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Education Funding Woes
By sydney@alias | September 9, 2008
Remember that lawsuit that alleged that education in Montana was neither fair nor adequate? So do I. Which led to huge increases in education funding and this quote from Governor Brian Schweitzer (being interviewed for the Billings Gazette in June):
My goal was getting more resources to students in the classroom to make up for the fact that Montana’s K-12 public education system suffered from far too many years of neglect.Together with the Legislature, we funded public education at historic levels - a 32 percent increase since 2005.
So given this level of money being thrown at local schools, there should be plenty to go ’round, right?
Wrong. Or at least that’s not what the education establishment thinks. The hue and cry continues to be that education funding is not keeping up with the need for quality teachers, supplies, buildings, improvements, technology… you get the idea. And would someone be suing again if it weren’t true???
Which leads us to Lambert, Montana, pop. 616 (20 miles west of Sidney):
With a total of almost $6 million burning a hole in their pocket ($8 of the $14 million was already allocated), educators, administrators, community leaders and regular folks gathered to discuss possible projects. The school district took a long, hard look at building a golf course (with a $20K feasibility study) for just under $3 million (with turf so as to lower the maintenance costs!) though that didn’t go over too well with most folks. The stated goal was to attract more students to the Lambert schools which has current enrollment sitting at about 85 students K-12. That’s right- 85. Lambert Schools are planning on spending $14 million dollars on 85 students.
A couple of things.
1. Where does the money come from? A comment from a local mentions the “problem” of spending oil money which could have impacted school funding…
They are doing a good job dealing with all the new issues this oil revenue is giving them, and are trying to do the right things for the students.**
Or it could be partly coming from a one time fund either from the state or from local taxpayers in the form of a bond. Either way, no rush to spend it, and that sort of funding does pose some restrictions on where it can be allocated, unfortunately, as some folks had good ideas:
What the people kept stressing was education. Spend the money on educating the children. That should be the 1st priority of the school board.**
Perhaps the rush to spend can be blamed on a reluctance in government to give back extra money (something we all experienced last legislative session).
2. Unnecessary improvements? Lambert already supposedly has state of the art computers and technology available to students as well as a program that gives a new laptop to every graduate.
2nd the LHS already provides one of the most “state of the art” computer facilities and highspeed internet for their students, in addition to giving those laptop computers to said students when they graduate.**
As for other ideas, a track/football field could hardly be useful with only 40 kids in HS… and what of a preschool or playground?
There needs to be a new football and track field and the play ground needs to be redone. The children don’t even have a play ground.**
Some other incentives mentioned for a golf course- it could be used as a community activity and would give kids something to do after school (at least part of the year).
Is that what education has come to? Using money up to entertain both kids and the community? Part of me feels that if a community has the money, they are entitled to spend it however they wish. Where is Lambert getting the funds? If it’s from the State of Montana, Montana taxpayers deserve better. And if it’s from local funds, consider the logic in spending millions to provide jobs and entertainment for teenagers. Umm… Really?
The other part of me wonders why Democrats, the Governor, the education lobby and even many Republicans make such an issue about education spending. Is Lambert an anomaly in a state filled with hurting school districts? Montanans need to know before we send our representatives to Helena to vote on new spending.
(**Quotes taken from the same Sidney Herald article comment section)
Topics: Blogosphere, Education, Montana |
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