Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 10, 1992 TAG: 9202100169
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ROB JONES
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
FOR KIDS' SAKE, FUND THE SCHOOLS
THE "HOW to Raise Taxes" series of editorial columns in the Roanoke Times & World-News has provided needed information for an informed debate regarding the existing tax structure, tax options and the needs of the commonwealth.The Virginia Education Association endorses increases in alternative revenue resources, including many of the proposals in your series, to meet the government-service needs of Virginia citizens and to meet the funding needs of public education. Your proposals are clearly in the best interest of Virgina's future.
Virginia's schools are faced with a declining state and federal commitment to education and students whose needs are much greater than yesterday's students. (The first wave of crack babies is now in kindergarten.) In 1979, when Ronald Reagan took office, the federal share of Virginia's K-12 educational spending was 10.6 percent. Today, the federal contribution is 4.6 percent. Virginia's share of total expenditures for K-12 education has declined over the past four years and now stands at 35.4 percent. A declining state share of funding only makes Virginia's disparity problems worse.
Too many of our students are leaving our schools not ready to compete in today's global economy. We are not investing in human capital and in developing the skilled work-force we will need to ensure success for the next generation. In a time when we are preoccupied with the comparative quality of the world's cars and other products of international trade, perhaps we should place emphasis on the education of the American workers who produce our products.
In terms of percentage of gross national product, per-pupil spending for K-12 education in the United States ranks 14th out of the 17 industrialized nations. Within the United States, Virginia ranks 46th in terms of state share of school revenue. We must increase our effort or become a second-rate nation.
The Virginia Board of Education proposed 13 initiatives to reform our schools and improve the quality of education in Virginia. These proposals to improve our schools included providing school supplies for poor children, reducing class size in grades K-3, and programs for children with English as a second language and for the educationally at risk. All of these initiatives were ignored in the governor's proposed budget. We cannot continue to offer yesterday's education to today's children.
There is an urgent need for additional funding to address the issue of educational disparity. The governor and the General Assembly are in a position to avoid costly litigation and the prospect of having our schools run by the courts if they act now.
With smugness, state officials have hidden behind the "seek to" clause in the Virginia Constitution; however, the state of Montana - where very similar language is found in the state Constitution - did not prevail in court. Every child in Virginia deserves access to the kind of education which will allow the option of attending college and going on to a good job. Some of Virginia's children now face a great disadvantage because of where their parents choose to reside.
Are our low taxes so dear as to be maintained at the price of sacrificing the next generation? It is inexcusable for the 11th wealthiest state in the nation to send its children forward without the benefit of a top-quality education. It is time for the General Assembly to think of the next generation (even if that generation can't vote), not the next election.
I hope that your readers, armed with the information you have so clearly and capably presented, will urge their legislators to do what is right for Virginia's children.
Rob Jones is president of the Virginia Education Association.