NEWFANE — There is a systemic problem with education in the state of Vermont. On a per-pupil basis, we spend 60 percent more than the national average, but our students score only in the average range, nationally.
Worse, our students get an average grade in a country that ranks 17th in the world overall and only 35th in math. We have fewer minorities and less poverty, two factors that normally cause lower scores.
Vermont has leveled the playing field by redistributing tax revenues, it has cut class sizes, and it has mandated that pre-kindergarten be available for all students.
Now we are closing and consolidating schools. The population of the state is declining and, best-case scenario, is expected to remain stagnant. The population is also aging as young people leave for greener pastures.
It is considered to be blasphemy to say anything negative about schools, and it is quickly labeled as teacher bashing. In no way is this the fault of the people in the classroom - not the teachers and not the students.
So let's identify and fix the real problem.
In a nutshell, we spend much more on fewer children and get mediocre results. In a state that brags about quality of life, this should not be acceptable.