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Education funding a must
May 28, 2007
The Oklahoman
By Phil G. Busey
In today’s global economy education equals economic development. The Oklahoman
published several editorials on public education, vouchers and improving
test scores. However, the most important article is about the overall “D” Oklahoma
schools received from the US Chamber of Commerce. Oklahoma was only one of two states
getting two “F’s” in the study. Burns Hargis, told the joint House and Senate Education
Committee, this report will be a gage by businesses seeking to relocate and severely
undermines economic development. His assessment is dead on.
Economic growth depends on the caliber students we produce and their ability to
enter an academically demanding workforce. Public Education is a building block
of our democracy. Education and students deserve the best we can offer in resources,
funding and support. Business needs to be in the loop. The legislature makes token
advancements in additional funding but our system needs an overhaul. We have to
bring leaders in government, education and business together to develop a comprehensive
plan of what we need. It is known that businesses seek locations where they can
find current but also future educated employees. In 1999 the Chairman of a large
national defense IT firm was asked about locating a facility in a technology corridor
in Edmond. His answer summed it up. We will go where we can find a human resource
pipeline of students from K-12 through higher Ed. If we located in Oklahoma and
had to recruit in Texas, we will go to Texas.
Excellence in public education is key. To suggest vouchers over real commitments
to improving our system is a band aid approach. We worry about test scores but importantly
we need to be worried about text books, advance curriculums, career awareness, computers,
teacher pay and facilities. We have a huge amount of educational dollars in administration
in too large a number of school districts. It may not be popular, but in today’s
environment it is important to evaluate the need for all of the districts and how
resources can be combined to get more dollars to classrooms.
Several of our industries need next generation workforces including energy and aerospace.
We can become the center in proving these industries workforces of the future. Businesses
seek systems that will work with them on career awareness and curriculums focused
on their needs. We can make that easy for them by creating a joint business and
education task force mandated to evaluate and implement binding all state schools
together in a common purpose. The legislature just doesn’t get the seriousness of
this problem. We have to demand leaders act in our best interests even though the
solutions may be costly and difficult. Educational funding has to be the priority.
We have to bite the bullet on this issue as well as healthcare if we are to
compete. We expect students to get “A’s”. We should expect no less from our leaders
and educational system. Our economic future depends on it.
Phil G. Busey is chairman and CEO of the Busey Group of Companies.
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5721 NW 132nd Street
OKC, OK 73142
Ph: 405.721.7776
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