Here we go again. The state legislature appears to be limping out of its 2008 session taking no action that will help cities and towns cope with the latest fiscal crisis. Once again local taxpayers will be forced to shoulder the load or face severe cutbacks in essential services. Education budgets—the biggest ticket item in most towns—are destined to end up squarely in harm’s way.

We in Connecticut, and taxpayers in other states across the country, will do what we always do in times like these. We’ll point accusing fingers at the State Capitol, and beat each other up at the local level when none of that will do any good. Not in the short run—and sadly not in the long run either.

I think the solution to this endless, cyclical dilemma lies with Uncle Sam and I’ll tell you why. For two hundred years the feds have hidden behind state responsibility and local control as justification for a smallish contribution to American education. In fairness, for much of the last two centuries, it wasn’t a bad strategy. Washington could be a silent minority partner, and get away with it. Times were different. Economic growth and opportunity were abundant for the educated and uneducated alike. Even a generation ago, many with limited education became the Greatest Generation—known for its amazing work ethic and incredible achievements.

In the latter stages of the 20^th century the picture began to change dramatically and the federal role with it. Education policy, with some funding attached, was handed down from the nation’s capital like never before. Title I (supplemental education), IDEA (special education), Head Start—just to name a few—became essential parts of the education fabric. Federal mandates, certainly well meant and necessary, supplanted local control in certain areas. But the Federal dollars have never matched the mandates—not then and certainly not now.

In the new century, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has cemented public education at the forefront of national policy where I, for one, truly believe it belongs. America’s place in the global economy cannot be assured if education is not a national priority—perhaps the national priority—well into the future. But there’s a problem. A big problem. Our one time relatively silent partner has now firmly taken a seat at the policy table, but has yet to invest heavily enough in the enterprise commensurate with that seat.

Nationally the federal contribution lags at about 8% of total elementary and secondary education expenditures. In Connecticut, the federal share was 7% three decades ago when many of the new mandates were still young. It is now only about 5%. There aren’t many businesses where such a small share carries with it such a big voice.

As I said earlier, I believe that the future of America has never been so desperately dependent on the education of its people, and that national leadership is essential to that endeavor. However, I also believe that leadership must come with financial support that is also unprecedented in the history of this country. Federal education funding must become a national priority, perhaps the national priority, and it needs to happen now. So instead of berating your state legislators, or your local leaders, or just suffering your next property tax increase in silence, maybe you should send a message to your Congressional leaders. It’s time to reshape the national budget and put many more federal tax dollars where they will do the most good in the long run. Education!