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Friday, March 29, 2024 - 08:34 AM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

Governor Pledges Millions More in Education Spending, Ignores Most Urgent Parental Concerns

In her State of the State address, Governor Nikki Haley ignored the despised and destructive federal Common Core Standards and school choice and instead pledged $160 million of new spending primarily on poor and under-performing districts and schools.

During a recent address to Republican Women in Greenville she pledged to oppose Common Core being implemented in the Palmetto State.

The Governor’s education plan divides the additional spending between 5 areas. Increased spending in “poorer” school districts will cost $97 million. Governor Haley pledged no new taxes; therefore the additional spending in poorer districts will come from taxpayers in more affluent areas of the state.

Gov. Haley would spend $29.5 million on reading coaches in each elementary school in the state. This is advertised as a new program, however, it is not new. Greenville County Schools had reading coaches several years ago and eliminated them.

$29.3 million will be spent on technology improvements to make South Carolina Schools competitive with any school in the nation, according to the Governor.

Ten new teachers in the Virtual schools program will cost $750,000.

Finally, the Governor proposes $4 million for the charter school facilities loan program.

Unless federal Common Core Standards are eliminated, parents and teachers will have little if any influence on curriculum in South Carolina schools.

That being accomplished, school choice has shown positive effects on education in a compilation of empirical studies published by the SC policy Council.

* School choice programs have positive educational effects on student participants.

* School choice programs improve academic outcomes in public schools.

* School choice programs save taxpayer money.

* School choice programs decrease the level of racial segregation in schools.

* School choice programs improve civic values and practices.

S. C. House speaker Bobby Harrell commended Haley on her education proposals: “We’ve got to do the kinds of things she’s talking about in order to improve the quality of education because its not about getting test scores and getting a magnet and putting it on the refrigerator. It’s about kids having better jobs later on… We have got to figure out what we can do to improve the quality of education.” (The State).

Like the Speaker, House Majority Leader Bruce Bannister of Greenville was complimentary with reservations.

“She did a good job…. All of the House Republican Caucus Members will be in favor of doing pro-active things with education…. Are we going to be exactly on the same page as her? Probably not because there are always compromises as the process goes on. But certainly, we’re going to make education a top priority.”

Pickens Representative Phil Owens, one of the lawmakers who advised Haley on her education plan had this to say:

“The Governor laid out her vision for education reform that hits on the inequalities in our system. This proposal is the product of a collaborative effort and something everyone should be able to get behind.”

Opponents of the federal Common Core Standards are less than happy with Gov. Haley’s silence on the subject. Johnnelle Raines, Upstate Regional Leader of SCPIE, fired off a letter to editors of Upstate publications and websites. In part she said:

“I watched intently Governor Haley’s State of the State address. No mention of getting rid of Common Core Standards (CCS)!  When asked recently at events she clearly will state she is against our present Common Core Standards. But no mention of that in her Education Plan or her State of the State address.

“Last night would have been the perfect opportunity to make sure all the Legislators and citizens of South Carolina know she is against these standards… but what did we hear from her on these child abusive standards? … crickets…

“Her solution seems to be throwing more money at education. A recent chart put out by the Cato Institute shows clearly what the return on investment is when we throw cash at education. There is none. Please explain to me, Governor Haley, how spending more money on education equals a better literacy rate?”

 

 

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