Stuck on the Sidelines



Thursday’s first editorial urges State Superintendent of Education Mick Zais to pursue federal funding.

It takes guts and a real strength of principle to stand firm in your beliefs when the critics are baying and condemnation pours in. On that score, we have nothing but respect for the resoluteness of S.C. Education Superintendent Mick Zais.

But while we can respect Zais’ steadfast refusal to pursue federal Race to the Top funding, we can’t say that we agree with it. The basic argument is simple enough: We’re sending our tax money to the federal government, which is using some of it to fund this unique education initiative. But instead of seeking to have some of that money returned to our state, Zais – with the support of Gov. Nikki Haley – has refused to take part in the program.

He justifies that refusal by saying the money comes with federal strings attached and is only temporary. That may be true, but even temporary, federal money is better than receiving no more money at all. His complaint that education funding is too complex, overcomplicated and takes too much time for school systems to unravel is on point, but refusing to take part in Race to the Top will not change that.

A bigger issue is the looming loss of $144 million in federal funds marked for saving teaching jobs. Every other state in the nation has already taken their cuts of the $10 billion program, but because South Carolina did not spend enough on higher education funding to qualify, our money – which could pay for up to 2,600 teachers – waits in limbo. Our last hope is that our congressional delegation push through a waiver that allows the state to receive the money based on our total education spending, which has risen as a whole over the past two years.

Former Superintendent Jim Rex was working with our lawmakers in Congress to do just that, but Zais has so far shown no inclination to follow suit. If nothing is accomplished by Sept. 30, the $144 million will simply return to the federal treasury, a needless loss for our state. If Zais won’t acknowledge the need for that money, we hope that our congressmen will work around him to ensure our money doesn’t evaporate come Oct. 1.

 

He justifies that refusal by saying the money comes with federal strings attached and is only temporary. That may be true, but even temporary, federal money is better than receiving no more money at all. His complaint that education funding is too complex, overcomplicated and takes too much time for school systems to unravel is on point, but refusing to take part in Race to the Top will not change that.

A bigger issue is the looming loss of $144 million in federal funds marked for saving teaching jobs. Every other state in the nation has already taken their cuts of the $10 billion program, but because South Carolina did not spend enough on higher education funding to qualify, our money – which could pay for up to 2,600 teachers – waits in limbo. Our last hope is that our congressional delegation push through a waiver that allows the state to receive the money based on our total education spending, which has risen as a whole over the past two years.

Former Superintendent Jim Rex was working with our lawmakers in Congress to do just that, but Zais has so far shown no inclination to follow suit. If nothing is accomplished by Sept. 30, the $144 million will simply return to the federal treasury, a needless loss for our state. If Zais won’t acknowledge the need for that money, we hope that our congressmen will work around him to ensure our money doesn’t evaporate come Oct. 1.