Education under the gun

The Hutchinson (Kansas) News: In a perfect world, education would be a budget priority for the state of Kansas, which continues to make ends meet by slicing and dicing. Education spending has dwindled, and the trickle-down has found its way to the classrooms.

But the job endures because it has to.

And some schools are finding ways to thrive despite serving student bodies loaded predominantly with disadvantaged students.

The Kansas Department of Education recently honored 55 public schools for their ability to generate higher reading and math test scores than what students living in lower-income households normally achieve.

Among those honored with 2011 Challenge Awards was Hutchinson’s Avenue A Elementary School and McCandless Elementary School. Avenue A’s third-grade math scores were high, as were the sixth-grade math and reading scores at McCandless.

The faculties at both schools deserve recognition. They are finding ways to educate young minds and doing so on reduced budgets. Their efforts show that sometimes financial difficulties are merely a crutch — and excuse — for not being able to do the job.

We hope the state doesn’t look at these results and come to the conclusion that more money isn’t necessary.