School costs and parent involvement

[Melissa]

Originally Posted by JustJo

I'm not sure if this is true in all states, but when I was in NY the schools received the majority of their funding from local property taxes. So, affluent area, high taxes, well funded schools and the opposite also the case.

Not saying it has to be that way...just that it would take a major restructuring of how schools are funded...and an awful lot of political will to do so.

Jo - in every town I have lived in the property tax system is used so I'm guessing this system is used throughout most of the United States. I'm just wondering why funds couldn't be collected and placed in one big state pot, for example, and then distributed to schools based on enrollment. For example, a set amount per student. This way schools get equal funds. Funding is not based on the community property levels but on number of students enrolled. I've never seen it as a difficult change to make. I see it more as a choice to continue the funding this way because it benefits certain groups of people.

M

[JustJo]

Originally Posted by Melissa

Jo - in every town I have lived in the property tax system is used so I'm guessing this system is used throughout most of the United States. I'm just wondering why funds couldn't be collected and placed in one big state pot, for example, and then distributed to schools based on enrollment. For example, a set amount per student. This way schools get equal funds. Funding is not based on the community property levels but on number of students enrolled. I've never seen it as a difficult change to make. I see it more as a choice to continue the funding this way because it benefits certain groups of people.

M

I agree, in part...but there's also this to consider.

Affluent parents can afford to provide more for their students than low-income parents can. So, even if the pot is divided equally as x$ per student, there will still be inequality of resources. If anything, low income areas should receive more per student and affluent areas less.

Honestly, I can't see it happening (as much as I'd like it to). Having lived in upstate NY I was already witness to the massive screaming and complaining about upstate dollars going to support "those people in the city" and the accompanying (unfounded) derogatory remarks.

We now live in a much poorer area, and a significantly underfunded school district compared to where we were. Ironically, my son is getting a much better education, enjoys school more, and is getting better grades as well.

Where we lived in NY, the libraries were funded as you suggest...with each library getting an equal share of the pot. However, the library in our small, affluent town was amazing....while the one I donated all of my books to in the city struggled. The library in the affluent part of town was able to do a great deal of private fund-raising in the community, and could pretty much get whatever they wanted while the other branch struggled to do a bake sale and book sale that raised a small amount.

So...don't know the answer, but...how do we balance that? Do we take into account how much more parents can provide? How much private local fundraising or grant writing they could do? What if they could, but choose not to? It's complicated.