WHY POOR KIDS GET SH*TY SCHOOLS AND/OR WHY ARE PROPERTY TAXES ARE THE ULTIMATE SOURCE FOR FUNDING PUBLIC EDUCATION
Picture this: you're a homeowner, minding your own business, when suddenly you get hit with a property tax bill that's higher than your mortgage payment. And what's it for? Oh, just funding public education. No big deal.
But wait, it gets better. Not only are you paying for your own kid's education (or lack thereof), you're also paying for the education of your neighbor's kid who never seems to stop screaming. And if you live in a fancy neighborhood, your taxes are probably funding the private jet of some superintendent who couldn't care less about your kid's education.
So why do we rely on property taxes to fund public education? It's simple: because we hate poor people. Just kidding (sort of). Property taxes are visible and transparent, so voters can see exactly where their money is going (spoiler alert: it's not going to your kid's classroom). But the downside is that property taxes create disparities among school districts, favoring the rich and leaving the poor with crumbling textbooks and teachers who don't give a damn.
Now, some states try to address this problem by providing more state aid to school districts with lower property values or higher needs, but let's be real: it's like putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound. The federal government also provides some grants to supplement state and local funding for schools with at-risk students, but it's like trying to fix a leaky roof with a roll of duct tape.
So what's the solution? Here are some ideas:
- - At the federal level, reform Title I grants to better target schools with high concentrations of students in poverty. Or just give every kid a private tutor. That works too.
- - At the local level, adopt weighted student funding to allocate resources based on the needs of students in each school. Or just give every kid a gold-plated iPad. That works too.
- - At the state level, adopt a state-based system of school financing that eliminates local property taxes and provides equal funding per student across districts. Or just make all the schools floating islands and let kids swim to class. That works too.
- - Across all levels of government, implement a progressive tax code that taxes wealthy citizens and corporations more and uses the revenue to increase education funding. Or just make all the teachers millionaires. That works too.
- - Across all levels of government, use education spending as an economic stabilizer that automatically increases during recessions to prevent cuts and boost demand. Or just give every kid a pony. That works too.
See? Problem solved. Except not really. There are still some challenges and drawbacks to these approaches, like political resistance from stakeholders who benefit from the current system or oppose higher taxes (looking at you, Jeff Bezos), technical difficulties in measuring student needs and calculating funding formulas, and unintended consequences like creating incentives for districts to over-identify students with special needs or discouraging local efforts to raise additional funds.
But fear not! There are ways to overcome these challenges, like building public awareness and support for fair education funding by using social media campaigns and viral challenges (the "TikTok Your Taxes" challenge, anyone?), engaging diverse stakeholders like educators, parents, students, community leaders, and policymakers in the design and implementation of funding reforms (because everyone knows politicians are always listening), using data and evidence to inform funding decisions (who needs facts when you have feelings?), learning from best practices of states or districts that have successfully implemented fair education funding approaches (like Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry), and advocating for policy change at all levels of government (because nothing gets done without a good old-fashioned protest).
And if all else fails, just give every kid a puppy. That works too.
THE DEFT DIVE
WTF: WHY ARE PROPERTY TAXES THE MAJOR SOURCE REVENUE USED FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION
That's a good question. Property taxes are a major source of local revenue for public education in the United States¹. In many ways, the property tax is an ideal local tax for funding public education because it is **visible and transparent**. Voters can see the benefits and costs of their local spending decisions¹.
However, property taxes also create **disparities** among school districts because they depend on the **value of local properties** and the **tax rate** set by local governments². This means that school districts with higher property values can raise more revenue for education than school districts with lower property values, even if they have the same tax rate². This can lead to **inequality** in educational opportunities and outcomes for students from different socioeconomic backgrounds².
Some states try to address this problem by providing more state aid to school districts with lower property values or higher needs, such as students with disabilities or from low-income households². The federal government also provides some grants to supplement state and local funding for schools with at-risk students². However, these efforts are not always sufficient or consistent to close the funding gaps among school districts².
In summary, property taxes are used to fund public education because they reflect local preferences and accountability, but they also cause challenges for equity and adequacy of education funding across school districts.
This is Equal education in California: According to the U.S. News Education website¹, the Beverly Hills Unified School District spent **$22,514** per student each year in the 2018-2019 school year, the highest in Los Angeles County. On the other hand, according to the Learning Curve website³, the Oakland Unified School District spent **$12,337** per student each year in the 2017-2018 school year, slightly below the state average of $12,498. This means that there was a difference of **$10,177** per student between the two districts, which is a significant gap in education funding.
There are different ways to make education funding more fair, depending on the level of government and the source of funding. Here are some possible ideas:
- - At the federal level, **reform Title I** grants to better target schools with high concentrations of students in poverty².
- - At the local level, **adopt weighted student funding** to allocate resources based on the needs of students in each school².
- - At the state level, **adopt a state-based system of school financing** that eliminates local property taxes and provides equal funding per student across districts².
- - Across all levels of government, **implement a progressive tax code** that taxes wealthy citizens and corporations more and uses the revenue to increase education funding⁵.
- - Across all levels of government, **use education spending as an economic stabilizer** that automatically increases during recessions to prevent cuts and boost demand³.
These are some examples of how to make education funding more fair, but there may be other approaches as well. The main goal is to ensure that every student has access to a high-quality education regardless of their ZIP code or background.
Some of the challenges or drawbacks of these approaches are:
- - **Political resistance** from stakeholders who benefit from the current system or oppose higher taxes¹⁴.
- - **Technical difficulties** in measuring student needs, calculating funding formulas, and reporting school-level spending accurately¹².
- - **Unintended consequences** such as creating incentives for districts to over-identify students with special needs or discouraging local efforts to raise additional funds²⁴.
- - **Insufficient evidence** on the best ways to allocate and use additional resources to improve student outcomes³⁴.
- - **External factors** such as the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturns, and demographic changes that affect education funding and demand³⁵.
These are some of the challenges or drawbacks of these approaches, but there may be others as well. The main point is that making education funding more fair is not a simple or easy task, but it is a worthwhile and necessary one.
There is no easy answer to how to overcome these challenges, but some possible strategies are:
- - **Building public awareness and support** for fair education funding by highlighting the benefits for students and society¹⁵.
- - **Engaging diverse stakeholders** such as educators, parents, students, community leaders, and policymakers in the design and implementation of funding reforms¹³.
- - **Using data and evidence** to inform funding decisions, monitor progress, and evaluate impact¹²³.
- - **Learning from best practices** of states or districts that have successfully implemented fair education funding approaches²⁴.
- - **Advocating for policy change** at the federal, state, and local levels to ensure adequate and equitable funding for all students²³⁴.
These are some possible strategies to overcome these challenges, but there may be others as well. The main point is that overcoming these challenges requires collective action and commitment from all stakeholders involved in education.
Some of the ways to build public awareness and support for fair education funding are:
- - **Using social media campaigns and viral challenges** to spread the message and engage the audience in a fun and interactive way¹.
- - **Using multichannel marketing strategies** to reach different segments of the population through various platforms and media outlets¹.
- - **Using peer-to-peer fundraising and ambassador campaigns** to leverage the power of personal networks and stories to raise funds and awareness¹.
- - **Using virtual awareness events** to educate and inspire the audience about the issue and the solutions, as well as to showcase the impact of fair education funding¹.
- - **Using partnerships with other local organizations** to amplify the voice and influence of the campaign, as well as to coordinate efforts and resources⁴.
These are some of the ways to build public awareness and support for fair education funding, but there may be others as well. The main point is that building public awareness and support requires creativity and collaboration from all stakeholders involved in education.
Yes, I have some examples of successful campaigns or initiatives that have built public awareness and support for fair education funding. Here are a few:
- - **The Campaign for Fair Education Funding** was a coalition of more than 50 organizations in Pennsylvania that advocated for a fair and adequate school funding formula. The campaign used research, media, events, and grassroots mobilization to educate the public and policymakers about the need for funding reform. The campaign's efforts contributed to the enactment of a new funding formula in 2016².
- - **The Making the Grade 2021** report was a publication by the Education Law Center that analyzed and graded the school finance systems of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report used data and evidence to highlight the gaps and disparities in education funding across the nation. The report also provided tools and resources for advocates to use in their campaigns for fair education funding¹.
- - **The World Water Day fundraiser campaign** by DigDeep was an online fundraising campaign that connected the issue of water access to the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign used social media, viral challenges, and peer-to-peer fundraising to raise awareness and funds for providing clean water to communities in need. The campaign exceeded its initial goal by more than 40% in 2020 and doubled its goal in 2021⁵.
These are some examples of successful campaigns or initiatives that have built public awareness and support for fair education funding, but there may be others as well. The main point is that these campaigns or initiatives used various strategies and tactics to reach and engage their audiences and achieve their goals.
Some of the benefits of fair education funding that we can highlight to the public are:
- - **Better student outcomes**. Fair education funding can lead to higher test scores, graduation rates, college enrollment, and lifetime earnings for students, especially for low-income students and students of color²⁶.
- - **Better health**. Fair education funding can improve the health and well-being of students and their families by reducing poverty, increasing access to health care, and preventing chronic diseases¹.
- - **Stronger social atmosphere**. Fair education funding can foster a more diverse, inclusive, and democratic society by reducing racial and socioeconomic segregation, promoting civic engagement, and enhancing social cohesion¹.
- - **Longer life**. Fair education funding can extend the life expectancy of students and their communities by reducing violence, crime, and mortality rates¹.
- - **Economic growth**. Fair education funding can boost the economic productivity and competitiveness of the nation by increasing human capital, innovation, and tax revenues¹⁵.
These are some of the benefits of fair education funding that we can highlight to the public, but there may be others as well. The main point is that fair education funding is not only a matter of justice, but also a matter of investment in the future of our society.
Bing, 6/20/2023
Public education funding in the U.S. needs an overhaul. https://www.epi.org/publication/public-education-funding-in-the-us-needs-an-overhaul/.
A Quality Approach to School Funding - Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/quality-approach-school-funding/.
Equity vs Equality in Education: Building Inclusivity. https://www.waterford.org/education/equity-vs-equality-in-education/.
Education Spending - Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/financing-education.
Ensuring Fair School Funding for All Students - IDRA. https://www.idra.org/education_policy/ensuring-fair-school-funding-for-all-students/.
Federal and State Funding of Higher Education. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2015/06/federal-and-state-funding-of-higher-education.
Successful Fundraising Campaign Examples: The 7 Best ... - Funraise. https://www.funraise.org/blog/examples-of-successful-nonprofit-fundraising-campaigns-during-the-covid-19-crisis.
Making the Grade 2021 | Education Law Center. https://edlawcenter.org/research/making-the-grade-2021.html.
How to Write The Perfect Fundraising Email [TEMPLATES] - Classy. https://www.classy.org/blog/writing-the-perfect-fundraising-email/.
Learn More - Pennsylvanians for Fair Funding. https://pafairfunding.org/resources/.
The Campaign for Fair Education Funding - Public Interest Law Center. https://pubintlaw.org/cases-and-projects/campaign-for-fair-education-funding/.
Nonprofit Awareness Campaigns: The Complete Guide - OneCause. https://www.onecause.com/blog/awareness-campaigns/.
Raising Awareness through Public Outreach Campaigns. https://www.sdgaccountability.org/working-with-informal-processes/raising-awareness-through-public-outreach-campaigns/.
Ensuring Fair School Funding for All Students - IDRA. https://www.idra.org/education_policy/ensuring-fair-school-funding-for-all-students/.
A Quality Approach to School Funding - Center for American Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/article/quality-approach-school-funding/.
Public education funding in the U.S. needs an overhaul. https://www.epi.org/publication/public-education-funding-in-the-us-needs-an-overhaul/.
Beverly Hills Unified School District - U.S. News Education. https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/california/districts/beverly-hills-unified-112698.
Learning curve: Yawning gaps in school funding across LA County. https://xtown.la/2020/02/27/learning-curve-yawning-gaps-in-school-funding-across-la-county/.
Per Pupil Expenditure Transparency - Office of Elementary and Secondary .... https://oese.ed.gov/ppe/.
