MIND THE FUNDING GAP

By Annalise Bailin

Manyidealize the American public school system as a great equalizer. We love the idea that everyone has access to education, no matter their financial status, race, ethnicity, or religion. Even the most impoverished children can study hard enough to secure a future for themselves. But what happens to our glorified perception of American education when funding disparities come into play?

To understand the inequities of the American public school system, we first need to examine the institutions that fund it. Three areas allocate resources to public schools: federal, state, and local governments. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, during the 2019-2020 school year, state and local governments granted a combined 93% of funding for public schools, while the federal government provided a mere 7%. Consequently, financing varies among states and regions.

Property taxes are the largest source of state and local public school funding. According to Tax Foundation, "A property tax is primarily levied on immovable property like land and buildings, as well as on tangible personal property that is movable, like vehicles and equipment."

Because property tax rates depend on the value of homes in a neighborhood, school districts across the country receive access to unequal resources.

The bottom line: reliance of school districts on property taxes leads to racial inequalities and performance disparities in schools across America.

In our current situation, community wealth carries over into education. Students who are fortunate enough to live in wealthier districts are virtually guaranteed to receive a quality education. A majority of these students also happen to be white.

According to Education Trust's analysis, “Funding Gaps 2018”, "school districts serving the largest populations of Black, Latino, or American Indian students receive roughly $1,800, or 13 percent, less per student in state and local funding than those serving the fewest students of color."

This deficiency may not seem consequential, but in a school district of 5,000, it adds up to a shortage of $9 million per year.

Some may argue that a funding deficiency doesn't significantly impact the quality of a student's education. But a recent analysis of reading and math test score data says otherwise.

According to the Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford, children in school districts with the highest clusters of poverty score an average of about four grade levels below children in the wealthiest ones.

Because racial minorities are more likely to live in these poorer districts, the education gap disproportionately impacts them.

Even if students from these areas work extremely hard in high school, many will still struggle in higher education because of learning disparities.

So what does this mean for our current method of funding public education? It's as simple as this.

The United States government needs to reform its public school financing system, or racial minorities and low-income students will continue to face institutionalized barriers to success. Schools should promote equality instead of dividing students based on wealth and race.