School Funding and School Resources Virginia, Corey, Jake

What is the importance of this issue? There are vast disparities in the amount of funding and resources schools receive, which has led to vastly different educational outcomes. Nearly half of all school spending is provided by local taxes. Because of differences in property values between districts, wealthier districts are able to raise more money from property taxes. New York, the highest-spending state, spends about $12,000 more per student per year than Idaho, the lowest-spending state.

What is the importance of this issue? Whether action is needed to address disparities in school funding has been a source of controversy in the U.S. Liberals- Reforms are necessary to level the playing field and provide equitable educational opportunity Conservatives- Differences in school funding do not have a significant impact on educational outcomes

Small Groups What prevents all schools from “being like Mclean”? Is it possible to make schools in the U.S. “equal”? If so, how, or why not? If a state provides more funding to poorer districts than affluent districts, how can we explain the disparities in resources available to poor vs. affluent districts?

U.S. 1700 - 1900 1785 – Continental Congress creates law creating “townships” which would reserve land for a local school. These schools are now public universities. 1790 – Pennsylvania’s state constitution gives poor children access to free public education. 1827 – Massachusetts makes public school for all grades free to all 1896 – Plessy v. Ferguson “separate but equal”

U.S. 1901 - 1965 1917 – Smith-Hughes Act provides federal funding for vocational education. 1945 – G.I. Bill provides college scholarships 1954 – Brown v. Board “separate inherently unequal” 1964 – Civil Rights Act 1965 – Elementary and Secondary Education Act; Higher Education Act; Project Head Start

U.S. 1966 - Current 1973 – Rehabilitation Act “504 Plan” 1974 – Equal Educational Opportunities Act; Arthur Garrity’s Bussing Decision 1993 – Massachusetts Education Reform Act 2001 – No Child Left Behind 2015 – Every Student Succeeds Act

Minnesota Department of Education 2016

US vs. Netherlands Equal funding in the Netherlands 1 guilder for a middle class student= 1.25 low income student 1.9 minority student US: Individualistic country

History White flight leads to residential segregation Unequal distribution

Funds Local property taxes Supports most of the funding for education Are collected from residential neighborhoods Used as direct revenue for school districts

SES/Race Culture of Poverty Individualism Essentialism Level playing field Competition

New York vs. Mississippi 1998: New York: $7,853 Mississippi: $4,924 2013: on average New York: +$17,000 Mississippi: less than $10,000

High School Dropout Rates 1990-2014 (Race)

Dropout Rate by Income Level

Discussion Do you believe the US is an individualistic country? Why or why not? Should people pay the same amount of local property taxes in every community?