This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
There's a rule in education that all teachers understand: Repetition works.
And it seems people interested in enhancing education in Utah are using that rule to instruct those in power about what schoolchildren need. The same goals and strategies have been proposed by both the State Office of Education and the Governor's Education Excellence Commission.
However, consensus on what should be done is easier to attain than agreement on how to fund the programs that get the job done. Until the Utah Legislature recognizes that excellent education is not cheap, goals and strategies are of little importance. Utah's meager education expenditure, the lowest in the nation, undercuts every effort at reform.
Just a few weeks ago, Utah Schools Superintendent Larry Shumway outlined what he sees as necessary changes or areas of emphasis to improve learning. They included expanded early-childhood education programs, more focus on technology, better teacher training and cooperation among Utah employers, colleges and public schools.
Then last week the Governor's Education Excellence Commission set its goals and outlined strategies. Its plan seems cut from the same research-based cloth.
First, the commission set a goal of 66 percent of Utah adults having college degrees or post-secondary certificates by 2020. It's a lofty goal since, compared to the national average, Utah's college attainment is slipping. About 35 percent of Utahns between 20 and 64 have degrees and about 10 to 15 percent have earned certificates in career training courses.
And, students of minority ethnic groups and those from low-income and non-English-speaking families, who constitute a growing percentage of public-school enrollment, too often drop out and never set their sites on college.
The commission rightly emphasized expanded early-childhood education, including all-day kindergarten; better curriculum alignments between public schools and higher education; better use of technology; coordinating curriculum with the needs of the business community; improving teaching; and strengthening post-secondary opportunities.
We understand, as do the education leaders, lawmakers and business owners and operators who make up the commission, that education must begin early, that education is a continuum from kindergarten to graduate school, that technology is important and that teachers need better support.
But those changes will require a substantial financial investment. More money isn't the complete solution, but continued underfunding is a big part of the problem.