The people of West Virginia are hopeful that the new governor’s administration will bring about changes to the education system.

On Jim Justice’s website, his education plan is simple: get the politicians out of the classroom, prepare students for a career in West Virginia and pay our teachers what they’re worth.

These words look good on the screen, but can they actually be put into action?

To take the politicians out of the classroom, one would have to remove the legislature’s ability to decide on curriculum policies, standardized testing and other restraints that the government of this state tends to put on education.

The PROMISE Scholarship program has always meant to be a means to keep educated individuals in the mountain state. With the scholarship not even being enough to cover the actual cost of tuition at most colleges and universities in the state, it seems to show just how invested politicians are in the education of this state. Last legislative session brought forth the question of cutting this program and the Higher Education Grant to save money in the budget.

It’s easy for Justice to say, “A strong economy depends on an educated workforce.” Most any researcher or economist would back up this claim wholeheartedly. However, the policies presented should back up these words.

Under Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, West Virginia saw consistent budget cuts to higher education. These cuts have caused a generation who has already suffered from lack of funds for proper education to suffer even more once making it to college.

Just like the previous statement, it is easy for Justice to say he believes that teachers should be paid more. Talk is cheap. Talk will not magically make the funds appear to bridge the current budget deficit that the legislators will undoubtedly have to face again this session.

It is a wonderful dream to think West Virginia will one day become an education powerhouse, but it may remain as just that —  a dream. In just 2014, the Kids Count Data Report placed the state at 46th in the nation in education, according to WOWK, making this dream seem distant for a state that desperately needs quality education.

In order to put West Virginia on the map as a forerunner in education, the costs have to be paid.

Is there any more important investment than one in the future of the younger generations to have a better starting place than everyone else who has come through a West Virginia school system
before them?