It must be noted that I started documenting these education shutdowns at the beginning of 2014, in that year I posted the reports biannually (every six months). In 2015 education cutbacks ramped up and I posted quarterly (every three months). For the past 12 months of 2016 there have been so many education cutbacks that I’ve posted a report every month!
Disappearing Students Syndrome (DSS): A phrase created by me to describe a phenomenon taking place across the United States, affecting both privately and publicly funded schools, from Kindergarten all the way through University levels.
Incomplete list of publicly announced education related layoffs & school shutdowns, December 2016:
Alabama: The state’s surprise 89% high school graduation rate is now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education. Initial investigation shows that school admin were counting students who ‘completed’ high school but who didn’t technically graduate. In Northport, after more than 20 years Queen Esther’s School of Cosmetology shutdown due to skyrocketing cost of operations, the owner Queen Esther Robertson exclaiming “I can’t take it anymore!”
Arizona: Pima College considering everything from jacking up tuition to program cuts and layoffs due to crashing enrollment: “The status quo is the path to doom…….We need to recognize our new reality.”-Scott Stewart, college board member
California: The state Commission on Teacher Credentialing is spending 20-million tax dollars to help secretaries and food service workers become teachers, after it was revealed that The Golden State is suffering from a massive teacher shortage. San Diego school district warning of layoffs due to suddenly needing to cut $117-million USD in costs, just one month after giving teachers a pay raise!
Colorado: Garfield County laid off eight librarians and reduced library hours due to a sudden $1.2-million crash in tax revenues normally generated by the oil industry!
Connecticut:The state government suddenly cut current year school funding by $20-million! It was revealed that god was powerless to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Saint Mary School in Newington, right before the 2016-17 school year. It’s blamed on $500-thousand USD of debt. After 30 years Lincoln Culinary Institute-Connecticut Culinary Institute shutdown due to failing to meet tougher U.S. Department of Education rules demanding proof that graduates actually find decent paying jobs.
Florida: Teacher shortages caused by low pay being called a top education story for The Sunshine State. Jefferson County School District suddenly laid off eight people, at the behest of state financial oversight board.
Idaho: A independent audit revealed that 99% of teacher evaluations were rigged in favor of the teacher, and possibly illegal. Colorado based McREL International reviewed 225 evaluations and found only three were accurate! However, there are questions about the so called independent investigator McREL. In Twin Falls, local news media revealed that during the Summer local school officials paid $94,108.26 to one administrator (who then suddenly retired) and then tried to hide the fact from the public. So far school officials are refusing to explain the secret payout. It was revealed that ‘christian’ dominated School District 134 was segregating elementary students by sex, in direct violation of federal law. The segregation experiment had been ongoing for the past nine years!
Illinois: North Shore School District 112 using a 2011 state law to eliminate ‘dozens’ of teaching jobs for the 2017-18 school year. Da Vinci Academy, in Elgin, suddenly announced they were shutting down at the end of the school year due to six years of crashing enrollment: “This is a bomb dropped on us…….What are we going to do?”-Ron Woodruff, upset parent
Louisiana: Louisiana State University warning of program shutdowns and layoffs due to low enrollment. Lincoln University killed its history program due to lack of students!
New Hampshire: Colby-Sawyer College suddenly laid off 18 people, blaming it on a $2.6-million operating loss!
New Mexico: San Juan College eliminated eight jobs and reduced payments to the employee healthcare fund, due to state taxpayer funding cuts.
New York: In Brooklyn-NYC, after 35 years BookCourt shutdown. After 120 years Utica School of Commerce shutdown: “…unfortunately our enrollment has declined over the last few years after hitting a real high in 2009-2010.”-Philip Williams
Texas: In Palestine, after 30 years Comet School Supplies shutdown. Austin Independent School District warning that 11 schools could be shutdown due to the age of the buildings, and the costs of updating them. It’s been revealed that the Texas Education Agency has denied Special Education to thousands of students with Down Syndrome, dyslexia, ADHD, and even blind and deaf students: “In Texas today, even children with severe disabilities, including deafness and blindness, can’t always get special education services.“
Washington: Seattle Public Schools warning of layoffs due to an expected $74-million shortfall in funding!
Washington DC: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission revealed another source of Dumbing Down of Americans; foreign text book publishers, specifically an Indian company called OMICS International (aka OMICS Publishing Group).
George Washington University “…eliminated requirements in U.S., North American and European history, as well as the foreign language requirement. Thus, it is possible that a student can major in history at GWU without taking a survey course on United States history.”
West Virginia: Randolph County warning of school layoffs as a way of avoiding school shutdowns.
Dumbing Down November 2016: “FINANCIAL EXIGENCY” AS MO PROOF MO EDUCATION DOES NOT EQUAL MO MONEY
HIGH TECH FAIL: JAPAN JOINS THE DUMBING DOWN CROWD!