Lottery

Looking at the FY 2006-07 column of the table below, about $59 million goes to K-12 education and about $220 million goes to college scholarships and other higher education expenses.

I read a letter that was in the newspaper a month or two ago that made me think. The letter said, "All those tax dollars we give Clemson doesn’t make the tuition there any cheaper. Tuition, room and board for Bob Jones University is $14,100. For a state resident going to Clemson University, the cost is $15,700. Most of that state money goes to paying for the high priced salaries of the Clemson professors, deans, and department heads making $125,000 to $225,000 a year. They like spending our money on themselves. Two-thirds of the lottery money goes to college scholarships. And the colleges just raise the tuition, so the scholarships aren’t making the tuition any cheaper for students."

I later confirmed the tuition figures and there are many college salaries that are in that range. I was shocked Clemson University's in-state tuition was more than BJU's. That's sad. But it could be worse, public K-12 per student costs are about three times than that cost at private K-12 schools.

When they introduced the Lottery College Scholarships, it seems like state tuition just went through the roof. It didn't 't seem to make college any cheaper for the students, which was the purpose of the scholarships. Looking at those salaries, it appears the scholarship money just went into the pockets of the staff of professors at the university.

There is one major problem I see with public education. It is extremely inefficient. For all the money that goes in the front door, not enough is making it to the things that educate the student. So in the end, the leaders of the system benefit the most with higher salaries, better benefits, etc, and not the student.

One reason this occurs, and it is throughout the K-12 and college system, is those who are supposed to hold the school districts or colleges responsible for spending our money on the student, don't do that. Most can not say "No" or can not say, do more with the money you are already getting or insist the money is spent in the classroom. Better money management just doesn't happen. Management has to insist the money is spent wisely and it makes it to the student.

In a related point, those same people do not hold the school districts or colleges accountable for improving education results. For example, school spending in Pickens County is up 70% over the last 10 years and test scores and drop out rates have not improved. How can that happen? Evidently, the board/ management was not insisting on better results, as spending went up and up and up.

Going a step further, the system lacks incentives that encourage employees to better educate the students and better manage the money in the system.