Posted: 1/12/05
Final Draft - by Cliff Buchan
Legislature needs to do right by schools
Weíve heard the rhetoric before. Throwing more money at public education is not the cure for any ills facing our public schools.
Sure enough that pitch was heard again from St. Paul last week. Officials of the state Department of Education were quick to rebut a national reporting on education funding released by the Education Week publication. The findings are included in the annual comparison of school funding in all 50 states.
Coming on the heels of two years of frozen basic education funding from the state and the strong possibility of more of the same in the school year yet to come, it wasnít surprising that a partisan tone would float from education department. As much as state officials may like to tell you differently, the partisan tone that flows through state government will bend right or left.
Right now itís a strong rightward push and that means public schools are getting shortchanged. And itís not only from the state political figures, but also from federal education officials.
There is no argument that schools could and perhaps should use tax dollars in a more thoughtful manner. Locally, I think the sentiment to do so exists. Forest Lake officials are trying to do the best they can with the resources available and the rules of public education today that give our parents so many options.
But for the past two years, public school officials in Minnesota have operated with one arm tied behind their back.
The findings from Education Week show it quite clearly.
From 2001 to 2002, per-student funding in Minnesota increased by 1.2 percent.
Compare that to the national average where per-student funding is up 4.9 percent. Minnesota, often a shining star for its commitment to public education, trailed Iowa and Wisconsin.
States like Arkansas and Arizona boosted per-student by 13 percent from 2001 to 2002.
Minnesota ranked 23rd among the 50 states for total per-student spending. Being in the top half was about the only ray of hope in this national report.
Itís easy to understand the Republican mantra coming from St. Paul at a time of budget deficits. How do you balance the budget and do right by schools?
To be frank, the Legislature has not done right by schools.
It simply isnít fair to say education has been left untouched at the basic funding level. While the aid in this area is relatively frozen, cuts were made to Early Childhood Family Education funding. Community Service funding is now at levels that put back 20 years in time. The ECFE cuts are worrisome as the true impact wonít be known for years as kids grow and mature.
Federal funding for special education program and now the mandated No Child Left Behind Act are not at promised levels, forcing more burden on local budgets and attaching the stigma of ìunderformingî schools when certain standards are not achieved.
At least in Forest Lake, I donít know of an administrator or board member who isnít willing to look for innovative and thoughtful ways to use state dollars. It is also clear that Forest Lake is one of the many districts being asked to do more with less.
I keep coming back to these questions when school funding questions arise.
Shouldnít employees be entitled at the minimum cost-of-living increases at contract time?
Shouldnít districts receive ample funding to cover the rapidly increasing cost of health insurance benefits that are hammering everyone?
What about the increased costs to run buses, heat buildings and buy supplies?
Instead of taking steps to do what is right with schools, we get the political response. Giving more money is the cure or the magic potion. So schools are made to do without.
But when will the trend end?
Will it end when the state is no longer able to achieve an 84 percent graduation rate? Thatís 13 percent higher than the 71 percent national graduation rate for 2002.
Will it end when Minnesota is no longer among the national leaders in overall test scores?
The Legislature needs to address the problem this winter. At the very minimum, schools should receive a cost-of-living increase that will at least enable schools to tread water.
For too long schools have been asked to do more with less. Now itís time for legislators to face the problem and do what is right for public schools, not just lip service out of one side of the mouth.
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605