skids of transportation, then they ever will trying to revive a listless school district.
The Congress just passed another "stimulus" to provide additional funding to school districts so they won't lay off any teachers. It was a farce. Surveys showed that the majority of school districts were just going to 'bank' the money as they already had laid off their teachers.
OK, so the money came and went to education and did........nothing.
It's that dog gone me first thing again.
The truth is we had made some big in roads to improving Florida's education system but the budget cuts of the last two years are about to send us spiraling backwards again.
http://www.edweek.org/ew/qc/2009/17src.h28.html?r=571861074 (http://www.edweek.org/ew/qc/2009/17src.h28.html?r=571861074)
More money is not the answer to our education problem. Perhaps more subsidy to college education, but primary education is a broken system, not a broken budget.
Our entire social and cultural structure is screwed up and that directly impacts our schools. Imo, the ultimate answer to the education problem revolves around revitalizing the communities around our struggling schools. Unfortunately, this isn't a fix that will occur overnight. However, once we start rebuilding our neighborhoods, change come rapidly.
QuoteThis will help, but so will direct improvements to the schools.
Of course.
The new Robert F Kennedy (K-12) school in LA. I'm thinking someone made some money building this structure...
QuoteWith an eye-popping price tag of $578 million, it will mark the inauguration of the nation's most expensive public school ever.
QuoteThe K-12 complex to house 4,200 students has raised eyebrows across the country as the creme de la creme of "Taj Mahal" schools, $100 million-plus campuses boasting both architectural panache and deluxe amenities.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100822/ap_on_re_us/us_taj_mahal_schools
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100822/capt.3b682f708d6d45d9ba4bc9dd661b6722-3b682f708d6d45d9ba4bc9dd661b6722-0.jpg?x=229&y=345&q=85&sig=7MTTWMLPdOeFdQxpe7HFQQ--)
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100822/capt.074690c58881469ebc5c9e7742f29e91-074690c58881469ebc5c9e7742f29e91-0.jpg?x=400&y=266&q=85&sig=k3_AwjRwXGejoltAq6Y0jQ--)
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100822/capt.7e119dfb42ba4b19b28d99d6d54d112e-7e119dfb42ba4b19b28d99d6d54d112e-0.jpg?x=400&y=266&q=85&sig=kt3JZJWHvm5aX7Zt3ERZcg--)
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100822/capt.1d33abb8844c42199f827059e901840a-1d33abb8844c42199f827059e901840a-0.jpg?x=229&y=345&q=85&sig=lfXoVQrBI1ylPn9mouX2hw--)
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100822/capt.f3e3c572a8da46f9a60753b1c5f677cf-f3e3c572a8da46f9a60753b1c5f677cf-0.jpg?x=400&y=266&q=85&sig=KdMOhcTdSQaE5620TROPPA--)
Quote from: NotNow on August 25, 2010, 06:55:03 AM
More money is not the answer to our education problem. Perhaps more subsidy to college education, but primary education is a broken system, not a broken budget.
Darn right!
Can you think of any other institution or business that is operating with the same structure as it was in 1890? Our school systems are.
Age segregated classes, lock-step curricula, a schedule that is geared to an agrarian society, a "lowest common denominator" approach to teaching....is it any wonder that home schooled kids are doing much better than those in regular schools?
The whole thing needs to be torn up and redesigned.
Mmmmm... if the prototypical educational model of the 50's and 60's was considered good versus now, what has changed and why?
With single families, broken homes, lack of family accountability, political interference, parental micro-management, demands to appease all interests on many non-educational subjects, volatile and declining funds, attacks on and scapegoating the teaching profession, teaching all kids to a standardized test regardless of ability or resources, undervaluing teachers, the competition with the distractions of technology (videos, games, cable, TV, internet, etc.) and more, who is to really blame here? To me it's a wonder anyone is willing to work in a school today. I know many idealists who have gone and given up. I sure tip my hat to those who remain.
Until we prioritize and properly and stably fund education, allow teachers to TEACH to the individual and not ask them to cure all the ills of our society, transfer the social ills out of the classroom, and go back to the three R's, we are headed for trouble. Yes, I agree, tenure should not be a factor and teacher accountability is important but "grading" schools and teachers based solely on a standardized test is absurd. Even colleges don't rely just on the SAT to admit students so why should schools?
I have worked in an inner city classroom and it is amazing that a teacher can teach at all when almost all the energy and effort goes into keeping hyperactive and less than respectful kids in their chairs and from disrupting the education of those in the room who do care to be good students. Add that the kids have no family support, mentors, or other support systems. And, today, the same issues are creeping into private schools where a significant number of parents are also divorced and disinterested in their kids versus money to pamper themselves and kids are raised spoiled (i.e. "bought" by their parents) and undisciplined. No one is immune and no teacher can consistently TEACH such students effectively.
We need to stop blaming teachers and start blaming ourselves. Until we admit the problems we can't fix them. We have a long way to go.
Quote from: Dog Walker on August 25, 2010, 10:43:12 AM
....is it any wonder that home schooled kids are doing much better than those in regular schools?
Are they? Please link to the research that supports this statement.
I have no clue how to solve the current school problem from a bottom up perspective. I just know what it takes to send money there. How they use that money....that's another question.
If you want help, ask Bill Gates: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_30/b4188058281758.htm
He seems to be turning into a hated person for the school system since he wants to change minor things and verify normal conventions and see if they work.
For college research, let's just say Florida is definitely NOT #1.
Here is a link to an old article. Article is from a pro-homeschooling website, but research is from independent, peer-reviewed sources. Most recent research here is 1997, but can't think things have changed much in the meantime. http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp (http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200410250.asp)
Seems that the impact of homeschooling is greatest in the high school years. Interesting.
The home schooled kids I know and interact with at a local sports club are smart, well informed and mature for their years.
I'll keep looking and see if I can find more recent research.
My kids are home schooled, as are JCs (According to a previous post). I can assure you mine are ahead of their peers in public school. A good education is available in public schools, though. It depends on the school, the student, the teacher and mostly the parents.
Quote from: Dog Walker on August 25, 2010, 04:17:57 PM
research is from independent, peer-reviewed sources.
I'm not sure how you determined that. The author of the study is the President of NHERI.
I don't know one way or the other what the facts are and have no position myself on homeschooling, but I'd take these "results" with a grain of salt.
Quote from: buckethead on August 25, 2010, 04:24:35 PM
My kids are home schooled, as are JCs (According to a previous post). I can assure you mine are ahead of their peers in public school. A good education is available in public schools, though. It depends on the school, the student, the teacher and mostly the parents.
"Mostly the parents" is the key phrase there buckethead ..................I agree! It might be due to a lack of parental control, push or even insight but I think the current generation is lacking those attributes! One small slice of the educational pie but a building block I think! More money and the latest and greatest programs is not the answer.............more focus from the parental units should be the start! Mine did and I salute them for their efforts.........I would not be where I am today but for their part!
Read the article and look at the footnotes!
I hesitate to post this link. Talk about a potentially biased source!
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/30/home-schooling-outstanding-results-national-tests/ (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/30/home-schooling-outstanding-results-national-tests/)
Had to hold my nose to put that up there. (Goes to bathroom and washes hands.)
One problem with homeschool - parental self selection. If all the smart and responsible parents home schooled their kids - what happens to the rest?
Don't worry... The government is in control. :)
Quote from: Dog Walker on August 25, 2010, 04:39:18 PM
Read the article and look at the footnotes!
I did. The footnotes are almost all references back to himself, or to other homeschooling advocacy groups. Plus most of the sources are from the 80's, when homeschooling was illegal in most states, so it doesn't seem to be a representative sample.
finehoe .....you have a point plus the information is slightly dated! Not sure that home schooling is the ultimate answer since there are other aspects of "Public School/Private School" that does not take into account social or peer skills that home schooling does not teach! Interaction between persons of the same age bracket can not be quantified..........IMHO!
Quote from: Dog Walker on August 25, 2010, 04:39:18 PM
Read the article and look at the footnotes!
I hesitate to post this link. Talk about a potentially biased source!
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/30/home-schooling-outstanding-results-national-tests/ (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/30/home-schooling-outstanding-results-national-tests/)
Had to hold my nose to put that up there. (Goes to bathroom and washes hands.)
LOL. Yeah, the
Washington Times is hardly an unimpeachable source. However, I think there is probably a great deal of truth in the authors conclusion:
"...there are two main factors for these outstanding results: the educational environment where learning takes place, and the individualized, one-on-one instruction. Most home-school students are directly taught by their parents, who love their children enough to make the sacrifice to stay at home to make sure their child is taught in a safe and loving learning environment. Second, one-on-one instruction emphasizes the best interests of the child rather than the best interests of the group."
The thread of commonality through that is...............one teach and one student! Any home schooled person has the benefit of one on one..........or one on two and so on! Public school enviroment precludes that option!
Don't know how I got into the position of defending homeschooling! (Shakes head in confusion) I was just making the point that our antiquated educational system doesn't produce good results; that a whole systemic redesign is needed.
We would not accept the results that we get from our school system from any other endeavor we depend on. What if JEA only had the electricity and water on 60% of the time or JTA buses were only on time 60% of the.....(Oops, really bad example!) or only 60% of the food you bought at the store was edible.
Quote from: Dog Walker on August 25, 2010, 05:06:09 PM
...or only 60% of the food you bought at the store was edible.
The Free Market insures that can never (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38741401/ns/health-food_safety/) happen!
So you agree that we should have a free market in education!?!?! Sorry couldn't resist the gotcha. LOL!
^^I guess you didn't click on the never. ;D
Quote from: finehoe on August 25, 2010, 05:18:17 PM
^^I guess you didn't click on the never. ;D
Went right by me! Egg all over my face? ROFLMAO!
Whilst observing the unloading of a sailing ship in Mobile, an Englishman was astounded when he heard the following dialog.
"Toss those bales (huge refrigerator size cotton bales) down in that hold, them boys will catch them and stack them."
"Send me some more Negroes so we can get it done by sunset..."
"Negroes HELL! I'm not sending none of my Negroes down there, they might get hurt, send the Paddy's (Irish slaves) down there, their damn near worthless anyway."
Stephen and I talked about this the other day, basically take everything you learned about Colonial America and slavery in school and stick it in your round file. Slavery was NOT pretty, nor was it exclusively in the South, nor was it all Black. Did you know the first slave ship was built and sailed from Marble Head Massachusetts? TRUE!
OCKLAWAHA
QuoteAs you say, it all depends on the parent and the child.
Even though he's controversial, I think he made a good point on his show. Bill O'Reilly basically posed this idea to society: "What are we, as a society to do when parent's don't care about their child?"
Home school is great when you have good caring somewhat educated parents. Unfortunately, in our world today, there's a lot of kids out there w/o a single loving parent. What is society suppose to do with these kids? What happens when they grow up? Sure, blame the parents but the parent's don't care one bit.
The second problem are good teachers & administrators. Finding a good teacher & a good administrator is extremely difficult. Chances are, if they are good, they aren't working for the local public school system. They are either trying to get a tenure track professorship job, a high paying research job, a high paying corporate job, or so on. That basically leaves the rest - the not so smart and not best & brightest of society to teach the kids. I believe it's gotten worse since the women's revolution since a large portion of the smart women are now going after those high paying corporate jobs leaving the not so smart and not so good women to become public school teachers. That makes very good teachers rarer and rarer these days.
Like a lot of our problems, if every parent were good, caring, and least tried to be educated, probably 50% of all the problems we face today wouldn't exist. However, that's not our world and we're now stuck with this mess.
Jacksonville thinking might be stuck in the 90's but what they didn't say was that it is the 1890's.
OCKLAWAHA