Facts On Fixing The Public Education System
North American Precis Syndicate
Recent cheating scandals have shone a light on funding inequities in American public education—but there is an answer. (NAPS)
by Martin Lueken, Ph.D.
(NAPSI)—Some parents will stop at nothing to provide the best
opportunities for their children—as the recent college admissions
scandal shows. Given that many of the parents involved are (very) wealthy,
the differences in educational opportunities between wealthy and low-income
families couldn’t be starker.
So what do parents who don’t have that kind of cash do when the K−12
education system isn’t doing enough for their children? Many commit
something called residency fraud.
Parents who can afford to sometimes move to access what they deem to be
quality public schools. Families that can’t may lie about their
A Quick School Funding Lesson
Local school funding—generated by levying local property taxes for
local schools—comprises more than 40 percent of total revenue in more
than half the states. Even though funding gaps have closed over the last
several decades, with some states providing equalization aid for poorer
districts, inequities still remain—where you live can determine how
many resources your child gets, and inequitable access still persists.
How Can We Do Better?
One option is for states to collect property or other taxes at the state
level instead of locally, and distribute education funds to families rather
than to schools. To improve the system even more, they can implement
education savings accounts (ESAs), through which children and their families
receive public funds they can use on such approved educational expenses as
tuition to a public or private school they choose, as well as educational
services such as tutoring, therapies and more.
When it comes to school finance issues, revenue is only part of the
equation. One route to funding equity is to adopt a weighted-student formula
that delivers dollars to schools based on student need rather than residence.
This will also strengthen incentives for schools to serve high-need students.
What Happens To Public Schools?
Research shows public schools generally respond positively in ways that
benefit their students when programs such as ESAs and school vouchers are
implemented and the students who remain in public schools experience positive
gains on test scores.
An education system with ESAs as the funding mechanism would increase
educational opportunities for all families, especially the ones that can’t
move or pay and don’t want to break the law by lying to get into a
For further information on improving education, go to www.edchoice.org.
• Dr. Lueken is Director of
Fiscal Policy and Analysis, EdChoice, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization
dedicated to advancing full and unencumbered educational choice for
successful lives and a stronger society.
“To improve schools for kids at
all income levels, states can implement education savings accounts. Families
get public funds to use on a public or private school they choose, says Dr.
Martin Lueken, Director of Fiscal Policy and Analysis, EdChoice. http://bit.ly/2ZNQhkl”
On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)