To answer your first question; I have learned more on this subject.
1. The PTA Equity fund actually purchased some of the equipment using a grant they received from ECF (https://evanstonforever.org/grants/grantmaking-history/) - at least 200 chromebooks were purchased through this program. Why didn't the District do this? It's small chang…
To answer your first question; I have learned more on this subject.
1. The PTA Equity fund actually purchased some of the equipment using a grant they received from ECF (https://evanstonforever.org/grants/grantmaking-history/) - at least 200 chromebooks were purchased through this program. Why didn't the District do this? It's small change compared to many other programs they were running.
2. Judging by emails this week related to snow closures, there is surely a closet full of hotspots in every school now. Not a bad thing, but again, why is the PTA purchasing those?
As for the latter part, "collectivist action" has been part of the mission for a few years now, Dr. Horton himself uses that phrase when he speaks. It's not surprising that an opportunity like COVID in April 2020 would be a moment to push those goals.
Either way, it sounds like it's a three year program and the PTAs can elect to continue this or pull out next year, although I don't have proof of that because there are no public records.
Edit: I also want to be mindful that inequity in PTA funding is a real genuine problem. I don't know what the right solution is but this approach seems fraught.
In 2014, when my kids were in grade school, I stopped funding our PTAs at an elementary and a middle school (I have/had 6 kids go through d65) and I sent in all those funds to Oakton school after learning that they raised only like 7-10k that year while my two schools were regularly raising 30-50k. I know it isn’t equal or fair. But PEP gives me shivers- it is not transparent at all and local control over money is best in my experience, figuring out a tithe goal to PEP based off of the previous year’s earnings.
To answer your first question; I have learned more on this subject.
1. The PTA Equity fund actually purchased some of the equipment using a grant they received from ECF (https://evanstonforever.org/grants/grantmaking-history/) - at least 200 chromebooks were purchased through this program. Why didn't the District do this? It's small change compared to many other programs they were running.
2. Judging by emails this week related to snow closures, there is surely a closet full of hotspots in every school now. Not a bad thing, but again, why is the PTA purchasing those?
As for the latter part, "collectivist action" has been part of the mission for a few years now, Dr. Horton himself uses that phrase when he speaks. It's not surprising that an opportunity like COVID in April 2020 would be a moment to push those goals.
Either way, it sounds like it's a three year program and the PTAs can elect to continue this or pull out next year, although I don't have proof of that because there are no public records.
Edit: I also want to be mindful that inequity in PTA funding is a real genuine problem. I don't know what the right solution is but this approach seems fraught.
In 2014, when my kids were in grade school, I stopped funding our PTAs at an elementary and a middle school (I have/had 6 kids go through d65) and I sent in all those funds to Oakton school after learning that they raised only like 7-10k that year while my two schools were regularly raising 30-50k. I know it isn’t equal or fair. But PEP gives me shivers- it is not transparent at all and local control over money is best in my experience, figuring out a tithe goal to PEP based off of the previous year’s earnings.