Bullitt Schools Drop Band - Not Tested

This from the Pioneer News:

Elementary band programs hitting low notes

Many of Bullitt county’s public elementary schools are having to face some tough music next year.

Several schools are deciding not to offer beginning band as state accountability testing standards change and growing elementary schools are faced with tough scheduling decisions...

Bullitt Teachers Fuss over ThinkLink Testing

This from C-J:

New testing program ineffective,

teachers say

"I'm hearing from teachers that three tests in a year are too many," said Brenda Hutchison, president of the Bullitt County Education Association.

The teachers raised concerns about the testing program, called ThinkLink Learning, during a special school board meeting held so administrators could update board members on the district's progress meeting recommendations provided in a scholastic audit released last year...

New approach boosts discipline

Ky. joins national move to improve schools

with behavior program

At Bullitt Lick Middle School last year, school uniforms were causing more problems than they were solving.

Put in place a decade ago, the dress code was expected to reduce distractions and discipline problems.

Instead, Bullitt Lick found that more than 75 percent of its disciplinary cases resulted from students breaking the code.

"We were spending way too much time on the dress code" at the expense of academic achievement, said principal Scott Hrebicik.

But with the help of the Kentucky Center for Instructional Discipline, Bullitt Lick has developed a new attitude toward discipline, relaxing its dress code and working to keep kids in class.

The result -- suspensions have dropped to a fraction of the 200 the school issued in 2005-06, and attendance has increased.

Bullitt Lick is one of three schools in Bullitt County and 150 across Kentucky working with the state discipline center to implement a program called Positive Behavior Support.

Rather than having teachers create their own form of classroom management, Positive Behavior Support focuses on a schoolwide set of rules, consequences and reactions for misbehaving students.

"From the time a child steps foot on the school bus to the time they step off the bus, they should know exactly what the expectations are in every situation," said Mike Waford, director of the disciplinary center...

This from the Courier-Journal

School tax to be lowered; state funds less

SHEPHERDSVILLE - Here's a little quiz: If X plus Y equals Z and if X increases what must happen to Y to get the same result for Z.

Unfortunately, the Bullitt County Public School Board knows that answer and it has happened the past few years.

But there is still some good news for property owners in Bullitt County.In analyzing the new tax assessments for real estate in the county, school board members will once again be required to lower the tax rate when bills are sent out in October.

Superintendent and finance director Keith Davis said that real property taxes when up nearly 9 percent according to the new assessments.To not face a possible challenge in court, the district would be able to lower its tax rate and still see an increase in revenue.

The proposal...would lower the current real property tax rate of 34.6 to 34.0 cents [per $100] of assessed property.

With the restricted building fund tax, the total property tax bill would be 50.8, compared to the current 51.1.

For example, on a $100,000 home, the new tax would be $508, compared to $511.The new tax rate, if it is approved, would generate about $400,000 more in real estate revenue.

On the down side, as the local dollars increase, the SEEK funds must go down.

Davis estimated the district would lose about $1.5 million in SEEK funds.

The district may also lose another $85,000-$90,000 to the sheriff's department.

That agency collects a percentage of the tax bill for all agencies as its primary funding source....Last year, the commissions were over $475,000 to the sheriff's office.

The school system has the highest tax rate of all agencies and that also results in the highest source of revenue for the sheriff's department...

Oh, the little quiz. You probably gathered that if X increases, then Y would be lowered to reach the same sum for Z.

This from the Pioneer News.

Bullitt to test student athletes for drugs Program is part of national study

Starting this school year, at least half of the student athletes at Bullitt Central and Bullitt East high schools will be called from their classrooms, escorted to a trailer and asked to give a urine sample.

It's part of the district's controversial plan to start using random drug testing for athletes, with plans to expand testing next year to students in all its middle and high schools who are involved inany competitive extra-curricular event.

The district will be one of 36 school systems across the nation participating in a study by the National Center for Education Evaluation to see if testing curtails drug use among high school students. In exchange, Bullitt County will receive $140,000 a year for five years.

"This program is going to prove that the students here aren't using drugs," Jaime Goldsmith, who serves as the district's safe and drug free schools coordinator, recently told a group of athletes and their parents at Bullitt East High School.

But many parents and advocacy groups say that the testing is unfair, ineffective and violates student privacy.

"I don't like it," said Theresa Rodriguez, whose 15-year-old son will play on Bullitt Central's football team and who thinks the program is wrong to focus only on athletes. "They're hurting these children, not helping them."

Bullitt joins 65 other school districts across the state that participate in some form of random student drug testing, according to Brad Hughes, spokesman for the Kentucky School Boards Association...

This from the Courier-Journal. And this C-J Editorial:

Testing the jocks

It's been our view that the U.S. Supreme Court got it right in 1985, when it said students should be able to attend public high schools without fear of a random search of their persons or belongings.

Since that time, the Court has been limiting the rights of students, including with approval of random drug testing for those involved in extracurricular activities. The theory is that a school's interest in dealing effectively with drug problems outweighs a student's expectation of privacy.

Such testing has spread widely, including, this next school year, to at least half the student athletes at Bullitt Central and Bullitt East high schools, and later to all middle and high school students who participate in competitive extra-curricular activities.

Oldham County was a pioneer, having begun random drug testing among student athletes eight years ago. Neither Jefferson County's nor Southern Indiana's schools have adopted the practice.

Although drug use among teens has declined across the country in recent years, the problem remains serious, and the consequences remain dire. Abuse of prescriptions and other legal substances remains high, according to a government survey released a few months ago.

In that poll, taken among 48,460 8th- 10th- and 12th-graders nationwide, about 15 percent reported having used illegal drugs in the past month. That's down from 19.4 percent in 2001, but it still represents enormous personal and civic jeopardy.

If that justifies random drug testing in schools, it should be conducted in non-punitive programs that guide users toward counseling, treatment and ongoing support, all made available to those whose parents can't afford to pay.

A tough week for the Bullitt County Public School System: Board not surprised; believes work is in progress to succeed

Despite the heat, superintendent Michael Eberbaugh is pleased that the state Department of Education released an audit looking at deficiencies in the Bullitt County Public School System.

While he disagrees with many of the points made, Eberbaugh said a look from the outside is not bad. And it gives educators, and the public, a starting point to make more strides.

As some of the comments have been personally directed at the superintendent, Eberbaugh said he knows as a former football coach, the leader must accept the blame.However, he said the district has experienced tremendous growth and it has put a strain on all employees. Despite comments to the contrary, Eberbaugh said about half of his time is spent on curriculum issues and going out to the schools.

He said the curriculum development has been delegated to Central Office administrators but he said they are spread too thin. He said the district, which is near the bottom in terms of tax revenue generated and near the top in teacher salaries, must find more money for curriculum-based items.

This from the PioneerNews.net.

Tempers flare at Bullitt County school board meeting

A Bullitt County school board meeting became heated Tuesday night and police officers remained in attendance until adjournment.

Tempers flared in response to the presentation of a scholastic audit that criticized school administrators as a standing room-only crowd looked on at a school cafeteria in Mount Washington.

The audit was conducted because of the district's recurring failure to meet reading and math standards set forth in the federal No Child Left Behind law. The state Department of Education conducted the audit, based on a review of documents and interviews with more than 400 students, teachers, staff and administrators.

From WAVE TV3.com.

Bullitt to randomly check student athletes

As early as next year, some Bullitt County student athletes will be randomly tested for drug use.
The county received a five-year $500,000 federal grant for the testing, which is part of a larger study to see if it curtails drug use among high school students.

This from the Courier-Journal.

Bullit Co teachers union proposes Earlier Start for school year

The Bullitt County teachers union wants school to start earlier -- the second week of August rather than the third. It has asked the school board to make the change.

Union President Brenda Hutchison said the teachers took a survey last month and more than 167 voted to start school earlier. The survey was filled out by 379 people. The union, also known as the Bullitt County Education Association, has about 600 members.

But some parents in the district don't like the idea.

This from the Courier-Journal.