I do so love how those who have never spent a day working in a school district or the Dept of Ed seem to be such experts on these things. Might I suggest you actually do some research on plans outside of SC? Would love to hear your alternative. Waste at every level is so far beyond what the public is aware of it simply defies belief.

At the very least, fight for complete transparency of spending at every level – then you can make an informed decision as a voter.

Howie and his carpetbuggers have been exposed. And sic(k) willie and his “bud” randy-randie at SCRG and the Voice for School Voucher Scams will keep sucking Howies’ carpetbugger money as long as it is there. Pigs are like that, too.

But pigs know bad slop. And vouchers are nothing by bad slop.

BIN News Editorial Staff
Flair and Balanced

**South Carolina got a middling rating, in line with most states in the nation.

**South Carolina’s overall numerical rating was actually higher than the US average.

**The EdWeek folks gave South Carolina an “A” for its accountability system. Not sure I’m that wild about it, actually, but I do think it’s interesting to note. The report gives the state high marks for standards, too.

**Here’s how they explain their ratings on spending: “…we focus on dollars spent relative to some relevant criterion or benchmark, such as regional differences in costs, the national average for per-pupil expenditures, or the total size of a state’s budget.” In all honesty, I’m not sure exactly what this means, but I don’t get the idea that it means SC is wasteful or over-spends. Maybe I’m wrong here.

**The overall “status” rating is certainly damaging. I couldn’t find an explanation for it, exactly. But it’s obviously the glaring problematic figure in this report.

What it seems that all this says is that South Carolina’s educational system is doing some things really well — or at least in a reasonable manner. We still have achievement issues that may be tied to many factors: from problems in our school system to environmental and social factors outside schools’ control.

And, of course, a plan that offers tax credits to some but guarantees nothing to the state’s neediest students is problematic. And finding strong private schools willing to take in our state’s most challenged students is a difficult proposition, as well. Chris proposes a voucher system as the solution. Vouchers specifically targeted to the poorest kids out there and with some assurance that those students will be admitted into good, well-heeled private schools might work in some communities. Of course, that’s not Put Parents in Charge proposed.

Short of that, the Dept of Ed itself could be reduced in half with no perceivable impact on the quality of education in the state. Internal projects waste untold millions and do not in any way benefit the students. They make a damn fine “Modern Conference Room” though.