Improve Quality Public Schools
Based on Bradley Heard's April 9, 2015 report, the local elected leaders premise the need for tax increase is to ensure the school system budget will achieve educational success. However, Heard sees this as "dubious at best". He states, "According to data compiled by the Maryland State Department of Education, Prince George’s already pays its teachers higher than the statewide and national averages, and has higher per-pupil expenditures than the statewide and national averages, ranking within the top third of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions in these areas."
Heard continues to make his case based on data and comparative charts he compiled in his article for Prince George's Urbanist. He says, "The county’s overall education spending relative to its wealth is also well above the statewide averages. (Again, Prince George’s is not a “poor” county; it’s just not as wealthy as others in the Washington region.) So it can hardly be said that Prince George’s County is giving its public school students short shrift at its current funding levels.
Moreover, there are public school systems out there that are funded at much lower levels than Prince George’s, which nevertheless manage to perform exceptionally well. I am a product of one of those systems: the Virginia Beach City Public Schools. I use Virginia Beach as a comparator here because it has similar physical and wealth characteristics to Prince George’s County.
Both jurisdictions are geographically large bedroom communities, with similar population densities. They are both outside of and larger than their respective metropolitan region’s central city, and they are both principally suburban in character. Virginia Beach has a lower median household income and a slightly lower median home value."
As detailed in the chart the chart he provided, Virginia Beach has a significantly lower per-pupil expenditure rate than Prince George’s and also pays its teachers significantly less. Yet, it has higher student achievement levels, a higher on-time graduation rate, and a lower dropout rate.
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The false comparison of money/better schools is reinforced by data and studies of school performance in Maryland jurisdictions as well. For example, the lack of student performance in Baltimore City schools, lowest in the state, despite having the second highest teacher salaries in the state. Higher Taxes Won't Improve Public Schools in Prince George's County.
More Money ≠ Better Schools
Excellence and Innovation in Maryland Education
A recent Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Education was created in Maryland. While presenting a noble purpose, there are obstacles and flaws in this undertaking, given the long history of providing quality public education through government in America. Lee Havis wrote a blog on this issue that concerns all citizens in Maryland as well as Prince George's County. Innovation and Excellence in Maryland Education