News
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.