Funding Inequality in Public Education

Funding Inequality in Public Eduction

       As a student of the public school system for many years and now as a future educator, I have learned that public education is not equal for all students from. Students in low income neighborhoods do not receive the support and resources needed to help them thrive because funds are not being distributed equally. Equal public education funding is important and education needs to be considered a right not a privilege. 

Research

        According to an article by Kenneth Karst discussing the main events of the supreme court case, Serrano v. Priest, there is a large difference in government funding between low income and high income public schools. The public education funding system runs on state and federal taxes, and because of property taxes there is a difference between low and high income schools. Government officials are reluctant to create a funding system in which low income schools get the same funding as high income schools because there would have to be an increase in taxes and many will not be happy with the increase. In the court case, the goal was to change the funding system and although the case was won and it spread awareness there was not enough significant changes to close the funding gaps between  schools. 

Karst, Kenneth L. “California: Serrano v. Priest's Inputs and Outputs.” Law and Contemporary Problems, vol. 38, no. 3, 1974, pp. 333–349. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1191042.


        According to a report by the U.S Department of Education  high poverty schools are getting less funding and are not receiving a fair share of state and local funding. Educators are also receiving less compensation in low income schools compared to high income schools which is a disadvantage. However not everything is negative. There are programs and laws like the Title 1 Program that is meant to provide extra support to high poverty schools with high risk students, but unfortunately the money for that isn't always appropriately allocated or used for the best student outcomes. 

More Than 40% of Low-Income Schools Don't Get a Fair Share of State and Local Funds, Department of Education Research Finds. U.S Department of Education , 30 Nov. 2011, www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/more-40-low-income-schools-dont-get-fair-share-state-and-local-funds-department-education-research-finds.

Source: Education Week, U.S. Census Bureau

                                                                          Credit: Alyson Hurt and Katie Park/NPR

Both of these articles show that throughout the years there have been changes to better low income schools, but it is still not enough. There is still a lot of discrepancy throughout America when it comes to school funding. 

Problems and Effects Caused By Public School Education 

School building:

• broken ceiling tiles
• broken water fountains
• broken classroom lights 

Classroom resources: 

• broken desks and chairs
• limited number of prints, board, writing tools 
• a lower number teacher assistants available 
• a lower number of after school tutors available 
• limited number of field trips 
• limited extra curricular activities 
• less accessibility to technology 
• high student to teacher ratio

Why I Care

My Name is Kemberly Vallejo. I am a fourth year student at Cal State LA. I am an Urban Learning, Multiple Subject Major which basically means I am studying to be an elementary school teacher. Throughout my teacher preparation years I have taken a variety of courses to prepare me to teach specifically in urban schools. As a future educator I have learned through courses but also first hand experiences while being a teacher assistant that resources can be scarce. Although educators try to be resourceful and creative, at times they have their hands tied. This is why I care greatly about this topic. Students are the future but not enough attention is put to all students and equal funding. 

Supporters:

My Name is Sera Baghdasaryan. I am studying to be a teacher and because of this I want public education funding to be equal for all so that all students have the same opportunities and resources. 

My name is Samantha Sao and I stand with Kemberly in the hope that one day there is equal public education funding for the better of all students. 

My name is Iris Johnson and I strongly support equal funding throughout schools, especially for special education. I am a future special education teacher, and there needs to be a better funding system implemented that helps and supports special education students.

My name is Nelly Torres and I support equal funding of low income schools.