EDITORIAL: Improving education takes more than money

‘ ‘ ‘ For years, the state of education in the United States has been dismal, as schools… ‘ ‘ ‘ For years, the state of education in the United States has been dismal, as schools throughout the country struggled with low performance rates. These low-performing schools usually cannot afford experienced teachers and, as a result, students suffer academically. ‘ ‘ ‘ Pittsburgh Public Schools are hoping to change this. ‘ ‘ ‘ Linda Lane, deputy superintendent of Pittsburgh Public Schools, said she considers offering financial bonuses to draw more high-performing teachers to low-performing schools, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Lane said she believed that federal grant funds might be available to support the plan. ‘ ‘ ‘ The idea is still in its early stages, and school officials have not yet discussed it with the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, but it is nevertheless a positive initiative. Low-performing schools usually lack the financial means to hire effective teachers. ‘ ‘ ‘ This idea comes at a crucial time, when our nation faces the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. A suffering economy will no doubt give way to more and more suffering schools. With a financial incentive plan and a continued and reliable stream of federal grant money, hopefully this can be prevented. ‘ ‘ ‘ Similarly, programs like Teach for America attract college students to education professions and retain them, in part solving the problem of teacher shortages, which is especially prevalent in urban areas. But still, this is not a sufficient overall response to keeping high-quality teachers. Compensation is crucial when it comes to recruiting teachers. ‘ ‘ ‘ The financial incentive plan is not flawless, however. Offering heftier paychecks is a good idea, but whether the state or country has the means to finance such a plan is not so clear. ‘ ‘ ‘ Bonuses are just the beginning. More money is obviously not the only solution. Part of the answer lies with the teachers themselves. Teachers should be willing and motivated to teach at low-performing schools, which are usually located in urban areas. At such schools, instructors face a variety of problems ranging from poverty to violence. As such, money might not be enough of an incentive to attract teachers. Rather, teachers should also have an instinctive desire and eagerness to help improve the state of low-performing schools. ‘ ‘ ‘ Nevertheless, it is reassuring to know that school officials have acknowledged the problem and are working to find ways to improve the state of education in Pennsylvania. School board member Randall Taylor offered another solution, suggesting a ‘grow your own’ teacher-training program, according to the Post-Gazette. This plan would train teachers and prepare them for teaching in struggling schools. ‘ ‘ ‘ We commend Pittsburgh Public School officials for their efforts and hope to see a steady rise in the standard of education in the near future.