Saga of school funding not done yet

It's easy to share the frustration of local school superintendents over the Legislature's failure to solve the toughest issue on the state's table - developing a reliable and effective funding formula for Montana schools.

But from a taxpayer's standpoint, it's not so easy to share what seems to be an insatiable appetite for more money to ensure "a quality education" for Montana students.

When Montana's 59th legislative session started in January, lawmakers knew that reconciling these conflicting issues was the singular top priority, due to a lawsuit and court order instructing the state to define a basic system of quality education, and then develop a way to pay for that system.

The Legislature did define a quality education and it delivered $70 million in additional funding as a short-term bandage for the problem. But here we are, near the end of the session, staring at the same long-term funding dilemma. And it appears it won't be solved until a special legislative session is held sometime this fall.

That's a huge disappointment. The legislative leadership knew what was expected of them, and after three months of moving the ball forward, they punted.

The hardest part about developing a funding formula, of course, is determining how much money is enough and how to distribute it equitably among rural and urban schools where enrollments may be increasing or decreasing. As we've said repeatedly, affordability should be a major consideration in whatever formula is developed.

School superintendents may disagree with that position, and they indeed may know the ins and outs of paying for schools down to the individual line item. But Montana property owners know their tax bills down to the line item, and there are plenty of reasons for them to wonder what they are getting for their money.

It is indisputable that total spending and per student spending for Montana schools has increased dramatically (easily exceeding inflation) over the last decade, just as it is certain that the state's share of funding has gradually decreased from 71 percent to 61 percent since 1991. That shift played a big part in prompting the lawsuit, which led to the court order that essentially mandates a more centralized form of school funding.

That funnels more money through Helena, where it is closer to administrative bureaucrats than it is to classrooms.

And that brings us to our next concern.

There is no question that whatever formula is developed it will involve more, rather than less, funding for schools. And taxpayers have every right to insist on some form of accountability in this equation.

It's worth noting that accountability has been conspicuously scarce in all the talk that's occurred over school funding issues over the last few months. There's been far more discussion about insurance programs for school employees.

That, we believe, is a direct reflection of the huge influence education lobbyists have in Helena. Education unions across the country have long resisted the interference of accountability, while naturally pursuing better wages, working conditions and benefits for their constituencies.

While there certainly is a connection between quality education and competent teachers, the interests of unions don't necessarily translate to a quality education.

Montana lawmakers should not be puppets for Montana's education establishment, and since we will have an entire special session dedicated to education in Montana, the time has come to consider accountability.

Just about any measure of accountability would suffice. If Montana's revised funding formula costs taxpayers an additional $100 million, then perhaps better standardized test scores or an increase in statewide graduation rates are in order.

At least taxpayers can someday point to a tangible benefit for students from school spending that results from Montana's 59th Legislative Assembly.