Watchdog of the Taxpayer's Dollar Since 1956 Fairfax VA

The FAIRFAX COUNTY TAXPAYERS ALLIANCE Home Email Alerts Press Releases Testimony Taxpayer Links Join FCTA About Us Bulletins FCTA in the News Trend Graphs Letters to Editor Support Us

Good Morning. My name is Arthur Purves. I address you as president of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance.

In his FY2001 budget presentation to the school board two days ago, Fairfax County Public Schools superintendent, Dr. Daniel A. Domenech, said the state should invest some of its $4 billion surplus in the schools. That surplus would be better spent cutting taxes and building the Dulles Metrorail. Since 1975, per-student spending in Fairfax County Public Schools has increased 100 percent, adjusted for inflation. The results? Test scores remained the same and student behavior is worse.

Although Dr. Domenech claimed his schools were excellent, he did not cite a single piece of evidence. In fact the average SAT score of Fairfax County Public School seniors is only at the 65th percentile, a number so low that the superintendent does not mention it. Incidentally, high schools that pass the SOL tests have SAT scores at or above the 80th percentile.

The superintendent claimed that public schools were a cause of the county's economic growth. What about the Route 1 corridor, where business investment is desperately needed? Instead, businesses build along the Dulles corridor, where the schools are better.

Dr. Domenech emphasized his accountability to the community. However, two days ago I wanted attend his press briefing on the budget. I arrived early and was sitting in an almost-empty conference room. A representative of the Office of Community Relations told me that the budget briefing would not be held while I was in the room. I said I wanted to ask the Superintendent a question at the briefing. I was arrested, handcuffed, and driven from the building in a police car. Now the county knows that if you want to hold Dr. Domenech accountable, you might be arrested, handcuffed, and be charged with a Class I misdemeanor.

Nearly every year the schools introduce new programs that do not increase achievement but do increase the budget. Dr. Domenech said the seven-period day, which costs $30 million a year, has increased achievement. False. Achievement has not increased. Spending $20 million per year on computers has also failed to raise achievement. After the schools started a new computerized student information system, the clerical staff actually increased. The International Baccalaureate was started without even appearing on the school board agenda. If schools would cut ineffective programs, they would not need to tap the state surplus.

Public schools shun accountability. That is why the Virginia associations of school principals, guidance counselors, and superintendents as well as Virginia's largest teachers union oppose the SOL tests. They believe our students are only capable of 65th percentile performance. We believe that our students can perform at the 80th percentile. To free students from this enforced mediocrity, you should support tuition tax credits and the SOL tests.

Above all, do not use the state surplus to subsidize ineffective school programs. Instead cut taxes and build the Dulles Metrorail

Updated June 19, 2001