California GOP's idea of infrastructure spending: #1 in Prisons, #48 in Schools

[one...two...tree 2,762]

UC expected to raise student fees 32%

Regents are expected to approve yet another increase, arguing it's needed to avoid further course reductions and staff furloughs. The plan draws statewide protests. Police arrest 14 at UCLA.

Students and labor-union activists rally at UCLA to protest a proposed increase in student fees in the University of California system. Police arrested 14 demonstrators. Protests were also held at several other UC campuses. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times / November 18, 2009)

Caught between state funding cuts and rowdy student protests, a key committee of the University of California's Board of Regents on Wednesday reluctantly approved a two-step student fee increase that would raise undergraduate education costs more than $2,500, or 32%, by next fall.

If the action is endorsed as expected by the full board today, the annual cost of a UC education, not including campus-based fees, would rise to $10,302 -- about triple the UC costs of a decade ago. Room, board and books often add an additional $16,000.

The regents faced a large and noisy rally at the UCLA hall where they met, and demonstrations were held at several other UC campuses across the state. But regents, some saying it was the toughest decision of their tenure, contended they could not avoid the fee hikes without damaging the academic quality of the 10-campus, 229,100-student university.

"I hate to say it, but if you have no choice, you have no choice," UC President Mark G. Yudof told reporters after the committee vote. He empathized with student anger, but said it would be better directed toward state lawmakers who have cut education funding.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-uc...ontent=My+Yahoo

[spookyturtle 9,466]

UC expected to raise student fees 32%

Regents are expected to approve yet another increase, arguing it's needed to avoid further course reductions and staff furloughs. The plan draws statewide protests. Police arrest 14 at UCLA.

Students and labor-union activists rally at UCLA to protest a proposed increase in student fees in the University of California system. Police arrested 14 demonstrators. Protests were also held at several other UC campuses. (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times / November 18, 2009)

Caught between state funding cuts and rowdy student protests, a key committee of the University of California's Board of Regents on Wednesday reluctantly approved a two-step student fee increase that would raise undergraduate education costs more than $2,500, or 32%, by next fall.

If the action is endorsed as expected by the full board today, the annual cost of a UC education, not including campus-based fees, would rise to $10,302 -- about triple the UC costs of a decade ago. Room, board and books often add an additional $16,000.

The regents faced a large and noisy rally at the UCLA hall where they met, and demonstrations were held at several other UC campuses across the state. But regents, some saying it was the toughest decision of their tenure, contended they could not avoid the fee hikes without damaging the academic quality of the 10-campus, 229,100-student university.

"I hate to say it, but if you have no choice, you have no choice," UC President Mark G. Yudof told reporters after the committee vote. He empathized with student anger, but said it would be better directed toward state lawmakers who have cut education funding.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-uc...ontent=My+Yahoo

Stop the troll bait.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The best way to increase prison population is to reduce quality and accessibility in education. And the only way to increase correction corporations bottom lines is by increasing prison population. More prison population also creates more jobs in the corrections industry and takes potential labor force off the market thereby driving up wages. Plus you get to spend less on education. It's an all around win. Brilliant!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The best way to increase prison population is to reduce quality and accessibility in education. And the only way to increase correction corporations bottom lines is by increasing prison population. More prison population also creates more jobs in the corrections industry and takes potential labor force off the market thereby driving up wages. Plus you get to spend less on education. It's an all around win. Brilliant!

I think you're on to something there.

[mawilson 2,133]

#1 in Prisons, #48 in Schools

...

Police arrested 14 demonstrators.

Ah, the irony.

[DEDixon 39]

with so many illegal immigrants in CA, what would one expect?

2 illegals produce at least 2 prison inmates on average or something close... ya get my point, i'm sure.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

with so many illegal immigrants in CA, what would one expect?

2 illegals produce at least 2 prison inmates on average or something close... ya get my point, i'm sure.

Wait. Are you saying we spend more money on prisons to lock away illegal aliens for being here illegally?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

California GOP's idea of infrastructure spending: #1 in Prisons, #48 in Schools

Given that the prisons are overcrowed in California, and up to 20% inmates maybe be soon be released early to avoid Federal sanctions, and the schools are anything but crowded, I would say that sets the priorities just about right.

The UC system is bloated and could easily trim about half its budget. The CSU system gives better value for the money, and you probably get a better education in the long run (smaller class sizes, more personal contact with instructors), although the diplomas are not as desired for some reason.

Edited November 20, 2009 by Lone Ranger

[alienlovechild 75]

The best way to increase prison population is to reduce quality and accessibility in education. And the only way to increase correction corporations bottom lines is by increasing prison population. More prison population also creates more jobs in the corrections industry and takes potential labor force off the market thereby driving up wages. Plus you get to spend less on education. It's an all around win. Brilliant!

The best way to increase the prison population is to block all attempts at reforms in public schools and be satisfied with high high school dropout rates as acceptable.

If you really think prisons are full of people who just couldn't a job and were busted for jaywalking to create a labor pool for prisons, then you've got a great deal to learn. Nevermind that most liberals cared more about those in Gitmo than the scum in our prisons.

Driving up wages with 10.2% unemployment? Are you serious?

Less spending on education than who?

Or yeah, the Swiss and Austrians.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/edu_spe_...-school-student

[SuperDuper! 230]

Hey, quit picking on Cali!

After all, we have ARNOLD POWER!!!

And he is no girly man. Our Gov can beat up YOUR gov!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

The best way to increase prison population is to reduce quality and accessibility in education. And the only way to increase correction corporations bottom lines is by increasing prison population. More prison population also creates more jobs in the corrections industry and takes potential labor force off the market thereby driving up wages. Plus you get to spend less on education. It's an all around win. Brilliant!

The best way to increase the prison population is to block all attempts at reforms in public schools and be satisfied with high high school dropout rates as acceptable.

If you really think prisons are full of people who just couldn't a job and were busted for jaywalking to create a labor pool for prisons, then you've got a great deal to learn.

I've never been an advocate of the idea that throwing ever more money at education will somehow make it better. There are other, more important and more effective, ways to improve the quality of education. For the early stages of education, no money will ever replace a functioning family that instills the value of education into their children and takes an active interest in this process. This, rather than more money, is the way to reduce high school drop-out rates. However, there is evidence that an early investment into at-risk children - those that lack the functioning, interested family - will pay off greatly down the road. Read the article I posted below.

That said, hanging the financial bar ever higher for a college education is certainly the wrong direction if we are looking to afford the next generation any chance of effectively competing in a global economy. Which is to say that the course we're on will only ensure that America won't be the leading nation - economically or otherwise - later this century. Unless we draw from a pool of well educated professionals from overseas, that is. I'd rather see American kids be the leaders of tomorrow. But that's just the liberal, un-American me. Real Americans would rather have the country's economy run by imports a few short decades down the road.

Now, if you want to deny the fact that poor education raises one's odds to end up in prison, I suggest you consider this:

Some 82% of prisoners are at or below the writing level of an 11-year-old, and half of all prisoners do not have the skills required by 96% of jobs. Only one in five people in prison are able to complete a job application form.

or this:

Using Census and FBI data, we find that schooling significantly reduces the probability of incarceration and arrest. NLSY data indicate that our results are caused by changes in criminal behavior and not differences in the probability of arrest or incarceration conditional on crime.

or this:

Lincoln’s Law Enforcement Leaders: Invest in Early Education or Foot Bigger Prison Bill Later

LINCOLN, NEB. (August 31, 2009) -- At a news conference today, Lincoln Chief of Police Thomas K. Casady, Lancaster County Attorney Gary Lacey and Chief Deputy Attorney Joe Kelly released a research brief indicating that high-quality early learning programs for at-risk young children ages birth-to-five can significantly reduce crime and ultimately cut corrections costs by a quarter or more.

Currently in Nebraska, there are more than 9,000 prisoners in Nebraska's jails and state or federal prisons, with corrections costs exceeding $180 million every year. Casady, Lacey and Kelly said that Nebraska would save $45 million in taxpayer dollars if it cut prison costs by a quarter by investing in early learning. A year of state lock-up costs taxpayers $34,000 a year in Nebraska-more expensive than a year's tuition, room, and board at UNL, which costs around $14,000.

With kids heading back to school, Nebraska law enforcement leaders are urging the state's Congressional Delegation to support the new proposal for an Early Learning Challenge Fund, which will provide $1 billion per year for states to expand and improve their early childhood development initiatives. The chief and county attorney also urged the state legislature to invest in early education and care for Nebraska's youngest at-risk children.

"We're not here to say that all kids that miss out on the early learning experience will be criminals; or that all kids who get early education will be on the straight-and-narrow. What we are saying is that early learning can dramatically change the odds for kids," Chief Casady said.

A long-term study of the high-quality Perry Preschool in Michigan found that by age 40, the kids left out of the program were 85 percent more likely to be sentenced to jail or prison. Another study detailed in the report showed that at-risk kids who did not attend Chicago's Child-Parent Centers were 24 percent more likely to be incarcerated than similar kids who did attend.

The local law enforcement leaders emphasized the cost-saving benefits of investing in high-quality early childhood education and care, especially for at-risk young children. Researchers at the Federal Reserve found that the Perry Preschool program had a rate of return of 16% on the initial investment. The majority of the cost savings came from reductions in crime and incarceration.

"We're never going to totally eliminate the need for tough corrections, but we can make it a whole lot less expensive by getting kids on track early. Early learning gives us the opportunity to have more kids preparing for the college boards, instead of parole boards," County Attorney Lacey said.

The new Early Learning Challenge Fund will support child development programs, such as Head Start, Early Head Start, pre-kindergarten and quality child care, which offer constructive environments for the healthy growth and development of young children in the first five years of life. The education committee in the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill in July that includes support for the Early Learning Challenge Fund.

The Lincoln area law enforcement officials said that more support is needed at the state and federal level to ensure that quality early childhood programs are available and affordable to more families. Costs for enrolling young children in early learning programs can run as high as $7,300 a year, which many families are unable to afford.

The need for increased access to high-quality early learning opportunities is great. For example, the federally-funded Head Start program for children in poverty serves only half of eligible children nationwide due to inadequate funding. The youngest children, from birth to age 3, are even more dramatically underserved. In fact, Early Head Start serves about three percent of eligible infants and toddlers nationally.

"It's been said that he who opens a school door closes a prison. I would much rather see a child enter an early learning classroom than a detention facility," Chief Deputy Kelly said.

The research shows that quality is essential to getting the crime and incarceration reduction benefits of early learning. The Early Learning Challenge Fund legislation will enable states to adopt best practices, including higher qualifications for teachers and caregivers, smaller class sizes, and early screening and treatment of mental, emotional and behavioral problems. The new fund will also allow more states to provide parent coaching, which helps at-risk families learn about early childhood development.

The report was compiled by FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS, an anti-crime organization led by 5,000 police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors and violence survivors nationwide, including 73 in the Cornhusker State.

Edited November 20, 2009 by Mr. Big Dog