"WHAT, ME FAIL ENGLISH? THAT UNPOSSIBLE!" - REDUX

The College Board, the organization that administers those bothersome, yet essential, SAT scores released the results for 2003 and New Hampshire ranked number one again this year in states with more than 60% of the students taking the test, with an aggregate score of 1,043. Obviously, I’m very proud of my adopted state’s continued leadership in SAT scores. It was New England’s schools that played a not insignificant role in my family’s decision to move back “home” from North Carolina.

Interestingly, in contrast to the national average, rural schools scored an average 31 points higher on the test than city schools in New Hampshire. Yet, I believe it was the rural schools in New Hampshire that sued the state, claiming that they were not getting an equal education. The State Supreme Court ruled in Claremont that the property-tax based school funding that had been used, like, forever was unfair. Yet, it was this “unfair” funding system that brought New Hampshire to the number one spot in SAT scores for two years in a row. It was this “unfair” funding system that led the rural communities to score higher than the well funded cities. Hmm, doesn’t that make you think?

Also in the report for New Hampshire was the breakdown by type of school. The religious schools scored the highest with an aggregate 1,128, private schools were second with a 1,110 and public schools in the rear with 1,026. The gut reaction is, “if you have the money, your education is better”. In general that is true, but not completely. I’m positive that religious schools are cheaper than private schools, yet their students score higher. That means money is not the cure all for education (do you hear me NEA?).

Of course money isn’t the be-all, end-all to education. New Hampshire ranked #24 in per pupil spending for the 2000-2001 (the last year I can find), yet we ranked #3 in 2001 on the SAT scores. Makes you wonder why the liberals are always crying about “more money for education” when the numbers really don’t play out. In 2001, the District of Columbia had 56% participation in the SAT with an aggregate score of 956, the lowest of in the country. The same year, per pupil spending was second highest, at $11,273. So the next time some NEA thug comes to your school board and demands more money, remember the poor kids in Washington, DC.