By JOHN RICHARD SCHROCK
Some politicians, who apparently don’t believe in government, are working in many states to substantially lower taxes under their old, tired message that every dollar spent on government is a dollar out of your pocket. But just as the military is a major expense of federal government, education is the responsibility of each state. K–12 and higher education often make up over half of state expenses.
Some citizens may be skeptical of bureaucrats in state office buildings, but they are far more positive toward the local schools that serve their children.
The self-centered politicians are again seizing a moment when federal money is being infused into each state to save the economy and preserve education. And we went down this path before during the “Great Recession.”
The federal website still describes the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund that was a one-time appropriation of $53.6 billion under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The U.S. Department of Education awarded governors approximately $48.6 billion by formula under the program. The purpose was clearly stated. “These funds will help stabilize state and local government budgets in order to minimize and avoid reductions in education and other essential public services. The program will help ensure that local educational agencies (LEAs) and public institutions of higher education (IHEs) have the resources to avert cuts and retain teachers and professors. The program may also help support the modernization, renovation, and repair of school and college facilities. In addition, the law provides governors with significant resources to support education (including school modernization renovation, and repair), public safety, and other government services.”
However, it distinctly stated: “As part of the state's application, each governor must include an assurance that the state will maintain the same level of support for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education in FY 2009 through FY 2011 as it did in FY 2006.” In other words, as tax revenues recovered, the state must finance education at the level prior to that recession. The one-time federal funds were there to “supplement, not supplant” state funding when the economy recovered. Some states violated this and used the one-time federal funding as an excuse to cut taxes. Some were caught and had to pay money back.
Today, over a decade later, politicians in many states are trying it again. On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) was signed into law and included three emergency relief funds: (1) a Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund, (2) an Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, and (3) a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. Over $30 billion remains available through September 30, 2021.
While there is wording about maintenance-of-effort, there appears to be no penalty for using the federal money to replace state funding, despite the clear intention to help schools address their new need for better sanitation, ventilation, extra staffing, extra laptops, etc.
Out of all of the developed world nations that are suffering from this pandemic, only one country harbors a large political faction that argues against maintaining educational effort at both K-12 and tertiary levels: the United States.
This is not a new movement. The belief that “common sense” is more important than advanced learning has been growing for many years in the U.S. But it has consequences.
American scientists no longer author the most research papers in journals. We no longer graduate the most doctorates in science. We no longer lead the world in international patents. To conduct research at the most advanced particle accelerators or most massive telescopes, you must now go to another country.
And the breakthroughs for our new vaccines began overseas as well.
Any state that cuts tax revenues now, supplanting it with temporary federal money that was targeted for COVID-19-related school relief, is directly contributing toward moving the United States to second world status in the near future.
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John Richard Schrock has trained biology teachers for more than 30 years in Kansas. He also has lectured at 27 universities in 20 trips to China. He holds the distinction of “Faculty Emeritus” at Emporia State University.