As an ardent policy wonk, I often hear the refrain that schools are failing because they lack the necessary funding to become good schools. When looking at this, there are two different issues at play.
First, we should take a look at the total spending over time compared to results. According to the Mississippi Center for Public Policy, school per-pupil-expenditures in Mississippi have steadily increased over the last 30 years well beyond the rate of inflation. During this same span, achievement results on tests such as the ACT, SAT and NAEP have flat-lined.
Additionally, graduation and dropout rates have fluctuated, with the average staying around the same. Thus, the data suggests that increased spending does not have a correlation with increased results.
The second item to look at is the relationship between teacher salaries and achievement. As one would assume, like total expenditures, teacher salaries have steadily risen over the previous thirty years while achievement has remained constant. However, one thing lacking in this breakdown is the minimum standards that teachers must meet in order to obtain certification.
I am often asked, “What if we paid teachers more? Wouldn’t that help?” In response, I point out the above data, explaining that raising salaries without raising standards accomplished nothing. Yes, higher teacher pay will attract more individuals to the positions, but without raising standards along with it, there is no way to ensure that each and every classroom is led by a high-quality teacher.
Imagine if the pay and standards for teachers matched the pay and standards for doctors, accountants or engineers. Imagine if only the top high school graduates could enter education programs. Imagine if all teachers held advanced degrees in the field they are teaching.
As the standards rise, teaching will no longer be seen by many as a last-resort. Instead, we will see individuals entering college with teaching as an ultimate end goal, much like medical school or law school.
As long as the standards remain low, the education system will continue to have subpar teachers qualifying for positions. Maybe by raising both the pay and standards we will begin to see success in every classroom in every school.
Increasing total funding and teacher salaries is only one part of a very complex equation; an equation that is riddled with far more variables than constants. Focusing on one variable while ignoring the others will never let us get the maximum out of the system.
Trenton Winford is a senior public policy leadership major from Madison.
