How many times must we finish at or near the bottom of a national list ranking educational spending before we do something constructive about it?

According to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau, South Dakota's state government distributes the least amount of funding on a per-pupil basis than any other state in the U.S. In the 2005-06 school year, the state distributed $2,922 per pupil. The national average was $5,018.

That's not the high mark; that's the average - a whopping 160 percent of what the state currently provides for students at South Dakota's public schools.

The report goes on to note that although our state dedicates less funding than any other in the U.S., the total per-pupil spending here is at $7,651 per student, which is good enough to put us at No. 40 overall.

And we note, despite our educational funding problems, South Dakota's students still manage to score well on national tests.

But combined with recent news about our dismal last-place ranking in teacher pay and our persistent struggles in keeping high school graduates in state, the future is at best murky when it comes to investing in education.

During the past legislative session, Gov. Mike Rounds was quick to rail against the reserves that many districts statewide have collected over the years, painting local boards and superintendent as hoarders who have thrown the system out of whack.

However, it appears that low levels of funding necessitate such actions simply to meet even the slightest bumps in providing for the education of our students.

The problem is that there aren't any easy solutions.

Once upon a time, the state was able to sell a grand idea to fund education: Video lottery. However, as funds from that endeavor have been diverted in multitudinous general fund necessities, our collective memories of election-year promises have faded with every discussion about increases in property taxes to better fund schools.

What we would like our elected leaders, state officials and school leaders to do is commit to making education funding their primary goal in the 2009 session. No discussions of one-time funding. No laments of how the state is skewing the formula or how school districts are hoarding funds - basically, no complaints about the current system.

It isn't working. We are last in funding and, as long as that is the case, the only promise we can make our young people is that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, no matter what direction you go. In the end, we will all pay if we don't do something about it.

The challenge is worth it.