MONEY ISN'T ONLY GAUGE OF EDUCATION

The annual report, Quality Counts '98, was issued by Education Week magazine and Pew Charitable Trusts. It scores such factors as standards and assessments, quality of teaching and funding resources.

Money seems to be the leading factor in determining quality of education. The fact Missouri and Illinois aren't at the top of the spending heap earns both states low marks.

But money doesn't guarantee quality education. It is a salient lesson that politicians and educrats never seem to learn. The Kansas City and St. Louis city school systems are perfect examples of this reality check.

Ironically, Missouri received a failing grade in the report for resource equity. That comes as no surprise. The desegregation payments to Kansas City and St. Louis have thrown Missouri's entire educational budget off kilter.

While the report ranked Missouri with a B-plus in the area of standards and assessment, it was quick to point out that assessments don't often work -- unless "made challenging and enforced rigorously." That may be especially true for New Age standards that put more emphasis on matters other than the basics.

The report also focused on the urban challenge, where poverty is linked to poor student achievement. But poverty affects students in both large towns and small. It is not fair to provide special relief for urban schools when many Southeast Missouri schools battle the same economic challenges. Poor is poor, no matter where you hang your hat or your schoolbooks.

As a practical matter, the money may make more of an impact in a smaller-school setting than in the big city. Court-ordered desegregation pumped millions upon millions of dollars into urban schools with little to show in terms of higher student achievement.

But the battle is definitely more political than educational. Legislators in urban areas seem better at mobilizing support for additional funding for city schools.

Yes, Missouri public schools are in need of improvement. But it won't be fixed by any national report or trendy scheme. Hard work, caring educators and a return-to-the-basics will eventually turn things around.