Oregon State Budget

Today, the Oregon legislature tentatively has agreed to a budget for the 2006-2007 biennium. Of course, as most states do, more than 50% of the state budget goes towards funding public education.

One statement, however, caught my ear. This was that the Hillsboro, Oregon school district was going to have to suffer with a teacher to student ratio of 30 to 1. In reality, this probably means 35 to 40 students per classroom, with administration filling out the rest.

If I recall correctly, as a youngster in a private school (you know, the independently wealthy), every single year, each class I was in (2nd through 8th grade), started with 40 students. We didn't have teacher's aides. We never had a parent volunteer in the classroom.

I am not sure what the answer to the nation's school funding problems are. I don't claim to be an expert. But I know, that the more money that is spent on schools, the more money that is wasted. Kids don't need lower teacher to student ratios. They need more discipline and less lawyers involved in their education. They need parents who care about their kids succeeding in education and are willing to sacrifice everything in order to make sure this happens.

Until then, you can reduce the classroom size to 3 students per teacher, and it won't make a difference. Education costs will rise (read that taxes will rise) and students will be less and less successful.