Mailings promoting the 2006 Referendum for Continued Excellence in Schools encourage St. Paul residents to commit $200 or so (for a "median-priced" property owner/taxpayer) for the public schools.

Is that a wise annual investment? Policy-making colleagues ask me this in my professional role; neighbors and fellow taxpayers ask me this; I ask myself this question as the parent of students at St. Paul Central. We all need to decide, before voting on Nov. 7.

Research can provide some useful insight. Increased funding does not automatically translate into better results, without enhanced curriculum, classroom features and instructional techniques that research shows can influence learning. Funds can't just stabilize the budget and preserve the status quo.

So, what do we know about the effectiveness of the things intended to occur if the referendum passes?

"All-day kindergarten at all schools." Several well-designed studies, while not definitive, conclude that all-day kindergarten can significantly improve literacy, math and general learning skills. Children have better preparation for elementary school, academically and in behavior. Positive effects of all-day kindergarten seem even greater for children at higher risk of poor academic performance; if we improve their education and reduce the "achievement gap," we greatly enhance both the current skill level of young people and future workforce potential.

"Early kindergarten classes for 4-year-olds." Federal Reserve Bank research identified how early childhood investments constitute sound business investments through "better-working public schools, more educated workers and less crime."

Minneapolis Fed's Art Rolnick and Rob Grunewald assert that to nurture strong businesses, we must develop work-force competence. Quality pre-kindergarten programs can improve children's academic performance, cost-effectively, with long-term, positive consequences.

What about research on class size? "Maintaining class sizes" (a goal of the referendum), or slightly reducing them, will probably not increase academic achievement in St. Paul. However, research shows that, if classroom numbers fall below 20, and if teachers improve their instructional methods, gains will likely occur — especially for children most at risk of failing.

On balance, as I wear each of my hats — my dispassionate research hat, my self-interested parent hat and my pennywise taxpayer hat — the investment calculation suggests that it makes no sense to constrain funding now, depriving the new superintendent, Meria Carstarphen, of the opportunity to further improve the system to give our kids the basic elements for a good education, and then pay later as our region and our country lose in the global economy.

With the correct things in place, we can elevate student achievement. It seems wisest to provide the flexibility and economic confidence Superintendent Carstarphen needs to begin her work to make St. Paul's schools truly "world class."

At the same time, let's hold her accountable for installing the educational features that research shows are necessary to produce high-quality schools.

We all have the obligation to work together to educate our young people, to produce new generations of competent employees, parents and community leaders, and to strengthen our region within the global economy.

Paul Mattessich of St. Paul is executive director of Wilder Research. His e-mail address is pwm@wilder.org. More information about his organization is available at www.wilderresearch.org.