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CAT Tracks for March 17, 2011
POT O' GOLD |
...NOT.
However...it ain't gloom and doom time either!
As I was a-strollin' across the glen this fine Irish morn, I stumbled across the wee article below...about the current financial status of Illinois school districts.
Well, faith and begorrah...
With me natural CAT curiosity peaked, I went a-lookin' for more...and found more
Another confirmation moment!
Okay, okay...time to drop my poor attempt at an Irish brogue. (CAT Tracks Editor's Note: I will have you know, however, that I am of Irish descent...on my mother's "Dyas" side. Damn...ye would think that it could have at least been O'Dyas!)
Anyway, back to my "confirmation moment"...
I have been stating all along...FOR YEARS...that Cairo School District Number One's financial situation has been improving. For this astute assertion, I have relied upon the District's own monthly Treasurer's Reports...ignoring their repeated protests to the contrary.
What I found this morning (while roaming the Internet glen) is from the website of the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The ISBE be "da man" when it comes to the financial status of Illinois school districts. If they say it, it's as official as it gets. (BTW...I clicked on the "County" link to find the info about Cairo...and Egyptian. Another BTW...if you check out Pulaski County, you find that Century and Meridian are not so blessed.)
According to ISBE, Cairo School District Number One is in full "Recognition" status...the best status that you can have! (For the previous year, we were in "Review" status. Going back a decade, we spent time on the "Early Warning" list and the infamous "Financial Watchlist".)
Full Recognition!
That's GOOD NEWS...something to celebrate...NOT something to hide...definitely NOT something to deny.
I mean...if you lie about something so easy to confirm, what else are you lying about???
So, as we gird our loins for the St. Patrick's Day Massacre promised by Cairo Superintendent of Schools Leotis Swopes in his appearances on KFVS TV Channel 12...keep the FINANCIAL FACTS in mind!
They are right there on the ISBE website for the world to see...
From the Education News Website...
Illinois schools have fired more than 2,600 teachers this year
Fewer Illinois school districts are in serious financial trouble this school year — but apparently at the cost of more than 2,600 fewer teachers.
The Illinois State Board of Education released data Wednesday showing that even counting the fact that the state has been as much as $1 billion behind in its payments to districts this school year, 32 school districts made the "financial watchlist" this school year, down from 39 districts last school year.
