Apples to Apples: Where do Virginia’s public schools fall in the education department?
By Krystle Weeks | Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011 | PolicyYesterday, Jim Bacon at Bacon’s Rebellion had a post about the Virginia’s education system ranking towards the bottom in overall standings (which include learning achievement, efficiency, and standards).
This came from a report that The Heartland Institute released in October 2010. The report showed Virginia ranking dead last with Arkansas in the overall rankings (43rd in the learning category, which assessed the amount of learning taking place in the classrooms; 48th in terms of producing the learning outcomes; and 32nd in the quality of their academic standards).
Additionally, the Commonwealth of Virginia released their own report card showing students not meeting the Adequate Yearly Progress, based on the performance of students in writing, science, history, attendance and graduation rates.
While these two reports are alarming, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) released a study last year showing Virginia at #12 in the nation for education performance. The results showed Virginia receiving a C- for education reform. This sounds a lot better than last in the nation.
Another thing to consider is the fact that Florida recently hired Gerard Robinson (Virginia’s current Secretary of Education) to be the next Commissioner of Education. Virginia must not be too bad, if Florida hired Robinson to the same position.
The education system is in need of reform. Both teachers and parents alike need to ensure that students are meeting or exceeding the educational standards. The Commonwealth is also at a disadvantage from the funding perspective as well. In order to reform education, the General Assembly should allocate more funding towards school choice initiatives and give clear directives on how each school system should be utilizing the current funds to maximize student learning.
In the end, Virginia (just like any state) should always strive to be the best education system by focusing on improving standards of learning, as well as looking at other methods to raise their rankings, like school choice incentives.
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About the author
Growing up in Maryland typically does not yield a Republican. Fortunately, Krystle Weeks was one of the lucky few booted to the Commonwealth for her staunch conservative views. From an early age, she has been debating politics, and since 2006, she has been involved here in the Commonwealth helping Republican candidates to victory. Aside from politics, Krystle is a runner and a dynamite cook. You can email her here. Krystle also blogs at Crystal Clear Conservative and Charm Offensive Cooking.
Comments
6 Responses to "Apples to Apples: Where do Virginia’s public schools fall in the education department?"
Thank you for setting the record straight. I do not think that anyone with half a brain believes that Virginia is dead last.
Certainly Virginia is not dead last. As much as I’d love to condemn the VEA for that, I know that’s not the case.
I think, though, rankings like this should stir a little activity in the General Assembly – particularly in the realm of school choice, vouchers, and reform of the SOLs.
While education may not keep kids in Virginia in the long-run, it certainly attracts parents and businesses to come here. It’s a worthwhile investment, if the investment is done the right way.
JR says While education may not keep kids in Virginia in the long-run, it certainly attracts parents and businesses to come here. It’s a worthwhile investment, if the investment is done the right way.
The first sentence is inarguable. The second sentence is what the left routinely says about cowboy poetry festivals among other things. What is needed is more school choice aka competition. That probably doesn’t require a lot more “investment” just better policies. After all, per capita spending on education is sharply higher over the decades while educational attainment is spotty at best.
I am extremely torn on this issue.
First off, I wish to identify that I am firmly in favor of SOL’s (Standards Of Learning) testing.
With that being stated, I have also noted some amount of support for merit based pay for teachers. Now, here is where my personal conflict comes in. Which teacher, based upon the results of SOL testing merits the pay increase? Is it the teacher who goes into the most challenging school districts while achieving the most increase in testing results (although still substandard overall) or the one who takes the more rewarding and less challenging assignment in an already superior school district?
I am wanting to reward those who take on the risks and achieve superior results. I want to reward those most willing to exhibit both competence and courage.
Few subjects inspire more intellectual dishonesty and political puffery than “school reform.” Since the 1960s, waves of “reform” haven’t produced meaningful achievement gains. SOL tests are a farce. Ever heard of “wrong-to-right erasure rates”…a technical term for teacher and principal sponsored cheating. The government school system is of, by, and for the adults…it is “white collar welfare.” The most reliable achievement tests are given by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). These tests are not proctored by local school employees; they are proctored by federal officials. The reading and math tests, graded on a 0-500 scale, measure 9-year-olds, 13-year-olds and 17-year-olds. In 1971, the initial year for the reading test, the average score for 17-year-olds was 285; in 2008, the average score was 286. The math test started in 1973, when 17-year-olds averaged 304; in 2008, the average was 306. Too few teachers? Not really. From 1970 to 2008, the student population increased 8 percent and the number of teachers 61 percent. The student-teacher ratio has fallen sharply, from 27-to-1 in 1955 to 15-to-1 in 2007. Are teachers paid too little? In 2008, the average teacher earned $53,230; two full-time teachers married to each other and making average pay would belong in the richest 20 percent of households (2008 qualifying income: $100,240). Maybe more preschool would help. Yet, the share of 3- and 4-year-olds in preschool has rocketed from 11 percent in 1965 to 53 percent in 2008. Virginia government schools spend $11,600 per student. Don’t you find this to be insane when many private schools charge $3,000 per student and homeschoolers get by on $500 per year? Give us a $5,000 tax credit; allow us to pick our own non-government school; and the government can save the remaining $6,600. When will common sense prevail?
The excellent higher education system we have certainly attracts people to Virginia – individuals, families, businesses.
@ Don
Are you mixing statistics from all 50 states or just Viginia. It seems that the first few you mention are across the US but then you talk about how much Virginia spends on education. You’ve listed a lot of facts but not your source. I’d love to see the link where any of those numbers come from.
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