{"id":823,"date":"2012-04-24T08:55:37","date_gmt":"2012-04-24T12:55:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/coreeducationllc.com\/blog2\/?p=823"},"modified":"2012-04-24T08:55:37","modified_gmt":"2012-04-24T12:55:37","slug":"the-new-normal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coreeducationllc.com\/blog2\/the-new-normal\/","title":{"rendered":"The \u201cNew Normal\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>While the economy may be showing signs of life, local school districts nationwide continue to struggle mightily. The “new normal” of tougher budget times is here to stay for American K-12 education. So how can local officials cope?<\/p>\n

This Fordham Institute released a policy brief earlier this month, authored by Executive VP of the Institute, Michael J. Petrilli, that provides a tool for navigating the financial challenges of the current school-funding climate, complete with clear dos and don’ts for anyone involved in or concerned with local education budgets.\u00a0 The \u201canswers\u201d provided in the brief are based on three key premises:<\/p>\n

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  1. Solving the budget crisis shouldn\u2019t come at the expense of children.<\/em>\u00a0 Learning opportunities should be protected, and effectiveness and student achievement should continue to receive attention.<\/li>\n
  2. Nor can [the budget crisis] come from teachers\u2019 sacrifice alone.\u00a0 <\/em>Depressing teachers\u2019 salaries for the long-term \u201cisn\u2019t a recipe for recruiting bright young people into education\u2014or retaining the excellent teachers we have.”<\/li>\n
  3. Quick fixes aren\u2019t a good answer; we need fundamental changes that enhance productivity.<\/em>\u00a0 The reforms and investments with the greatest payoff are those that maximize student outcomes at a lower cost.\u00a0 The most promising reforms are those that rethink the staffing model: \u201cwhom we hire, how we pay them, and what we do with their time.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In the \u201cwhat not<\/strong> to do column,\u201d author Petrilli includes the following:<\/p>\n