Lying about Wyoming education

By D. Reed Eckhardt
The disinformation campaign from the Wyoming Department of Education never seems to end. But then, to admit the truth about this state's mediocre schools would be to agree with those who say Wyoming needs to overhaul its education system. And since the current framework is based on the much accepted and widely touted falsehood that local control is the way to go, well, officials are forced to pretend that all is well with the way this state educates its children.

Listen to State Superintendent Jillian Below's reaction to a recent release from Quality Counts, which ranks Wyoming's education seventh in the nation: "(This report) serves as a reminder that we are doing great things for the kids of our state."

Ahem. The truth is that the seventh-place ranking is just smoke and mirrors. Wyoming ranks highly  NOT because its children are receiving "great things" in their schools. Rather, it is because the state got an "A" in school financing. In other words, the Cowboy State does a great job of throwing money at the problem even as it fails to solve it.

Consider this: The state got just a B-minus grade in the Quality Counts category of Chance for Success -- a 20th-place finish nationally. That is defined as a way to "better understand the role education plays in promoting positive outcomes across an individual's lifetime." And even worse, Wyoming was rated as a C-minus in academic achievement, or 22nd in the nation. As examples, the state has: 1 -- The lowest percentage of students who score as proficient on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) test; and 2 -- the 48th best number of students with high AP test scores.

Despite this dismal academic performance -- isn't education supposed to be the goal of the state's schools? -- Dicky Shanor, chief of staff act the department, had the gall to argue that the high amounts of state spending are "starting to move the needle ... we're starting to reap the benefits." Of course, he cited no evidence to support that blather because there is none. Wyoming continues to languish in education mediocrity. That is a fact.

Making matters worse for the department is that education funding cuts are looming on the state's horizon. When those occur, the Quality Counts score will tumble. The dissembling on that from the education agency, come next year, should be epic.

Like it or not, the truth is that local control is not moving Wyoming's schools forward. Yet the Department of Education and the Legislature are more interested in spouting political platitudes and staking out conservative positions than they are in educating this state's children. There need to be greater penalties at all levels for lack of performance as well as rigid, high-expectation standards. Those must come from the state, if not the national, level. Enough with the carrot. It is time for the stick -- if someone can be found with the gumption to wield it.

This state's economy never will turn if it doesn't produce adequately prepared graduates. Businesses go to where they find a well-educated workforce. That is not happening in Wyoming. It is time that Ms. Balow and her staff stop pretending that all is well in the schools and speak the truth. The Cowboy State is not performing academically. To say otherwise is pure bull manure.

D. Reed Eckhardt is the former executive editor of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.