North Dakota’s education commission, chaired by Lt. Gov. Jack Dalrymple, is studying goals and plans for the state to help provide an adequate education to our children.  Government officials and educators met yesterday to discuss this.  The meeting was open to the public and open to public comments after 3:00 p.m.

During the past legislative session the commission spearheaded legislation that dramatically changed the way our public schools are funded.  As Bismarck Tribune reporter Jonathon Rivoli put it in this morning’s article, the legislation ”was hailed as one of the marquee accomplishments of the session.” 

Defining and providing an adequate education was to be the second step in the process and the focus of the education commission for this upcoming legislative session. 

According to the article, yesterday’s discussion covered class size, methods of distributing state aid, and more coaching and training for teachers.  The aim was to start with the general needs and work toward specific ones.

Our educators and government officials can make some real strides here.  They have an opportunity to make changes in the system that can benefit children across the state…within their limitations. 

But educators and government officials are limited because they do not represent the basic unit of society.  They can never replace the family.

The truth is, the responsibility to provide an adequate education rests with the parents, not with the state.  The public school system is merely a tool that parents can use to help their children become educated.

With that in mind, North Dakota parents should rally behind the education commission.  Parents need to be involved, to provide input and to guide the education commission as they refine the tools we use.  We also need to encourage our education commission.  They have great intentions, and so far, they’re on the right track.