Let's speak frankly: We all need to be held responsible — teachers, support personnel, administrators, school boards, parents and students — if we're going to educate every child to the highest standards.

That's why NYSUT supports Gov. Spitzer's emphasis on educational excellence through reform, resources and results, the new "3 Rs."

The governor has laid out an ambitious education agenda to achieve this goal. And, with the release of his executive budget on Jan. 31, the governor has proposed the tools and resources necessary to begin implementation. (See related story)

Here are some of the most significant features of the Spitzer plan. Many may sound familiar — they've been NYSUT-supported issues for years: a historic $7 billion commitment to public education over four years and a long-overdue statewide resolution to the Campaign for Fiscal Equity issue, developed through a needs-based formula that achieves more state funding for all school districts.

Also, investment in quality universal pre-K and efforts to reduce class size; more money for professional development and innovative teacher preparation programs; increases of nearly 5 percent for CUNY and SUNY; community colleges receive a $100 hike in per-capita aid; $38 million more for BOCES, its first increase proposed by a governor in 12 years; continued funding for teacher centers and the Mentor-Teacher Internship program; and more resources for the State Education Department, a critical resource for educators that had been brutalized under the previous administration.

The governor clearly recognizes the strides New York educators have already made, often against tremendous odds.

His budget proposal builds on what works — thanks, in large measure, to NYSUT members — and invests in where improvements are needed.

It's a commitment to students, from pre-K through post-grad, that can be a powerful vehicle to help close the academic achievement gap and build a better future for all New Yorkers.

Charters and tax credits

Unfortunately, there are parts of Gov. Spitzer's proposal that are of serious concern to us. In fact, they seem contrary to his call for more accountability and are likely to divert effort from the task before us: quality and excellence for every child in every public school.

The executive budget proposes $25 million for tuition tax credits and for up to 150 more charter schools, at least 50 of which will be reserved for New York City.

Charter schools, in their original concept, were laboratories for experimentation and new ideas that, if successful, were to be brought into the traditional public school.

And the governor's original proposal called for assistance related to books, transportation, and specialized support within private and parochial schools.

These are still good ideas, but these are not the proposals we see in the budget.

Charter schools and private and religious schools are not accountable to the public. Test scores and meetings are closed to public scrutiny. There are no public votes on how their money (tax dollars, if these proposals go forward) is spent.

There is no election of those who operate these schools and no transparency to their operation. Accountability, a hallmark of the Spitzer agenda, is basically absent.

As it did last year, NYSUT will work vigorously with the state Legislature to keep these proposals from becoming law; they're bad public policies that threaten to detour the governor from the road to real reform of public education.

Accountability

As I mentioned, accountability is central to Gov. Spitzer's agenda. The resources are there, needed reforms will be financed and we all need to be responsible for achieving results. All, of course, includes school boards and superintendents.

So I was somewhat amused when I first read the headline on the press release issued by our friends at the New York State Council of School Superintendents following the governor's education policy address late last month:

"Superintendents applaud Governor Spitzer's education agenda, question omission of teachers from new accountability."

The statement went on to opine that the governor's proposal "was silent on how teachers would share in increased accountability."

The reality, of course, is that New York's public school teachers and other classroom educators have been on the front lines of accountability for years, meeting new and frequently changing standards and taking the brunt of criticism with every news article — accurate and inaccurate.

We've been living and breathing tests results, school "report cards," budget votes, graduation rates — all measurements by which teachers are judged. Good school boards and good superintendents — like good teachers — will welcome taking responsibility.

Other ideas on the table

Let's address some of the governor's other ideas. In his education address at SED two days before releasing the budget, he talked about "more time in the classroom." He spoke of longer school days and a longer school year, as well as after-school programs and changing the structure of the day as some reforms that might make a difference. The longer school day/year would be a costly initiative. Efficient use of teacher time for instruction and after- school programs for selected students seem more productive.

All would be subject to local collective bargaining and merit a serious dialogue. If the added time is used for direct instruction and if teachers are fairly compensated for the additional work, these could be good options to improve learning.

Likewise, the governor is not alone in wanting only top-quality teaching professionals at the front of every classroom.

For years, NYSUT has pressed for creative programs to help colleges prepare teachers; lobbied for programs to help school districts recruit and retain teachers in hard-to-fill subject and geographic areas; and supported efforts to ensure that tenure is granted only to those teachers who earn it through their experience in the classroom.

The hope

With a few exceptions, we've reacted positively to the governor's overall resolve to improve public education, strive for excellence and see to it that all students are treated equitably.

We've been leaders in advocating for change that improves the opportunities for our students and the professional lives of our members; we've never shied away from real reform.

Of course, this is just the beginning of the process, with a final budget reflecting the appropriate role of the Legislature due by April 1. But we're off to a promising start.

Gov. Spitzer has committed the resources and he's willing to invest in reforms that work. With a heavy investment of resources and support for needed reforms, it's right to look for results.

The interrelationship of resources, reform and results places a great challenge before every stakeholder. It's one I know our members accept: the challenge of responsibility.