Financing Education

Education Deserves High Priority Unfortunately, many of the citizens of this country have not given education the high priority it deserves, requires, and must have if the schools are to accomplish their objectives. To few people realize the contribution that formal education made to the social, political, and economic achievement of the United States.

Increasing Cost of Education When deciding how much should e spent for education, educators and legislators must agree on what the schools are expected to do. As the goals and objectives of education become more inclusive and more difficult to achieve, the taxpayers must face the fact that the cost will likewise increase.

Increasing Cost of Education Most of the serious problems of financing have concerned increasing enrollments, shortages of buildings and classrooms, inadequate facilities, and the need to employ greater numbers of teachers and other staff members. Taxpayers did not anticipate the expanding numbers of high-cost students with disadvantages, disabilities, and bilingual programs for minority groups were beginning to be brought in to the schools, thereby increasing the cost of education per student.

Increasing Cost of Education The waste, not only in human time and development but also in depreciation of empty school buildings and unused facilities for such an extended period of time every year, is a human capital and financial loss that this country can ill afford to sustain. Plans for varying the school year and utilizing school buildings to a much greater extent need dto be explored, developed, and evaluated.

Increasing Cost of Education Inflation not only reduces the real income of the individuals but it also increases their tax obligations under a progressive income tax system. At the same time as taxpayers press to reduce their tax burden, the costs of operating an educational program usually continue to inrease.

Increasing Cost of Education Energy is a crucial factor in the increasing costs of education. School programs are affected by the cost of gasoline and oil products necessary for the transportation of millions of students to and from school.

Consequences of Not Educating People As expensive as public education may be, the cost to society of not educating people is much higher. The detrimental effect of illiteracy, unemployment, military service incapability, prison incarceration, inadequate occupational preparation, dependence of public relief, and high health costs and all major consequences of poor or inadequate education.

Education and Accountability The public demands improvement and increased efficiency in the operation of pubic schools. They demand that the educational establishment produces objective information and proof that the schools are achieving their intended objectives and that in the process they are using tax revenues efficiently.

Education and Accountability Inadequate revenue, however, will almost certainly guarantee a poor educational program. No prudent person would invest large sums of money in an enterprise and then forget it or refuse to use all possible means of protecting that investment. Sometmes adequate protection may involve spending additional funds.

Most citizens of the United States recognize education as “big business.” The taxpayers of the country often do not give high enough priority so that it can receive the resources required.