The MPS had 800 more classrooms than they needed so they are going to close
10 schools. Let's see 800/10=80. So there are 80 classrooms to be
eliminated in each of those 10 buildings? Who is kidding who? Even if
there are 20 in each buildings, that's only the elimination of 200
classrooms. So they still have an overage of 600 classrooms but now it's a
problem solved?
Steve: Jennings said there are 800 empty classrooms district-wide. He said the closing/merger plan would eliminate 350 of the 800 - closing ten buildings with 35 classrooms each (about the mean in Southwest; the new Burroughs has 36; Kenny has 24, Ramsey 50), gets you there.
(I know Pratt is small, but I assume others are bigger.)
Is eliminating only 43 percent of the excess space (350 of 800 rooms) going to get you your biggest budget savings? No, but it's a healthy start. And in fact, at a February School Board planning meeting, Jennings said his only regret was that the closures weren't going far enough. But could you imagine the fire storm if the 800 figure is right and Jennings proposed double the closings he did this winter?
Again, while I think it's appropriate to debate Jennings' and the district's approach, their numbers don't seem wildly off in this particularly case. If I'm missing additional details, please add to the record.
David Brauer Kingfield
REMINDERS:
1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait.
For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________
Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
