By CHUCK McQUAID, Former Beloit College Trustee, and Beloit College Donor
I didn’t have the privilege of attending Beloit College, but my son graduated from Beloit, and I was so impressed with the College that I served on Beloit’s Board of Trustees until late 2020. I typically return to the College for the Miller Upton Forum, and did so last month.
While on campus I read the October 10 Round Table Op-Ed, “My Opinion on the New Charter School: From a Future Educator,” which was well-written, but I found several items that I disagree with. There were also a few places where having the numbers and sources would have improved our understanding.
According to budget documents Final Budget Presentation 2023-2024.pptx.pdf (boarddocs.com) published by the Beloit School District for the 2023-24 school year, total expenditures (less charter and voucher costs) are $106,590,310. Total costs per the 5,739 students projected in the budget are $18,573. But according to the Beloit Daily News, the September 2023 student count was just 5,044 students. This suggests total spending per student of $21,132! Both numbers are well ABOVE the national average of $16,080 (according to the Education Data Initiative). Large class sizes mentioned in the Op-Ed cannot be explained by so-called “underfunding”.
In contrast, the Lincoln Academy spends $16,016 per student, of which only $11,852 comes from public sources, and the rest from philanthropy. WISEdash Public Portal – Department of Public Instruction provides spending and performance data for all publicly-funded schools in Wisconsin.
The Op-Ed was correct about The Lincoln Academy providing competition, but I think competition is good for students attending both BPS and Lincoln. History shows us the terrible automobiles produced by government monopolies in Communist Eastern Europe, the Trabant and the Yugo. Public housing is also often decrepit. I believe no one should be forced to buy a government-built car, live in public housing, or attend a government-run school to which they are assigned. Everyone deserves choices, and competition induces improvements in goods and services.
K-12 public education is a disgrace in many cities in the USA, with academic performance lower than it has been for decades. In contrast, our college and university system is the envy of the world. I believe that is because philanthropists started many private colleges and universities, including Beloit College, that compete with state-sponsored schools. The state of Ohio alone has more colleges and universities than all of England, for example.
Lincoln Academy’s results prove the point. The school draws from the same Beloit student pool via a lottery, yet after only two years in operations, 51.2% of Lincoln third grade students are proficient or advanced in math, and 37.3% are so in English. These percentages are about three times as high as BPS students, and proficiency rates should continue to rise as students spend more time at Lincoln. The absentee rate at Lincoln is 5.9% versus 17.1% at BPS, which suggests how well students like their schools.
Beloit College has had trouble attracting faculty and staff due to the poor results at Beloit Public Schools. Lincoln Academy is a relatively new alternative. I was told by a very happy Beloit College spouse that Lincoln Academy provides not only an excellent education, but also a more diverse environment than previous alternatives.
I believe teachers may be better off teaching at charter schools. Often, they will experience a learning environment with less bureaucracy, more academic support, and better results. There is often no need to join a teachers’ union at charter schools, as management tends to work hard to compete for excellent teachers and provide a quality environment.
With respect to Diane Hendricks, I got to know her when we both served on the Beloit College board. Her path to success was incredible. Starting with nothing, she and her late husband began by rehabilitating homes in Beloit and renting the improved properties. Some were rented to Beloit College students, and the Hendricks were hurt by a revised policy requiring students to live on campus. But Diane didn’t hold a grudge, and later donated tens of millions of dollars to the College. The Hendricks Center and the Powerhouse would not exist without her, and without those assets, the College would be in a precarious position.
Diane has made her fortune via ABC Supply and other businesses which she and her late husband started from scratch. In the private sector, businesses succeed only if they provide needed goods and/or services at competitive prices. Her success should serve as an example to anyone who wants to work hard and succeed financially. Diane and her businesses have hired and mentored many Beloit College graduates.
When my son attended Beloit College 15 years ago, Diane had already started her efforts to improve the city. Beloit had become a hollowed-out Midwestern industrial city, with vacant factories and storefronts. There were then some signs of life in downtown Beloit, but it was nowhere near as vibrant as it is today. And the Ironworks Campus funded by Diane is likely to continue to create jobs at an increasing rate.
Diane’s philanthropy is evident throughout the city, including gifts to the Beloit Health Systems, the public library, ACTS Housing, Kids Fun and Drama, Safe Families for Children and the DEFY domestic violence shelter, just to name a few. The Hendricks Family Foundation has lived up to its motto “Cultivating Opportunity. Building Community. Honoring Country.”
In 2017, the New York Times had an article entitled “In Weary Wisconsin Town, a Billionaire Funded Revival”. This was of course about Diane and her successes in improving the city of Beloit. Rather than express envy or demand more from Diane, each new cohort of Beloit College students should express appreciation for her and consider her as a role model.
Featured Image Credit: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Diane Hendricks
Leave a Reply