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Web posted Sunday, June 1,
2003
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Editorial: 'Education Lottery' isn't working
Carolina Morning News
The
questions first came in whispers. "Why," people
wanted to know, "isn't the lottery
working?"
The wondering has grown louder
and more pointed as state lawmakers have made it
clear that there simply isn't enough money
available in the budget to adequately fund
education next year.
A compromise budget
approved by the House on Thursday calls for
schools to receive a base of $1,701 per student,
down from $1,770 in the current year. Budget
writers had hoped to chip in something like $2,201
per student.
Meanwhile, as of May 15, the
lottery had deposited more than $265 million into
the South Carolina Education Fund.
Where is
that money going? The lottery Web site boasts that
more than 64,000 students receive
scholarships.
But those scholarships amount
to roughly half of the lottery money
available.
In 2002-03, total appropriations
from the lottery amounted to $172 million. All the
scholarships added together - LIFE, HOPE, Palmetto
Fellows, National Guard, assistance to technical
and two-year schools, plus textbook assistance -
total $86.3 million.
Some of the rest of
the money went to things like endowed chairs at
the University of South Carolina, Clemson and the
Medical University of South Carolina ($30
million), new school buses ($8 million) and
technology for state colleges and universities
($11.1 million).
Notice that no lottery
money went to teacher raises. That's because the
legislation creating the lottery specifically
prevents it. And the money can't be used to hire
new teachers, either.
We submit that
teacher raises should get priority over endowed
chairs at universities. The lottery was pitched to
voters as a way to help lift state test scores up
from the bottom. Teachers can help in that effort
more than endowed chairs.
Some people at
the state level will tell you that the lottery is,
indeed, working, paying for all sorts of things
related to education.
They ignore the
obvious. As the state cuts its funding and school
boards around the state come up short, taxes will
be raised at the local level for many if not most
taxpayers. This despite the influx of lottery
money.
The lottery isn't
working.
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