WITH ONLY two General Assembly sessions left in his term, the clock is quickly winding down for Gov. Mark R. Warner to forge his legacy for the Old Dominion. One of the challenges for an executive constrained by Virginia's constitutional single-term limit is the relatively short window of opportunity to make an impact on the lives of Virginians that will be remembered long after he has left office.
Two years into his term, Warner appears to have his eyes set on two major initiatives that will hold a prominent place on the agenda when the General Assembly convenes this winter. Because of the recent concerns over the budget revenues, tax reform is certainly a timely proposal. However, Warner's other initiative -- named Education for a Lifetime (EFL) -- offers equal if not greater implications for the basic foundation of economic prosperity: A successful system of public education.
Warner came to the Governor's Mansion from a long background in business but was immediately faced with one of the largest budget deficits in Virginia's history. Two years later, and many deep cuts later, the Commonwealth's fiscal keel appears to be righted. Many predict that as the economy mends, revenues will gradually stabilize. This economic backdrop, coupled with a Republican-dominated General Assembly, stacks the cards against dramatic tax reform. Seeing this risk, Warner is wise to propose sweeping reforms for Virginia's system of education.
Education tends to rank highest on the priority list of citizens' lists of concerns. Though they sometimes have difficulty distinguishing between the systems of government characteristic in a federalist system, politicos long ago learned that painting oneself as a "friend of education" tended to be the politically smart play. Warner has gone back to the well and returned with the largest slate of proposals for education since the lottery system was created in 1989.
According to figures released Monday by the Virginia Department of Education, more than three-quarters of Virginia's public schools were accredited based on student performance on Standards of Learning Exams. This is up from 2 percent in 1998, when students began taking the exams. While debate lingers over the benefits of standardized testing, this evidence bears the importance of common standards of accountability for the Commonwealth's public schools. Even the federal government has gotten in on the act. President Bush's No Child Left Behind Initiative uses similar performance benchmarks to ensure increasing achievement across various social classifications, including race.
Among a series of other progressive proposals to improve education, Warner's plan includes a new layer of accountability that is meant to ensure schools continue to help students meet the more rigorous graduation requirements that take effect this school year. Through a program of efficiency reviews in individual school divisions and further development of Project Graduation, the administration will build upon the current system of accountability for the Commonwealth's schools.
Additionally, the EFL reforms will view education as an entire system -- from early childhood to higher education and everything in between. Warner has recommended that rising seniors who have shown exceptional achievement be allowed to obtain a semester's worth of college credit through dual enrollment in the state's community college system. For seniors who choose not to pursue a four-year degree, the program will include industry certification starting during their final year in high school and continuing after graduation. These are smart proposals because they create channels to better fund technical and vocational training and the Commonwealth's community college system, as well as saving tuition and taxpayers' money by starting these programs while still in high school (and thus shortening the time spent in the more expensive institutions). They will also increase the market value of students when they finish their education, helping the economy.
The program also seeks to offer incentives for colleges to increase the number of graduating students, as well as an increase in funding for cutting-edge research on university campuses. These benefits would increase the general funds going to colleges and universities while simultaneously increasing the earning power of students who leave the Commonwealth's public institutions of higher education. The potential for spin-off revenues and future grant awards also increases the yield from a seed investment from the state.
The progressive program of education reform put forth by the Warner administration offers a range of proposals to better equip Virginia's young people in the Commonwealth's competitive economy. The governor has been campaigning hard for the program across the state for good reason. Funding for these programs will continue to be a challenge for the administration in what will likely be an extremely spendthrift General Assembly. Yet, if there is any middle ground where rational minds will agree more can be done, that subject is definitely education. It will certainly be an interesting uphill battle to watch.
(Preston Lloyd's column appears Thursdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at plloyd@cavalierdaily.com.)
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