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http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2013/02/19/report-to-close-achievement-gap-fund-schools-by-need-not-zip-code/
The above article presents the argument of a report which indicates that redetermining the way in which schools are funded might eliminate disparities between "students who live in affluent neighborhoods and those in high poverty areas." Yet, even with effective funding, effective teaching is still more crucial.
Such disparities between the privileged and the underprivileged in society are no secret. Unfortunately, it is difficult for the underprivileged to fight back without weapons, and thus, poverty is a cycle that effects all walks of life for those captured by it. The article above indicates that schools are primarily funded by property taxes, meaning that better neighborhoods have better schools because property taxes in such areas tend to dwarf those in worse neighborhoods.
Furthermore, worse neighborhoods attract less adept teachers because they have lower salaries, higher crime and ironically, schools which the teachers themselves would not want to place their own children. Indeed, funding is important.
I agree, bridging the gap between affluence and deficiency requires funding. Before that can happen, however, there must be a shift in the societal mentality that more is best. Forty-four ounce big gulps are only a fraction of a dollar more, so why not get one, right? More money results in greater happiness, no? Certainly, abundance has a strong correlation with achievement, but it is not determinant. Real efficiency takes effort. Until we as a society learn to take the route that is most useful with the least, and not fastest, we will never change poverty in education, I think.
I can not believe it took so long for them to figure this out, it has seemed pretty obvious for years. Schools should be funded solely on the number of students they teach at the public level. All property tax revenue should go to the state who will distribute it evenly. The rich public schools won't lose much because their students are so affluent that private donations and fund raisers will close the gap on what they would lose on funding schools this way.
ReplyDeleteWe have always faced this problem and I think that the reason why we cannot come up with a better outcome is because our society focuses more on quantity rather than in quality. If we all work together and share with each other we wouldn't have all the problems we have today. Like you said, abundance has a strong correlation with achievement but it doesn't necessarily mean that we cannot achieve goals. It takes effort, hard work, and a society willing to help and learn.
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