| Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo County, CA | November 7, 2006 Election |
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My views on education financeBy Carol KaramitsosCandidate for Board Member; Santa Maria Joint Union High School District |
This information is provided by the candidate | |
Public education is funded by taxpayers. The utilization of these funds needs to be governed with practical distribution and restraint.Managing any budget requires discipline, discretion, and honesty. Large expenditures require the most oversight, but small items too add up to grand figures. The school system is all in the same family. It's all the same business. It is irresponsible to use directed funds if they are not needed. Those monies should be relinquished and directed toward a more appropriate use. I am a small business owner and rely on my administrator to carry out the daily business. But I have a "hands-on" approach in overseeing the revenue and expenditures of the business. I think the emphasis for the school budget should rest on being efficient but not deficient. Teachers should create honest and realistic figures for their classroom instruction. Administration should formulate long range goals for the expansion and reintroduction of courses and programs by reducing waste in any unnecessary technical upgrades or use of consultants. School maintenance is vital to ensure the safety and the morale of the student population. Students who feel safe, secure, and proud are freed to focus on learning rather than surviving. Bond Funds are public monies. We must not betray the confidence and trust of the community because it is their money. Funds should be utilized for the purpose for which they were appropriated. To do otherwise is dishonest and untrustworthy. I think that high school #4 should be built. The rise in our population and the younger demographics dictate that we be proactive in preventing the serious problem of overcrowding. With the higher costs of housing both to the north and south of us, I believe that Santa Maria will continue to be a bedroom community for many people who cannot afford to live in the community in which they work. To wait for the inevitable is penny-wise and pound-foolish. The notion of a vocational high school is very interesting and would be likely advantageous for all students. It would allow those students who were not college-bound to attain reading and math proficiency as well as vocational skills for post-graduate employment. The absence of nonmotivated students in the other high schools would allow teachers and students to focus on more rigorous instruction with higher education as their goal. |
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ca/sba Created from information supplied by the candidate: October 3, 2006 08:44
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