Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Funding Education

Alright - I know it has been a while since I posted anything. I wanted to post about the Education Funding Study Committee meetings.

First off, I want to thank those committee members who have participated and are trying to help us "Untangle the Knot of Education Funding Mechanisms." This is an almost daunting task.

But I am encouraged by today's meeting and what I see as similar solutions from two unlikely sources: The Dept. of Education Task Force and The South Carolina Policy Council. It looks as if more and more people are embracing the idea of funding students versus funding programs.

Rep. Clemmons provided the beginnings of a bill for us to chew on. I compare it to a jar of clay that we can now begin molding and shaping. Thanks, Alan!

I like the Policy Council's study on Weighted Pupil Funding or "Backpacking." In the next meeting we will take a comprehensive look at Dr. Rex's Task Force's report. The meeting after that we will talk with Dr. Brian Hassell, the author of the Policy Council's study.