Published: August 22, 2009 07:31 pm         

TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: Cooperation eases task of educating Vigo County youth

Clashes in views can hinder efforts to help schools, teachers, children

TERRE HAUTE — The return of kids to the halls of schools reinvigorates the community every August. Even in this uncertain economic time, the start of classes in the Vigo County School Corp. this week provided some of that familiar spiritual spark, along with some rhetorical sparks.

The local district begins its 2009-10 year with some positives, including a tentative contract with the teachers union — the Vigo County Teachers Association. At a moment when many public employees are facing pay freezes or cuts, the proposed two-year pact will give teachers pay increases of 1.3 percent in 2009-10 and 1.6 percent in 2010-11. Those boosts are modest compared to previous years (2.5 percent for 2008-09, 3 for ’07-08, and 2 for ’06-07 and ’05-06). But, in this unforgiving recession, the ability to raise wages at all — while also avoiding layoffs occurring in many other counties — is a testament to the corporation’s careful management of a cash balance over the past 12 years.

The VCSC will dip into that cash balance for those upcoming pay increases. Thus, the hikes will be implemented on a one-time-only basis, and won’t become part of the regular salary schedule as a recurring cost.

Superintendent Dan Tanoos said the contract “is very fair for our teachers and fair for our budget.” The contract now goes before the School Board for final approval.

The annual bottom-line revenue and expenditures are taking on even greater significance. State funding to the Vigo County district’s general fund increased just 0.2 percent this year. The cash balance, while healthy now, cannot be tapped year after year to make up for near-flatline funding and cover increasing costs, such as teacher salary increments and health care coverage.

The education policies of Gov. Mitch Daniels’ Republican administration — and particularly the new state superintendent for public instruction Tony Bennett — drew criticism from local Democratic state lawmakers at Monday’s annual Vigo County Back-to-School Appreciation Rally in the Terre Haute South Vigo High School gym. One of the hottest topics was the state’s controversial shift toward funding districts on a per-pupil basis. Under that arrangement, fast-growing and affluent suburban school districts will see overall funding increases, while many rural and urban districts with declining enrollments will see a drop.

The clash in views was apparent last month, when Bennett chose not to reappoint Tanoos to a third term on the Indiana Education Roundtable, a panel that advises the governor, Board of Education and General Assembly. Bennett’s office insisted the change was made because urban districts — such as Vigo County — were over-represented on the Rountable. But Tanoos has been openly critical of Bennett’s support of private-school vouchers, charter schools, merit pay for teachers and changes in policies regarding teacher professional development days and parent-teacher conferences; thus, Tanoos’ removal from the Roundtable appears politically motivated. Whatever the reason, his departure from that influential group is a loss for the community.

Hopefully, Bennett and Tanoos will find a way to meet, meaningfully discuss their distinct differences and lower the tension. As this community is well aware, the K-through-12 school year quickens the pace of days from late August to early June. The task of educating nearly 16,000 young people in this county is large. Getting state and local school leaders closer to being on the same page would lighten that worthwhile burden a little.