Peace: Equity in education transforms public schools

Virginia is the best place in the nation to do business. We are also one of the best states in which to raise a child. In many ways, our public schools are essential parts of this success. By and large our schools, community colleges, colleges and universities, both public and private, are world-class.

Nearly 87 percent of the students in the class of 2011 graduated on time with a diploma — four points higher than 2008. Virginia students ranked third in the nation in 2011 in achievement on Advanced Placement tests.

Virginia continues to serve as a beacon of educational success, yet we must not be satisfied with the status quo. Striving for excellence begins with the pursuit of equity in education. This session, legislation proposed by the governor and House Republicans will continue our pursuit of excellence and build upon the great things occurring in schools across the commonwealth.

Equity in Virginia's public school system starts with choice and competition. In fact, both sides of the aisle agree that choice and competition enhance our system rather than erode it.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg is focusing on teacher tenure and performance pay in New York City. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are working on similar matters.

Leading this charge in 2010, Virginia's Gov. Bob McDonnell championed three initiatives to enrich public education: a charter school reform, the creation of virtual schools and a college laboratory partnership measure.

In 2011, the governor, with the leadership of Dels. Kirk Cox, R-Colonial Heights, and Rosalyn Dance, D-Petersburg, successfully passed the Top Jobs of the 21st Century Act, a framework for investment in the future of Virginia's higher education system and 100,000 new degrees awarded through structural improvements and targeted investments.

We are working to ensure that Virginia's public colleges and universities remain among the most competitive in the nation. In this session, transforming Virginia's education system, with particular emphasis paid to our public K-12 institutions, is paramount. Improving access, increasing accountability and encouraging innovative alternatives are our guiding principles.

* * * * *

Access. Del. Jimmie Massie, R-Henrico, introduced House Bill 321, which is an educational choice measure that would permit businesses to sponsor educational improvement scholarships for lower-income children — particularly those in underserved areas of the commonwealth.

According to Massie, his bill would further the education of thousands of Virginia's most disadvantaged children, improve our public schools and save the commonwealth's taxpayers millions of dollars. Existing models, including Florida's longstanding, 11-year-old scholarship tax credit program, have proven results.

Accountability. Applying free-market principles to government would provide for better performance and improved outcomes, specifically by addressing Virginia's system of teacher contracts.

Performance-based teacher incentives were introduced last year by McDonnell. Del. Richard Bell, R-Staunton, intends to build on last year's initiative during the 2012 session with House Bill 576.

In a statement last week, Bell stated: "In business, we demand performance and accountability from executives and workers alike. For the sake of our children, we must require the same results-oriented approach for our teachers and administrators. We entrust these individuals with the critically important job of educating our children, and as a former teacher I'm well aware of the hard work and good results many of our teachers put in. We would simply like to implement fair, common-sense metrics to ensure all our schools and all our teachers are working for our children."

The governor is equally committed to strengthening teacher quality. The 2011 General Assembly approved McDonnell's request for $3 million to reward teachers in hard-to-staff schools based on student growth and other performance measures during the 2011-2012 school year.

The legislation authorizes incentive payments of up to $5,000 for teachers earning exemplary ratings. Teachers in 25 schools are participating in this initiative. In addition, incentive payments of up to $3,000 based on performance are available for exemplary-rated teachers in participating schools using federal School Improvement Grants.

* * * * *

Innovative Alternatives. In 2010, the General Assembly passed legislation enabling public colleges and universities in Virginia to team with approved teacher-preparation programs in an effort to establish college partnership laboratory schools statewide. Del. Jennifer McClellan, D-Richmond, and I co-patroned this legislation to encourage more partnerships between Virginia's higher educational institutions and K-12 public school divisions, increasing choices for Virginia's public school students.

Laboratory schools allow local divisions to offer greater opportunities for innovative instruction and assessment methods — customizing and improving the educational experience.

Providing educational options through utilizing the strengths and talents at the commonwealth's colleges and universities are necessary steps toward assuring academic success for our youngest citizens. This year, my House Bill 765 will open these collaborative opportunities to private colleges such as Hampton University. With the leadership of the Secretary of Education Laura Fornash and the governor's policy director, Julia Hammond, this measure has cleared its first legislative hurdle with a unanimous subcommittee vote last week.

Bill Thomas, associate vice president of Hampton University, clearly stated in his support of the legislation that the answer to education reform is competitive schools. Competitive schools will ultimately keep our state strong.

Innovations like lab schools will allow for higher education to structure its teaching curriculums to meet the needs of the children, fostering their potential and ability to develop a successful career. It may sound trite, but a truly good education will lead to a good job.