Four-year-old L.B. Moran of Beaufort awaits his answer

According to yesterday's edition of The State newspaper, anyone visiting the state Department of Education can pick up a copy of a letter that Su-Pretendent Mick Zais sent to the U.S. Department of Education regarding his refusal of its $144 million in federal funding to pay for educators' jobs in our state. That letter, according to the article, includes this line -- "underlined and in bold type": "South Carolina can meet our educational challenges without micromanagement by the federal government."

I addressed the context in which such an asinine statement as this one lives in our beloved state, following faithfully in a long tradition of demagoguery rooted in animus toward the federal government and an unfounded yet hyper-inflated sense of superiority among our sister-states. We do love to watch our ideological warmongers beat their breasts and hear the tinny jingling of their medals.

Sadly, however, our children continue to suffer.

It's in this light that I invite General Zais to consider the case of L.B. Moran, a visually-impaired four-year boy living in Beaufort. His older brother, R. Lee, already attends Port Royal Elementary School, and his parents, Joseph and Candi, have been trying to enroll L.B. in that school since April, and indeed met with special services representatives from the Beaufort County School District on multiple occasions in April, May and June.

Here's a child living in one of South Carolina's oldest communities, General Zais; its first attempted settlement predates Charleston by 108 years. His parents are clearly actively engaged in their child's education. And the little boy clearly has special needs -- he is legally blind -- that qualify him as an at-risk child.

Port Royal Elementary School began its school year on Monday, the same day that a few dozen educators gathered outside the Rutledge Building to protest the Department's decision -- supported by Her Excellency Nikki Haley, on a jaunt that day to Daniel Island -- to refuse $144 million in federal funds to pay for educator jobs.

But L.B. wasn't enrolled to attend school on that starting day. After meeting with district staff in Beaufort for the past four months, L.B.'s parents are "left with yet another meeting scheduled for August 25, 2011."

In frustration, L.B.'s parents have sent letters to Beaufort's superintendent, school board members and others to get their child enrolled in school. That hasn't yielded results, so they have begun to forward their letters to others, including Educating South Carolina, to bring attention to their struggle.

"What a disgrace," L.B.'s father writes. "How long does it take to establish an individualized education program (IEP)?"

Would someone kindly explain to our family why the BCSD "Special Services Coordinator" et al are unable to perform their duties, in a timely manner, and coordinate the educational special needs of a little boy from Port Royal?

Everyone knows the State and the BCSD have plenty of money set aside for special needs children, right? Back in June Mick Zais’ office was scrambling to head off the 11th hour loss of more than $100 million in federal money because it had not spent enough on special education in the past few years.

Having no more information than this, I wonder: Does BCSD have sufficient staff resources to address the needs of Beaufort's students and parents? Does Port Royal Elementary School have the "minimally adequate" resources to meet the needs of L.B. Moran? Has Beaufort County, and Port Royal Elementary School, suffered -- as the rest of the state has suffered -- staff cuts and budget cuts that leave it now unable to function effectively?

And how many children and parents are in exactly the same struggle as L.B. and his parents?

To right the state's fiscal ship, South Carolina's lawmakers and decisionmakers have cut thousands of educator jobs during the past three years, leaving fewer education professionals to meet greater needs. Is this one result of those decisions?

To protect corporate tax loopholes and other business exemptions in the state's tax code, lawmakers chose to cut funding for programs instead, leaving a per pupil expenditure of $1,788 -- down from its stratospheric high of $2,476 per pupil in 2008. Is that sufficient funding to meet the educational needs of each one of the state's children, including four-year-old L.B. Moran in Beaufort, for this year?

And, like Joseph Moran, I recall reading in the newspapers about the threatened loss of $111 million in federal special education funding -- money designated specifically for children with special needs -- in June. Our state su-pretendent was caught flat-footed, and plenty of folks, including lawmakers, wondered why. Yet he is still in office; he is what we have while we wait for 2014.

That is, unless Haley is successful at turning the superintendency into an appointed, rather than elected, position. In that case, all may be lost for good; Haley has expressed her support for Zais, and could very well wind up appointing him to serve a second term if she gets the chance.

The worst irony of this unfortunate mess is that Zais, who holds the office of the state's chief advocate for public education and South Carolina's public schoolchildren, has every reason to understand what challenges the Morans are facing. Consider the "message" he delivered to the public on January 14 of this year, as he took office:

For too many years, we have sought to fix education from the top down. New standards are adopted. New tests are created. New curricula are purchased. Program after program has been promoted as the silver bullet that will fix education in our state. Some changes in public policy have resulted in passing the buck, yet again, to classroom teachers who invariably have to make more bricks with little or no straw.

My firsthand experience from years as a teacher at the United States Military Academy at West Point impressed upon me the need for strong and supportive leadership in educational institutions. The Dean of Academic Affairs didn’t come to my classroom and tell me how to teach organizational behavior, management, and leadership to the cadets. He expected me to use my knowledge and leadership experience to challenge and develop every student. In return, he and the staff at West Point provided structure and order so that real learning could take place in my classroom. The education leadership in our state needs to have as its No. 1 priority providing this same respect, support, and order for our teachers and students.

When I became the president of Newberry College, I committed myself to providing the best environment for teaching and learning that I could. Budgets were tight, but we focused on what was best for the students and aggressively pursued an agenda to transform the school. This included eliminating unnecessary programs, streamlining administration, investing in technology and facilities, and raising the level of professionalism among professors and coaches. We built a learning community with a plan for every freshman to graduate not only with a diploma, but with the life skills to be a successful professional, a member of the military, or to continue their education in graduate school.

As a child with a learning disability who attended ten public schools in twelve years, I know firsthand what a profound difference an excellent teacher can make. But in order to make that difference, teachers must be unfettered by rigid schedules, freed from time-consuming paperwork, and unencumbered by excessive bureaucracy. When that is accomplished, teachers can change children’s lives and dramatically improve expectations and achievement.

Pretty words, but L.B. Moran of Beaufort -- and hundreds of thousands of South Carolina's public schoolchildren, their parents and educators -- some still employed, others out of work -- are waiting for the pretty words to be turned into reality.

So, General Zais, tell us: Can South Carolina meet our educational challenges without micromanagement by the federal government? Or will it take an intervention from beyond our borders to ensure that our children have their educational needs met?

You're the man in the office. You tell us. This school year has already begun.

Fed school funds bungled by 'lack of coordination'

I'd say it's more than just a lack of coordination that led to the $111 million cut in federal funds that otherwise would flow to South Carolina's schools from Washington. It's a consequence of electing executive officers with no previous electoral experience, no experience in public K-12 education, and no previous knowledge of the funding mechanisms of the federal government. That, plus a healthy dose of ideological animosity toward the federal government's role in public education. And a tendency to hire political lackeys with even less experience and knowledge to help lead the agency that supports the state's most important institution.

But Rick Noble, CEO of Richland County's First Steps to Community Readiness Partnership, is much more diplomatic when he talked to Al Dozier of the Free Times of Columbia this week. “It shows a lack of coordination with the Department of Education, the governor’s office and the Legislature,” he said.

For a fuller explanation of what the funds are for, read the background here.

At the moment, the prevailing image of this fiasco is a portrait of Keystone Kops, or the Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight. Superintendent Mick Zais is pointing the finger at others, who are pointing fingers right back at him.

Where's Jay Ragley when he could be useful and take the public flogging?

State Department of Education officials say they didn’t get official notice until mid-June that the federal penalty would be levied, a response to the state’s under-funding of special education over the past three years. But the department is quickly moving to fix the shortfall by June 30 and comply with federal requirements.

State officials have already come up with $75 million, money that will flow back to school districts all across the state. That spending could include salaries for special-education teachers, treatment programs for students and classroom supplies. The state also hopes to block the imposition of another $36 million penalty, based on the budget shortages of 2010, with a legal appeal.

Advice from our elders: Doing a thing right the first time saves three times the energy undoing the wrong and making it right. If South Carolina hadn't under-funded its schools' special education needs consistently, we might not be facing the loss of more than a hundred million dollars, plus tens of millions in penalties on top of it.

The House Ways and Means Chairman, Brian White, says he didn't get word from Zais about the problem until late in the game. Zais told him that the U.S. Department of Education didn't raise the issue until June 18, though he admitted to White "that he was aware of the possibility earlier this year and has been in touch with the governor’s office." Well, there's the rub: One without deep knowledge of, and appreciation for, public education consulting another without deep knowledge of, and appreciation for, public education. And these are the two people charged under our Constitution with the greatest responsibility for strengthening and administering our system of public schools.

Now comes Jay Ragley, Zais's "deputy superintendent for legislative and public affairs," with the complete explanation: It's Jim Rex's fault.

“Everything that happened occurred before he [Zais] took office,” Ragley said.

The people of South Carolina can count on Jay Ragley to clear things up and point the way to a solution. It's likely why Zais appointed him "deputy superintendent for legislative and public affairs."

Funny thing: Professionals who have built their careers in public education, who understand and appreciate it, have a different take on the matter.

Roger Smith, executive director of the South Carolina Education Association, says “It’s not the first time this has happened.”

Last year the state lost $144 million in stimulus funds that would have gone to public schools, Smith recalls. The reason: the state was not spending enough money on higher education.

The problem is revenue shortfalls, the likes of which have rarely been seen in the past, Smith says. The state simply did not come up with enough money to satisfy the requirements imposed by federal regulations.

Noble, who was critical of Zais for not seeking a chunk of the $500 million in federal Race to the Top competitive grant funds because too many strings are attached, says it’s puzzling that Zais is now rushing to get the special education funds.

In a letter to Free Times, Noble says he is “confused and speechless” that Zais now fears the loss of federal money.

“Would someone please clarify the state’s position?” Noble asks. “This reminds me of Amazon.”

But Noble acknowledges that Zais should pursue the millions in education funds that could be lost. “Not to would be stupid,” he says.

Perhaps South Carolina's public schoolchildren would benefit from having education professionals elected to executive offices in Columbia. At least forms might be filed on time.