EDITORIALS

A race to watch

On your mark, get set …

WELL, the Ledge wasn’t all bad this time around. A few times here and there, now and then, Arkansas’ lawmakers may actually have got it right. Okay, you might have had to search for them, but you could find those times.

Take a gander at Senate Bill 1100. It didn’t get much fanfare, but it was a mighty fine try. And should produce even finer results in public schools over the coming years if it can get the funding it deserves. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen of the General Assembly.

This particular bill would reward schools that actually educate. Reward as in give them more money. As in cash.

Cue the educantists who cry foul every time “rewards” and “money” are mentioned in the same breath as “schools.” When it comes to money and education, there’s always a fight.

But there shouldn’t be. Not in this case.

SB 1100 says those schools that earn an A or B in the statewide ratings are entitled to a fistful of more dollars. Not a boatload, mind you, just a fistful. Those schools that earn an A would collect $100 a student, and those that earn a B would get $50 a student. The money could be used to upgrade the science lab or buy new P.E. equipment or install new lockers-or whatever good purpose the school can get approved by the state.

Word has it that the governor has come up with $7 million to spend on the rewards program next year. That’s a fine start. But only a start. Here’s hoping the Ledge will come up with even more money later to expand the rewards program. It ought to.

You can almost hear the educantists demurring:

But, but, but-wouldn’t this take money away from schools?

That’s an, uh, interesting way to think of it: The state would give extra money to schools that are doing their jobs, so the state is to be criticized for taking money out of schools?

Here’s a safe prediction: The knee jerks who favor the status unsatisfactory quo in all things educational will always find a way to argue against economic incentives. Even if they tie themselves into knots making such arguments.

Now $7 million may sound like a whole lot of money, but let’s keep that amount in perspective. Out of the more than $4 billion this state spends on public education, $7 million isn’t much at all.

There are all kinds of good reasons to spend more money on our best schools. Like giving them an inducement to do even better. And what’s wrong with rewarding folks just because they deserve it? Just to tell them, Fine Job! To recognize their efforts. To pump up their pride a bit. There’s nothing wrong with taking pride in your work, and there’s nothing wrong in taking pride in the work of others, either.

If this state is going to continue to improve education, there needs to be more emphasis on rewarding our best. How judge which schools are doing best? By noting how much their students have learned. By looking at test scores. Unfortunately, for far too long too many of us have focused not on how much our schools have accomplished, but how much money can be spent on them. No matter how poor a job they may be doing. Maybe the teachers’ unions prefer that system, but the rest of us shouldn’t.

The governor and Legislature should be working now on finding the money to finance this kind of rewards program. Starting next school year. Then the rest of us can watch schools strive and drive for excellence. And prepare to applaud the winners who deserve the rewards. Now that’s a race everybody should enjoy.

Editorial, Pages 10 on 04/29/2013

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