Quality Education "Academic excellence in district 203 has never been a function of spending."
Mike Davitt (3/13/06, NAHC forum)
"District 203 has been providing a quality education for 35 years regardless of how much we spend."
Taxpayers' Ticket website
They want us to believe that there is no connection between spending and the quality of an education that can be provided.
Yes, this is a Myth!
Consider all the goods and services that we buy including cars, food, vacations, medical services, financial advice and legal representation. Why do some attorneys charge more than others, are they better? Are all doctor fees the same for a given procedure? Should all athletes be paid the same?
Of course not. These professionals like our teachers are all of various abilities and are compensated differently. In the US, we get what we pay for. Of course, there is a limit to that, but if we compare our per pupil expenditures and school performance to other comparably performing districts in the Chicagoland area, we are getting a very good deal.
What about the essay by Jay P. Green, of the Manhattan Institute, entitled Education Myths and reprinted on the Taxpayers' Ticket website? Two things: check out the Manhattan Institute and their agenda and consider what Jay P. Green said following a recent ABC News interview (20/20, 7/23/2006) when asked to "...point out that all public schools are not inept as you are spotlighting."
He replied "And I hope nothing I have said in this e-mail chat, on the "20/20" show, in my book, or elsewhere would lead people to think that all public schools are inept. Some are excellent. In fact, I attended superb public schools in suburban Chicago, including New Trier High School."
- New Trier HS '04/'05 Operating Expenditure per Pupil: $16,026
- Naperville Schools '04/'05 Operating Expenditure per Pupil: $9,396
- IL State Average '04/05' Operating Expenditure per Pupil: $9,099
(all calculated according to ISBE standard formula)
Obviously, things are more complex than Mike Davitt lets on; Jay P. Green is focusing most of his attention on underperforming school districts not top performing school districts like the Naperville Public Schools.