A recent study showed declining scores on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, a comprehensive skills test given to elementary-school children each year.

Scores have been declining since 1990, when they reached an all time high.

Obviously, we should be concerned about this. Iowa has a reputation as one of the best educational systems in the country, but how long can our state live on reputation alone?

Though scores still remain higher than other states, this is a downward trend that cannot continue.

However, the state is taking steps to alleviate these concerns.

A state commission has been formed to create ideas to improve education for the 1998 legislative session.

This commission, led by former Board of Regents president Marvin Pomerantz, is considering many different ideas to improve Iowa’s students.

From improvements in phonics and spelling instruction to year-round schooling, it’s clear some major improvements are being considered.

It’s true, though, that we may not all like the idea. For instance, we all remember leaving for school in August and finishing studies in June with three months of blissful vacation in between.

Is that approach still good for our students? Many studies are showing year-round schooling eliminates the need for reteaching material the students forget.

Year-round schooling is just an example, but it emphasizes we have to look past tradition when we talk about improving our schools. It’s important to stress to our lawmakers the importance of improving our school system, since our education should be something we can all be proud of.