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Published on Thursday, April 05, 2007 Gazette Opinion: Economy depends on education
"Education is economic development." That was
the central message that Wes Jurey, president and chief executive officer
of the Arlington (Texas) Chamber of Commerce, delivered to a ballroom
filled with Billings leaders Tuesday morning.His message is especially timely with the Montana Legislature moving into its final weeks with decisions yet to be made on funding K-12 and higher education for the next two years. And in Billings, voters will decide May 8 on local levies for a school district that hasn't passed an operating levy in five years. Work force shortage Jurey, chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Board of the Institute for a Competitive Work Force, spoke at a forum sponsored by Celebrate Billings partners, Billings Clinic, St. Vincent Healthcare, The Gazette and Montana State University-Billings, which hosted the event. By 2012, 42 percent of U.S. jobs will require a college degree, up from 29 percent in 2000, Jurey said. A work force shortage is looming within the next 20 years. The competition for workers will be intense. "Quality schools deliver quality workers," Jurey said. "People who don't have kids in school should care about that." The Arlington Chamber raised money for university programs to expand education and research in fields that complemented local businesses and prepared students to work for them. But locally, education has been getting relatively less investment as the economy has grown, economist Larry Swanson told the breakfast crowd. Adjusted for inflation, investment in the Montana State University-Billings College of Technology has been flat for years. And inflation-adjusted per-student general funding in Billings public schools has increased only slightly in the past 17 years, according to School District 2 data that Swanson analyzed. Growing economy Meanwhile, Yellowstone County's economy has been growing at a steady clip. Yellowstone County is now growing faster than Missoula County, Swanson said. Census Bureau estimates put Yellowstone County's 2006 population at more than 138,000. "Because of relatively fast-growing income and slow-growing school funding, general funding support for the schools has slipped from over 2 percent to 1.7 percent of countywide personal income," Swanson reported. "As the economy has opened up, you're systematically disinvesting in education." Jack Copps, Billings Public Schools superintendent, just turned 70, with 47 years devoted to Montana education. He used the forum to articulate an energetic, youthful vision for Billings' future. He foresees K-12 and post-secondary education working more closely together, allowing more students to be in high school and college environments at the same time. He advocates neighborhood elementary schools. Only 19 percent of local households have a student in the Billings Public Schools. Yet Billings Public Schools are educating 15,600 students - more students than Kalispell, Bozeman, Whitefish and Miles City combined. School operating dollars don't automatically increase when the community grows. The Legislature and governor - through biennial appropriations - and local voters - through levy elections - can increase local school funding. It's time to invest in quality education. Montana lawmakers need to ensure that the University System gets money to sustain educational programs without tuition increases in the next biennium. Legislators should see that K-12 students statewide aren't further penalized for many past years of underfunding. Billings voters should recognize the enormous stake we all have in the success of our students. The next month will determine the course of education for years ahead. Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises. T
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