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From the Chalkboard: Dollars do not make scholars
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Anonymous user Tue Oct 17, 2006 09:47:57 PDT
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0 responses 0 comments For centuries, western civilization has taught that education is one of the most essential requirements for a healthy, informed and successful society.
All parents want their children to receive a good education to ensure success in life. Unfortunately, not all children are receiving a quality education because they are in low-performing schools with declining test scores. This is due to a variety of problems, such as administrative oversight, inadequate curriculum, and in some cases, apathetic teachers.
The National Education Association continues to complain that classroom failure is due to inadequate funding. Former NEA President, Mary Futrell, claimed that “the nation’s students today are threatened only by the failure of policy makers to give education the money it deserves.”
This is far from the truth. There is simply no credible evidence that increasing spending improves education.
Simply stated, money does not cure problems in America’s schools. One of the most comprehensive surveys of spending and performance was conducted by Professor Eric Hanusher, chairman of the economics department at the University of Rochester. After a review of close to 400 studies of student achievement, Hanusher found no strong or consistent relationship between student achievement and school resources. Hence, dollars do not make scholars. 
Worse, this misconception has caused resources to be used up and has encouraged states to adopt fashionable programs of dubious academic value that lack serious evaluation. The inescapable fact is that as funding has increased, achievement scores have continued to decrease. 
Further, analyst John Berthoud stated, “No country or civilization in the history of the planet has spent more money educating its children than America.”
A recent Gallup poll showed that 60 percent of parents want more choices in education to ensure that their children are receiving a quality education and are prepared for their life’s work. They would like to have a choice in where their children go to school. 
School choice is an idea whose time has come. Parents should have a right to determine where their educational tax dollars are directed. They want the right to decide between public school, some of which are very good, and private or religious institutions. Giving parents an option would improve education in all sectors because schools would be forced to compete for students, being responsive to parents. This reflects the heart of a free enterprise system by providing incentives for those who work hard to provide a quality product. 
The product of competition is intensely resisted by the NEA because they would have to direct their energy into real education reform. If government and the unions really cared about children, they would applaud school-choice initiatives.  But, the NEA has spent millions of dollars resisting any proposed changes, not because of risks to children, but for their own political interests. They ought to be nervous, because school choice programs are succeeding and more legislators are attempting to initiate choice-based programs in their respective states. 
School choice takes power away from education bureaucrats and places it in the hands of parents. If mom or dad become dissatisfied, they can enroll their child in a school that would best meet his or her needs.  A voucher would transfer that student to a school that would better prepare children. This would motivate the former school to listen and improve. 
As it is today, parents are relatively powerless to initiate much change in government-sponsored schools.
Finally, school choice would provide poor people the same opportunity as the affluent. Providing vouchers would allow them to attend the same private schools as the children of many Washington leaders who can choose their school, but campaign against choice programs for those less fortunate. Recent statistics released by the U.S. Department of Education indicate that nearly half of our nation’s adult population is functionally illiterate. Given that dismal record, it is no wonder that school choice programs are gaining ground.
The time for school choice has come and it is here to stay. But don’t count on it soon in California.

E-mail Dick at: dferris@bakersfieldfirst.com

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