Stop perpetuating the myth that Iowa’s schools are getting worse

As we enter the 2016 Iowa legislative session, it's time to face the facts, not perpetuate myths.

One particular myth has been repeated and manipulated to meet the political needs of those spreading it. That myth is 'We keep throwing more money at public education and we keep getting poorer results.” Here is what is really true about public education achievement levels and state funding for education in Iowa.

A higher percentage of Iowa students now take the ACT test than at any point in our history. Iowa's average 2015 ACT composite score of 22.2 ranks third in the country. The national average composite score was 21.0.

Iowa leads the nation in providing opportunities for high school students to get a jump start on their college education during high school. Iowa leads the country in the percentage of students under age 18 enrolled in community colleges via high school programs. The number of high school students enrolled in community colleges rose to a record high of 42,996 in fiscal year 2014. Year-to-year growth was 6.8 percent. The number of schools in Iowa offering Advanced Placement (AP) opportunities and the number of Iowa students taking AP exams has increased substantially since 2001. In 2001 5,995 exams were taken by Iowa students. In 2014 that number was 18,860. Despite the increase in the number of exams, student performance remains high. In 2014, the percentage of exams with a score of 3 or higher on a 5-point scale was 62.7 percent. Nationally, students earning a score of 3 or higher is 58.7 percent. A score of 3 can earn the student college credit in the course.

Iowa's 4th grade National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math test scale score in 1992 was 230. In 2013 it was 246. Our results in Reading are flat in that same time frame at 225 and 224, but they have not gotten 'worse.” While Iowa has not shown the growth in NAEP tests over that time frame that other states have shown, a great deal of that could be attributed to the fact that we did not set any state standards back when other states were doing so. We were late to the standards movement.

Iowa continues to lead the nation in high school graduation rates. Data show that 90.5 percent of Iowa's seniors graduate from high school compared to an 82.3 percent national average. By the way, in 1960 the nation's graduation rate was barely 73 percent.

Yet despite these successes, school funding in Iowa, according to a U.S. News & World Report article published in December 2015, is only .04 percent higher than it was in 2008 when adjusted for inflation. The consequences of inadequate funding won't be seen this year, or next. The impact will be seen over a 10-year period, and by then it is too late, because Johnny only gets one shot at the learning he should have gotten in 2nd grade.

Schools continue to be looked to as the panacea for all of society's ills (bullying, obesity, etc.), in addition to our core mission of education. As the legislature begins the difficult conversations around state aid to schools, schools aren't asking for exorbitant pie-in-the-sky funding levels. We're simply asking our legislators to make education a priority again and to fund education at a level commensurate with the valuable investment it is. Education is as important as increased gas taxes and decreased commercial property taxes. And please, stop perpetuating the myth that Iowa's schools are getting worse. We ask more of students today than at any point in our history. Students and teachers are performing at high levels. We will continue to dedicate ourselves to the service of our students. We ask our legislators to do the same.

' David J. Wilkerson is Superintendent of Waukee Community Schools. Comments: dwilkerson@waukeeschools.org; Twitter: @DrDaveWilk