School Equity

[irishbobcat]

OHIO RANKS 40TH IN SCHOOL FINANCE EQUITY

May 19, 2008

According to the New America Foundation: Federal Education Budget Project's analysis, Ohio ranks 40th of the 50 states in school finance equity. Ohio has an equity factor of 15.5 percent. That means that in the state of Ohio per pupil expenditures in school districts vary, on average, by 15.5 percent from the state average. The federal government's equity factor is a measure of how much per-pupil expenditures vary across districts within a given state. The U.S. Department of Education calculates the equity factor for each of the 50 states.

Why does Ohio rank 40th out of 50 states? It's because State Representatives and State Senators like Bob Hagan since 1991 have known that the state funding of education has been found unconstitutional yet they continue to sit and do nothing to fix the problem.

As the independent Green Party Candidate for State Representative of the 60th district, I would call on the state leaders to links funds to educational goals. Adequacy is the word used to describe WHAT is needed for a good education. It gets used a lot in school funding arguments, because what we're providing has a lot to do with what education will cost. It links school's educational goals to the money or resources needed to actually meet those goals. Adequacy includes the costs for buildings, employees, equipment and other items schools need in order to meet their educational goals.

The way the current system runs isn't based on a real understanding of adequacy. It starts with the money legislators are willing to spend on schools. That money is then divided based on a complicated formula mostly based on local property tax. The current system doesn't link school spending to the real needs of students.

When Ohio's school funding system was ruled unconstitutional by the State Supreme Court, the justices said that all students in Ohio should have an equal chance at a fair education. Providing adequacy for all students is a fair method of funding schools and guarantees all students an opportunity for success by meeting their needs, no matter where they live or their life circumstances. It goes beyond "equity" by recognizing that some children face different challenges – poverty, limited English, or disabilities – and require extra support to meet educational goals.

Adequacy sets spending floors, not ceilings. It sets a funding base, ensures additional funds for students based on their special needs, and allows optional local spending. Adequacy doesn't mean "mediocre." It means providing all children an excellent education and an equal chance at successful academic achievement.

We cannot continue to expect high standards to be met while providing barely enough money to get by, and no promises of more money in the future. If education is going to remain a priority in Ohio, then adequacy is not a luxury. It's necessary. Adequacy is an investment in the state's future, and it's what Ohio students deserve.

Equity is about making sure that everyone has similar opportunities—making sure that every child has a chance. Some people think that equity means we have to take money away from good schools to balance it out. Nobody wants an equal chance for a lousy education. We need equity, but we also need adequacy. Focusing on adequacy means that we look at what ALL children need, and provide that. Equity is important, but it has to be based on what our kids really need.

Equity is about fairness. Adequacy is about enough. We need both.

Dennis Spisak-Independent Green Party Candidate for State Representative-60th District

Campaign site: Http://votespisak.tripod.com