Public Student Loan Forgiveness; a Reality or Scam?

PSLF was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007 under the "College Cost Reduction and Access Act." By definition I should qualify; however, I am continuously being asked to apply for it, then I go from being accepted and then they say they have no record of my applications, that of course I have copies of. I resend them and then begins the story of well, your start date is 2015 because that is when you consolidated your loans.

I had 2 student loans because according to my College FAFSA, I was eligible for half of my cost to be subsidized which meant I only had to pay interest on the other half as long as I kept the 2 loans. Thus, when I consolidated my loans, being advised that I would qualify for PSLF, so the interest being applied to my new single loan wouldn't matter because my balance would go away.

I have 20 years experience working for the same urban low poverty public school system, I have to apply for Income Based Repayment (IBR) due to my low salary and then my lender reminds me about PSLF. I always say, "think I am in the PSLF program," however, with all the rules of such program, hardly any of my years qualified. Then they begin to look into my account. I earned my Master's Degree while working in the public school district, adding teaching licenses that opened doors to many great teaching opportunities.

I have had economic hardships and had to apply for periods of deferment, usually only for a few months when I have no money to send them, so who knows what any of that means to my actual PSLF status. Another teacher in building said he was told that our school didn't qualify because our students actually graduate from their Home High Schools; so far I have not been told this. My low salary with a rise in all of my other bills, the fact that I am a single mom & homeowner has caused me to request a new monthly due date so that I can try to make a monthly on time payment and not go into deferment.

Since, 2015 I send payments to my consolidated student loan and the balance stays the same. I am frustrated with this broken system that says they are for you, but in all actuality the opposite is happening. In October of 2018, I applied for the new, "Temporary Expanded Public Service Loan Forgiveness" (TEPSLF) to have my PSLF application investigated, at this time they do not think I am eligible at all. I have to call them next week to look into my account. At this time, I will bring up all of my copies of my previous applications, so who knows what will be determined this year. Regardless, I continue to look for employment that can pay me more so that I can afford to pay off my student loans.

I am tiring of all of these systems and empty promises. I will keep figuring out my income, as I always do. I have no regrets of my work experiences or the college degrees that I have earned.
This is my PSLF story. I was a non traditional college student, who worked and continues to work 2 jobs. I'm just living the dream, with a trail of debt that follows me.

What we need, as teachers, is real mental health support for our students and their families

Dear Ohio Politicians;

Steve Stivers    https://stivers.house.gov/

Senator Kunze

Representative Hughes

Senator Portman

Senator Brown

Governor Kasich

I am exhausted at the battles I face to just teach my student's. This past month, I have had to defend what I do. I am not sure who is to blame, my district says the state funding calculation & Governor Kasich. Ohio's education funding formula has been found to be unconstitutional, yet it is still in effect. I blame both Ohio Republicans and Democrats for this and I have little faith in politicians to get it right. My urban district is losing millions over the next few years. This will mean teaching with less and we are already holding on by a string; battling the effects of issues of poverty, mental illness, child neglect and emotional abuse that my student’s survive are trying to survive every day. My district is considering reducing funding to “Directions for Youth and Families,” a counseling provider that meets with our students as needed.

In light of so many school shootings, suicides and threats of such things, I am hearing lots of ideas on solutions. I explain to others that what we need, as teachers, is real mental health support for our students and their families. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has suggestions for how we can help with this issue. This will come at a cost so funding will need to accompany it. Please read the (NAMI) link below and consider how we can offer schools real support. The NAMI Link is;  https://www.nami.org/Blogs/From-the-CEO/February-2018/Improving-Mental-Health-Should-Be-a-National-Prior

Lastly, understand the confusion and effects of Ohio school funding procedures. I have been trying to research what is actually happening and when I read explanations like, “So while Columbus is receiving $2484.70 per pupil, the district pays a charter school at least $6,010 for each student who leaves to enroll in a charter school (such as ECOT; not including the categories receiving additional funding). This means that Columbus actually loses $3,525.30 in funding for each student who enrolls in a charter school. Brief wrap up: Each student in Ohio starts with a “value” of $6,010 in state tax dollars, then that amount is reduced based on the school district’s State Share Index so that the district ends up receiving only a percentage of the $6,010 in state tax funds (Plunderbund 2018).” I can not even begin to understand this but I feel as a Public School Teacher, that I am a pawn in this game. Are we just saving money instead of investing fairly in the lives of Ohio’s poorest children?

Please take a look at school funding in Ohio and what our students need to succeed in life and consider the changes needed to make it right.  

Thanks,

Mrs. Rebecca McGrath-H.

mrs.mcgrathh@gmail.com

614-365-2283 x223 (office)

614-746-9216 (personal voice-mail)

FCCLA & CDA Advisor

Early Childhood Educator

Columbus Downtown High School

Just let me Teach; Continued

February has been a busy month! I wrote to Columbus Board of Education members again, see my letter below. If you have an opinion, I encourage you to share it, because no one can tell your story but you! 

"February 24, 2018

Dear Columbus Board of Education Members,

gbakerii@columbus.k12.oh.us,
mcole@columbus.k12.oh.us,
ebrown@columbus.k12.oh.us,
mhudson@columbus.k12.oh.us,
Dominic J Paretti <dparetti@columbus.k12.oh.us>,
ramona_reyes13@yahoo.com,
wshawnagibbs@columbus.k12.oh.us

I feel hopeful after attending the community forum at Marion-Franklin; however some explanations given to me are concerning. I continue to be exhausted, when looking at the recommendations and considerations to save money for our district and I feel that the best interest of student’s is being lost. Let me explain, Columbus Downtown High School fits the Career Academy model, meaning an 11^th and 12^th grade high school for students to focus on their career program of choice while completing academics needed for graduation. In neighboring districts this modeled is followed, actually the only other career center in Ohio that doesn’t is Fort Hayes Career Center. The benefits of our students to be at their career center all day is as follows;

-Students are able to miss academics, no more than once a week to focus on real world internship experiences. This is very important to the Career Education& Training students because they have an expectation to earn 480 hours experience with young children by March of their senior year. They would lose this time if academic teachers are cut from CDHS, because their time at CDHS would be shortened. Also, Cosmetology students currently stay in career courses during the 1^st half of their lunch to get required hours for their coursework pathway, if academics are cut from CDHS, the cosmetology students would be unable to meet pathway expectations.

-Career and Academic Teachers are able to collaborate to offer the best plan of study for student’s to earn Career Industry Credentials that are a pathway to graduation.

-Students are able to focus on their learning and not traveling on buses 4 times per day. This bussing could be an additional cost to the district.

-Many current students and 10^th grade students who visited my program over the last couple weeks have stated the following;

“I need to come here all day.”

“I am so excited to come here.”

“I’d like to stay at my home school for certain classes can I come half a day?”

“I can’t go back to my homeschool, I am doing better here.”

“I want to return to my homeschool, I miss a teacher there.”

-At the Starling K-8 community forum, Mrs. Karen Burgett, parent of a Briggs & CDHS graduate 2017, spoke about how CDHS was the best thing for her child and children. She is assisting her 10^th grade son with applying to CDHS for the fall of 2018/2019, with the intent of him attending all day.  

Thus, at the forum I attended, I asked about 3 items relating to Career Tech; 1. Career Dev Teacher (Recommended) 2. Classroom Teachers -CDHS -8 FTE (Recommended) and 3. Reallocate FY19 FTE to FYI21- Career Tech (Considered).  Pegean Cleary and a man who she introduced as her supervisor, begin to respond to my questions. First, the Career Dev Teacher is at South for a program that will no longer exist.  Long story short, they began to explain to me that CDHS is at building capacity and cannot support the space for new career programs to open so that we can keep current staff and add to and or start new career programs that the state wants and or would fund for us to offer. I brought up the following points; so we cannot add new career programs, like the EMT course that they had to pilot at Marion-Franklin, and keep some academics at CDHS, would the district actually be cutting 8 FTE if half of CDHS students returned to the homeschools, CDHS offers AP courses and wouldn’t the district have an increase in transportation cost. They explained that by phasing out academics at CDHS, 8 FTE would be cut district wide, we could serve over 900 students in career tech similar to Fort Hayes  and the buses that are already going to Fort Hayes half a day would just come to CDHS so no additionally cost. Lastly, they said the community has stated that career tech students need to be connected to home schools they graduate from, including AP courses and etc.

After reflecting on their responses and looking at CCS High School enrollment numbers, I now want to know why we are not discussing school consolidation or closings, or is the district avoiding this tough discussion.  Cutting 8 FTE from CDHS with the eventual plan of eliminating academics at CDHS; this will not help fill all CCS High Schools to capacity. Let’s look at the numbers, CDHS’s current enrollment of 546 students being redistributed to the 17 home high schools equals approximately 32 students being added to each location. Next, let’s discuss graduation rates, CDHS is at a 93% graduation rate. Why would you change a school that is shown to be effective?  I brought up at the forum, which I believe we can keep some academics at CDHS and offer students a choice, that way we can consolidate classrooms and offer these new career courses. The busses can come and pick up the student who chose or are recommended to return to their homeschool, so approximately 300 students would be half a day CDHS Career Tech students and then keep approximately 600 students at CDHS all day. Our current academic teachers have enough open seats to offer academics to approximately 600 students.

I am not a building capacity expert, but I taught at Briggs whose current enrollment is 957, and many teachers shared rooms and used carts to travel with materials while hallways were full for class changes. Thus, my other thought is, we need to look at out of date buildings and buildings that are unenrolled with low graduation rates. For example, why are we not considering closing CAHS and moving it to Linden-McKinley or Closing Eastmoor for consolidation with Africentric. I am alumnus of East High School, which has been historically renovated, but is under enrolled, so why is not being considered to be the new CAHS or CDHS for that matter?

Dominic Paretti brought this up at the February 6^th Board meeting. The Deputy Superintendent referred to research and presentations that were already told to the community about 3 years ago. I attended the west side meeting at that time. There was discussion of closing Briggs and West to consolidate into a new school located in an abandoned retail space. Community feedback was taken. Brookhaven was closed and the community was told that they were just the 1^st of many.

Thank you for listening to my thoughts, as a teacher who is a proud CCS graduate, who chooses to stand up for and represent Columbus’s youth, believing in our mission to prepare students to be productive members of our society. I'm patiently waiting for your reply."

Well, I am trying to be patient!

We will see what the future holds. I am also concerned about the mental health of our students and families. These school shootings and threats of, in my opinion are directly tied to lack of mental health support. I am working on contacting Ohio politicians on this matter very soon.

All I want to do is to teach the subject that I'm so passionate about, little did I know that there is so much more to it.

Let me just Teach!?

Let me just Teach!? I am exhausted at the battles I face to just teach my student's. This past week, I have to defend what I do. Education is under attack. I am not sure who to blame. Ohio's education funding formula has been found to be unconstitutional, yet it is still in effect. I blame both Republicans and Democrats for this. My urban district is losing 100 million over the next few years. This will mean teaching with less and we are already holding on by a string... battling affects of issues of poverty, mental illness, child neglect and emotional abuse everyday. Today, I wrote a letter to my District Board of Education member's. Next I will be working on writing to Senator's and House of Representatives. If you feel my pain then please write to them as well, whatever it that you feel Columbus's youth need. I am including their emails and my letter below;

Columbus Board of Education Members;

gbakerii@columbus.k12.oh.us,
mcole@columbus.k12.oh.us,
ebrown@columbus.k12.oh.us,
wshawnagibbs@columbus.k12.oh.us,
mhudson@columbus.k12.oh.us,
dparetti@columbus.k12.oh.us,
ramona_reyes13@yahoo.com,

To find your Senator's and House of Representative members go to "Franklin County Board of Elections" or "Find my Legislator Ohio" websites.

February 3, 2018

Dear Columbus School Board Member,

Today I am writing to you with a heavy heart. I am a proud alumnus of Columbus City Schools, East High School and Fort Hayes Career Center class of 1996. This is my 19^th school year in the district and 6^th year at Columbus Downtown High School  (CDHS).  I have little faith in the district or the board to do what is right by our urban city youth. This past week, it was recommended by my Principal’s Director/supervisors to cut 8 teachers. This would be the beginning of cutting academics in our building. You might be thinking, well the students can just go back to their home school, but is it really saving the district money? The 8 teachers will still be needed to teach somewhere. I am wondering why my Principal, who is highly qualified for their position, why do they have to take directives from so many Directors, perhaps some of these Director positions are unnecessary. I am confident that a Principal can make decisions, with the best interests of the students, on their own.

I am exhausted at hearing all of these recommendations of saving money and the best interest of student’s is being lost. Let me explain, Columbus Downtown High School fits the Career Academy model, meaning an 11^th and 12^th grade high school for students to focus on their career program of choice while completing academics needed for graduation. In neighboring districts this modeled is followed, actually the only other career center in Ohio that doesn’t offer academics is Fort Hayes. The benefits of our students to be at their career center all day is as follows;

-Students are able to miss academics, no more than once a week to focus on a real world internship experience. This is very important to the Career Education& Training students because they have an expectation to earn 480 hours experience with young children by March of their senior year. They would lose this time if academic teachers are cut from CDHS, because their time would be spent on buses.

-Career and Academic Teachers are able to collaborate to offer the best plan of study for student’s to earn Career Industry Credentials that are a pathway to graduation.

-Students are able to focus on their learning and not traveling on buses 4 times per day. This busing would be an additional cost to the district.

Furthermore, I am a parent of a high schooler, who attends a neighboring district, Southwestern City Schools. My child has opportunities to take college credit plus courses at his school. A few years ago, CDHS Director’s asked career and academic teachers to apply to become College Credit Plus teachers through Columbus State Community College, many of us are approved volunteer Dual Enrolled Professor’s; however, CHDS Director’s decided this was not the path they wanted us to go. I continue to research other Career Center’s and I am disheartened that in Columbus City Schools we are not operating like neighboring programs. In fact, we spend less on Career Tech Student Organizations, like BPA, DECA, FCCLA and etc. We are not focusing on opportunities to offer students college credit programs. For example, when I complete a form for permission to take students to a FCCLA event, my Principal has to wait to see what the Directors will approve. The process is so convoluted, that most teachers give up on the process, thus we are not represented at these local, state and national events.

The district and ODE has emphasized Career Teach Workforce Development being a pathway to graduation, especially with “Workkeys” & Industry credentials. We offer this pathway at CDHS, don’t we deserve the opportunity to do it in the best way? Our model has proven to be successful; we are in the top 5 of Columbus City’s Schools for graduation rate of seniors. I have seen many student’s who overall GPA’s increase at CDHS. I taught Micheal Cole’s children, Willie and Washington back in their preschool days. It shouldn’t matter that I knew him back then, but I wanted to share, because at Fort Hayes Child Care Center I worked hard everyday to provide the best preschool education opportunity for his children just like I continue to do for children of CDHS.

I look forward to working with you as our District moves forward with a plan to manage money, or lack of, due to Ohio’s school funding formula. I would like to extend an invitation to you to come to my classroom, perhaps to speak to my students, who are aspiring future teachers, social workers or counselors.  You can even come visit my Internship sites with us sometime.  

Sincerely,

Mrs. Rebecca McGrath-H.

mrs.mcgrathh@gmail.com

Rmcgrathhinkle1727@columbus.k12.oh.us

614-365-2283 x223 (office)

614-746-9216 (personal voice-mail)

FCCLA & CDA Advisor

Early Childhood Educator

Columbus Downtown High School