Editorials from Wisconsin newspapers

"Here's what we know," the president said. "Over the course of a lifetime, those with a college degree earn over 60 percent more than those with only a high school diploma. Many of the fastest-growing jobs require a bachelor's degree or more. ... Put simply, the right education is a prerequisite to success. It is the currency of our knowledge economy."

All of that is true, and it's reason enough to give real consideration to changes in the way our education system is structured, funded and evaluated. The education reforms that are now before the Wisconsin Legislature should be considered a starting point, not an endpoint.

We recently endorsed the changes to state law that will allow Wisconsin to compete for federal Race to the Top money. With more than $4 billion in federal funding on the table, the move makes obvious fiscal sense. The proposed changes are a substantive improvement, too. The so-called "firewall law" that separates teacher evaluations from student performance data doesn't make sense.

The proposed change would remove that firewall. But it would keep in place a prohibition from firing, suspending or disciplining teachers based on their students' scores.

This restriction has earned the approval of the powerful Wisconsin Education Association Council, the state teachers union, and therefore probably makes the legislation's political path considerably smoother. But it's not clear that the reforms go far enough toward introducing real accountability into the education system.

No one wants teacher performance to be evaluated solely on the basis of student test scores. Imagine that, here in Wausau, teachers working with the most recent wave of Hmong immigrants five years ago had been punished for a drop in students' English scores. It wouldn't make sense, because it wouldn't take into account the external factors over which even the best teacher doesn't have control.

But there remains a lot of space between the idea that test scores are an imprecise, incomplete measure of teacher performance and the position Wisconsin law now takes, which is that test scores bear no relationship whatsoever to teacher performance.

And if scores can reflect positively on teachers, that means they probably ought to be able to reflect negatively, too.

Given that the immediate goal of the proposed changes is to make Wisconsin eligible for federal funding, the current proposal is probably good enough. But in the months and years to come, state lawmakers should give thorough consideration to more changes that go further toward promoting accountability for teachers and providing all Wisconsin students with the education necessary to succeed. - WAUSAU DAILY HERALD.

MANY FACTORS LEAD TO FEWER HIGHWAY DEATHS

It was just a little story on The Associated Press wire: "Wis. highway fatalities down 11 percent so far."

Wisconsin, apparently, is continuing its trend of fewer people killed in highway crashes. The Department of Transportation reports that 441 people have died in crashes, 57 fewer than the same time a year ago - an 11 percent drop. Last year, traffic crashes in Wisconsin killed 587 people, 150 fewer than in 2007 and the lowest total in 64 years.

Compared with the highest fatality year - 1972, when 1,168 were killed on state roads - we're on track for really good record.

Traffic safety experts attribute the decline, in part, to reduced driving because of the poor economy.

Some measure must be given to safer vehicles and safety devices. From air bags to seat belts, vehicles today are tested and altered to make them as safe as possible.

Increased use of seat belts likely has had some impact. While only recently has state law allowed police to stop drivers for not wearing seat belts, the law requiring drivers and passengers to buckle up has been on the books for some time.

Are drivers safer on the roads? Despite cell phones and texting, perhaps the state numbers show more people are paying attention to what they are doing when behind the wheel.

Perhaps as insurance rates climb - along with everything else - drivers reduce their risky behaviors because they don't want to pay more for car insurance.

The reduction is likely a mix of all these factors.

Whatever the reason, fewer deaths on Wisconsin roads is good news. If you're a safe driver, thank you. If you can improve, please do so. Your life could be the one you save. - DAILY TRIBUNE, Wisconsin Rapids.

WHY ARE LEGISLATORS TAKING SUCH A LONG 'VACATION'?

Dear state legislators:

We understand you're about ready to take a "vacation."

A 10-week vacation that spreads across the holiday season, that is.

Wow.

Anyone around these parts enjoying such a "vacation" usually does so without pay. Maybe you noticed that there are a lot more of those types of workers out here right now.

Many Wisconsinites, your constituents, are looking for work, any work, but they aren't finding it.

Meanwhile, as we understand it, you'll continue to pull paychecks during the Assembly and Senate "floor period" break, scheduled to start now and last all the way until Jan. 19.

How does that jibe with all those state employees on mandatory furloughs, say nothing about those of us in the private sector swallowing unpaid furloughs, as well?

Sure, we understand that you'll claim you work very hard and will be involved in meetings, research and "constituent service" during this break period.

You won't mention publicly that this time off also gives you a chance to start re-election campaigns. You'll devise strategies, maybe hold a few fundraisers, knock on doors and tell folks at those "meetings" how much you've done for them-all while earning money from us taxpayers. That's an advantage your potential election opponents won't have.

Then your work on the current two-year legislative session appears to wrap up next June 9, giving you even more time to go home and campaign.

Talk about a mixed-up system.

Last week, Gov. Jim Doyle hinted that he might call you back for a special session later this month to focus on education. Topics could include giving Milwaukee's mayor the power to take over that city's broken-down school district and changing the K-12 public education law to tie student test results to teacher evaluations.

Those topics deserve further attention, and we would be happy to see you return for such a special session.

Of course, we're glad you don't work 52 weeks a year. After all, that likely would only provide you more time to find more ways to spend and tax.

So what's our quibble? As we've stated in the past, why are we paying you full-time salaries for what is part-time work?

It beats us. But if any of you have a good explanation, we'd be glad to print it. - THE JANESVILLE GAZETTE.