
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, September 10, 1993                   TAG: 9309100055
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

AMERICA SPENDS MORE ON SCHOOLS, GETS LESS

The amount of money America spends on its public schools has soared as much as health care costs, so that each household now spends an annual average of $2,348 in taxes to fund schools.

A large part of the rise has fattened bureaucracy and there is no sign that the investment improved learning, according to new study released Thursday by a bipartisan group of legislators and a former Education Secretary William Bennett.

According to the report, by American Legislative Exchange Council, the number of non-teaching staff increased by 40 percent over the last 20 years. Overall enrollment fell by 7 percent.

In New Jersey, New York, the District of Columbia, and other places where taxpayers pay the most for their schools, the students are among lowest achievers, according to test scores and high school graduation rates.

"There is no systematic link between spending and academic achievement," said Emily Feistritzer, president of the National Center for Education Information and author of the study. "Standards, academic rigor and targeted resources pay off."

Money's role in improving learning is one of the most controversial topics in education. Dozens of states are involved in court battles because poor school districts have sued to get as much money per student as wealthy districts.

Public school advocates say it is unfair to criticize the rising costs of running public schools, especially those in large urban areas, because the schools are paying for once unheard of items, such as metal detectors.

"New Jersey has more of concentration of poverty, students with limited English proficiency and immigrants than Wyoming," said Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of Great City Schools. Nonetheless, money alone is not the answer to school problems, he said.

Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said he agreed that too much money has been sunk into non-teaching staff. "But clearly money can make a difference," he said. That is why wealthy people sent their children to schools that spend $10,000 to $15,000 a year on students.

by CNB