Sat Nov 21 2009
It's been 36 years since the Ohio Lottery was sold to voters as the permanent solution to school funding problems. Educators are still grumbling about it.
That's because it has accomplished little but provide people with a convenient but phony excuse to oppose school levies.
Yes, the lottery has raised over $15 billion for education. But for almost every dollar of lottery revenue, the state took a dollar from education and spent it elsewhere.
Last year's "lottery profits" represented about 4 percent of the total state costs for primary and secondary education.
Damon Asbury, director of legislative services for the Ohio School Boards Association, told The Crescent-News on Friday that voters should not link state Issue 3 with education funding. He offered the state lottery as "Exhibit A."
"We don't want people thinking they are supporting schools by buying a lottery ticket," he said.
Asbury also cited another piece of funding history which continues to stick in the crawl of many current and retired school officials.
That would be House Bill 920, an Ohio law passed in 1976. The mere mention of the numbers 9, 2 and 0 are enough to elevate the blood pressure of even the most serene school treasurer.
The law froze school income on voted mills, the major source of revenue for most districts. If a district passed a 3-mill levy which raised $500,000 per year in 1976, it would continue to collect $500,000 per year during the life of that levy -- even if those same 3 mills generated $700,000 in 1986.
When inflation caused the value of taxable property to increase over time, county auditors were required to cut the school tax rate so schools did not receive more money. This new rate was termed "effective millage."
Imagine accepting a job which paid $15,000 in 1976. Back then, with a little frugality, that salary was enough to support a family of four. Now imagine not receiving a salary increase for 10 years. With the increase in cost of living expenses, it would be impossible to support that same family of four on $15,000 in 1986.
Under House Bill 920, keeping up with expenses over the years has been likewise impossible for school districts.
The result? Voters have been asked to approve over 10,000 school levies in Ohio since 1976. About 6,000 have passed, which averages about 10 for every one of the state's 600-plus districts. Despite all those new levies, Asbury reported that the average increase in "effective millage" per district over the past 33 years is estimated at only 1.4 mills.
The lucky districts whose levies are ultimately approved are barely able to maintain current programs and keep up with inflation. The losers have little choice but to cut educational programs for kids.
For all their funding problems, most schools today do a terrific job in educating students while contending with contemporary socio-economic issues.
"Does anyone over the age of 50 really believe children are better educated today?" asked a recent letter to the editor.
I am 56 and my answer is "Yes!"
When I went to school, we didn't study algebra until the ninth grade. Kindergarten was similar to today's pre-school.
When I went to school, a much higher percentage of students dropped out than do so today.
When I went to school, special education students were isolated in a single classroom. Not one was required to have an annual IEP (individualized education program). There wasn't any federal Education of All Handicapped Children Act or Americans With Disabilities Act.
Many people consider themselves an education expert as a result of their own school experiences, which may have been 30, 50 or even 70 years ago. These people would do well to sit in on a high school advanced placement chemistry or calculus class.
Or maybe recruiting three more "education expert" friends and challenge a high school quiz team.
I don't gamble, but I know where I would put my money.
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