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[Note: This material is copyright by the Des Moines Register, and is reproduced here as a matter of "fair use" for non-commercial, educational purposes only. Any other use may require the prior approval of the Des Moines Register.]

As a parent of three kids in public schools, that stance isn't good enough for me.

First, I want to know how the money is going to be spent. To increase pay only for those teachers making less than the national average? To pay all teachers more? Then I want some evidence that paying teachers more is a better use of precious education dollars than using them to reduce class size, replace outdated textbooks, buy computers or extend the school year.

If higher pay comes with a longer school day, thus providing more instructional time for my kids, or to attract teachers in areas where there are teacher shortages, that's one thing. But paying teachers more in exchange for nothing tangible is irresponsible public policy.

But it's hardly a surprise by now. Iowa leaders have been irresponsible on this issue from the very beginning. Namely, they have failed to question the very premise of whether teachers are underpaid in the first place.

Teaching is an attractive profession. Teachers enjoy publicly supported retirement pensions and summers off to supplement income or relax. In Des Moines, teachers receive free health care for themselves and their families (and still received a 3 percent raise last year). And they're not underpaid compared to other white-collar professionals, according to a new study from the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.

Researchers Jay P. Greene and Marcus A. Winters compiled information from 66 metropolitan areas, including Iowa City, and compared hourly income of public-school teachers to that of white-collar workers.

Findings included:

The average public-school teacher in the United States earned $34.06 per hour in 2005.

The average teacher was paid 36 percent more per hour than the average non-sales white-collar worker and 11 percent more than the average professional specialty and technical worker.

Public-school teachers earn more per hour than editors, reporters, architects, psychologists, chemists and mechanical engineers.

According to the report, teachers in Iowa City earned $31.46 per hour in 2005. The average non-sales white-collar worker there earned 24.69 per hour.

But my favorite part of the report was a statement near the end that spoke directly to lawmakers.

Policymakers "should be aware that paying public-school teachers more does not appear to be associated with higher student achievement."

Wow. That's something lawmakers should read twice. Higher pay doesn't appear to be associated with higher student achievement.

So, Gov. Culver and lawmakers, tell the people of Iowa: What is another $70 million for teacher pay going to buy for Iowa students?