Discussion continues over how schools are funded and ways to fund them differently to make quality education available more equitably. One of the biggest parts of the school funding discussion has been to make the quality of education the same whether it is in a suburb or inner city, whether it is in a wealthy neighborhood or a poor neighborhood and whether it is in an all white district or a minority district.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, DC, the economic decline the country has been experiencing is not only directly affecting the quality of children’s education but is also affecting indirect services. At least 25 states have cut services to schools providing K-12 education. The cuts have been measured in some schools on a per pupil basis ranging from $95 to $140 per pupil and by percentages in other schools.
Schools Cut Librarians and Nurses Before Teachers
Cuts have been made first in indirect services that include maintenance, librarians, school nurses, cafeteria and transportation staff. Many schools have increased the distance that schools provide bus transportation from one mile from the school to two miles from the school. Other services cut include art, music, physical education, teacher assistants and foreign languages according to a report on CBS news titled "Despite Stimulus, Education Suffers Cuts".
At a time in history when United States workers are competing on the world stage for jobs, students need the best education possible to make them competitive. Yet at the same time, the economic crisis is causing schools to cut all but basic educational requirements, with much of the stimulus funding used for classroom technology, school supplies and professional development, according to the CBS news article.
Reduction in Bus Routes Raises Parents Concern for Students' Safety
In another CBS news article, "The Wheels on the Bus Go…Away," the cutting of bus services is saving schools a lot of money, especially since the state and federal money only reimburses part, if any, of school transportation expenses. Unfortunately it is also causing parents much concern regarding student safety when children must walk longer distances to school, especially when it includes elementary and middle school students.
Students will now be required either to walk through busy intersections or on streets without sidewalks unless their parents can devise another method to deliver them and pick them up from school. This would require changes in parents’ work schedules, which many employers would not be willing or able to grant. These problems it might even affect school attendance. The limitation on busing will also affect after school extra curricular programs and the busing of students to after school latchkey programs, once again affecting the parents’ schedules and children’s safety.
With all these changes in school services and funding, it’s difficult to keep up on everything there is to learn regarding children’s education. One way to stay informed on school issues is to stay tuned to information on sites to stay informed on what’s happening in education.
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