Public school funding

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Hello, I am a college student at a state university in Ohio. I presently am working on an essay on public school funding in Ohio. I have found it very frustrating to find information. Maybe someone can help. It would be appreciated. What are the different methods of public school funding throughout the country? How do the states rank in regards to that funding? Where is Ohio in this ranking? If anyone has any ideas regarding what could make funding easier I would appreciate you opinions. Sincerely, Mickey Noren

-- Mickey Noren (btb3@newjersey.com), February 02, 2001

Answers

Mickey:

I am a student at Dawson- Bryant High School in southern Ohio, and we are experienceing some of the worst educational funding problems you could imagine. Our district is planning to sue the state of Ohio for an unconstitutional educational system. The Ohio Dept of Edu site (ode.state.oh.us) has some of the best info on funding.

Phoebe Ratliff

-- Phoebe Ratliff (phoebs_0034@hotmail.com), April 15, 2001.


I am having a similar problem with a project I am doing. I am a college student at the University of Central Arkansas and my project is to compare and contrast the funding of the fine arts programs and athletic programs in public schools. I would greatly appreciate some help and possibly some sample budgets from some different school districts from all over the US to see the differences.

Thanks

Thomas

Send Email to ConfInfantry@excite.com

-- Thomas Shott (ConfInfantry@excite.com), March 20, 2002.


I'm a Junior at the University of Kentucky and I am having trouble finding information too. I have had limited luck with www.google.com and using the search phrase "public school funding". Give that a try. If anyone finds a source that really examines the issue accross the country let me know. Also, try Jonathan Kozol's book Savage Inequalities.

-- Katherine (starlet101@aol.com), October 15, 2002.

You can find out how Ohio ranks with other statews andnhow much money comees fromn local districts, the state, and the fedral government from the world almanac. YOu also will find it useful tomlook at the NEA website and at state.oh.us and then going to the Department of Education link.

-- guido stempel (gstempel@columbus.rr.com), January 02, 2003.

You can find out how Ohio ranks with other statews andnhow much money comees from local districts, the state, and the federal government from the world almanac. YOu also will find it useful to look at the NEA website and at state.oh.us and then going to the Department of Education link.

-- guido stempel (gstempel@columbus.rr.com), January 02, 2003.


In Texas a majority of our public school funding comes from our property taxes. There is currently a system in place that takes the money from the property rich districts and distributes them to the property poor districts. Thus, trying to make equitable school funding. This is called the Robin Hood plan. This plan is currently in controversy, because in some of the property rich districts, more than 50% of the money is being taken away from the schools. I have just started researching other states to see how they fund their schools.

-- a hale (ahale1@austin.rr.com), February 24, 2003.

I too am writing an essay on public school funding. My paper is an argumentive. What I need is an oppositions point of view when it comes to funding our schools with our taxes. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Some people don't want our taxes going to schools and I need to know their side. Even if I don't agree.

-- Sandi Sledge (ssledge@cp.epcc.edu), October 21, 2003.

I too am a college student at Lakeland Community College in NE Ohio. I am writing a paper on the inequalities of our public education system. Definitely the place that I've found the most information is in the OhioLink system, which links Ohio colleges and universities together. Go to www.ohiolink.edu and you will be able to search for the information you need either in books, journals, newspaper articles or magazine articles. Hope this helps some of you! Melissa

-- Melissa Cousineau (mcousineau@ncweb.com), November 11, 2003.

Try this sight http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/107th/education/nclb/statebystate .pdf

-- raifer (raifer24@hotmail.com), January 05, 2004.

and here's another http://edworkforce.house.gov/issues/107th/endgamekit/fsedbudget.htm

-- raifer (raifer24@hotmail.com), January 05, 2004.


I'm a former school teacher, now lawyer, researching this issue myself. I pay over 6k a year just for school taxes, yet when I call the district for a copy of their annual budget, I get the big run around. I'm in south Texas where football is king. Anyone ever wonder where all the money from games goes? How about why our taxes fund noneducational extravaganzas like after school football programs? Just for public enjoyment? I think there is a serious constitutional issue around the country regarding how tax dollars are allocated and what programs in public schools are not educational and a constitutional abuse. Ed.

-- E. Hensley, J.D. (ed4636@yahoo.com), February 12, 2004.

Hi! I'm a student at The Ohio State University-Marion. I'm doing a paper on pulic education and how the world views Americans ignorance in world politics. My argument is that our public schools are barely funded enough to cover what the students need to learn versus learning in-depth world histories of other nations. It would be fantastic if districts could offer these extra courses, but they are not feasible.

-- Julie Lehner (blazerib1@aol.com), March 04, 2004.

I am a parent of 2 children who are attending what is considered a "rich" district in the State of Ohio. I am frustrated because we pay very high property taxes to fund our schools. Our community has failed only 1 levy in it's history. Much of our money flows to other districts--in the Robin Hood kind of way. I have heard experts state that how well a student does in school is directly related to the education of the mother. No matter how much money is poured into the public schools--in today's breakdown of the family-- the children will not achieve. I also think there should be no such thing as tenure except maybe in colleges. What other profession has guaranteed jobs/salary increases/wonder benefits--and then continue to complain. I do think the legislature in the State of OHio should be ashamed that they haven't addressed the school funding issue. The main issue is there is just not enought money to go around.

-- Laurie Palmer (ltpalmer@columbus.rr.com), March 16, 2004.

Hi Mickey,

This is an old discussion page, so I'm guessing that you are no longer working on this project. For anyone interested in understanding more about Ohio's screwed up school funding system, just do a lexis-nexis newspaper article search through a school or library. Each DuRolph v. State of Ohio decision (the case that originally declared Ohio's public education funding unconstitutional) is available in its entirety through http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/rod/ .

It's important to note that Ohio is one of only five or so states that still allow the voters to decide whether to pay more property taxes toward the schools. This probably has a huge effect on the differences between Ohio's school funding problems and the many other states that are considering a 'Robin Hood' approach.

-- Adrianne Frech (frech.36@osu.edu), September 27, 2004.


I do not have any answers to the many questions either. I, too, am working on a project for one of my college classes at Youngstown (Ohio) State University and find it very confusing about the Ohio school funding topic. However, I will search the various sites suggested by many of you. To exactly understand the concept of the DeRolph v. The State of Ohio is very frustrating. I also need some information to explain my argument as to what could make funding easier for public schools in Ohio. I would be grateful for information from anyone who can supply some insight into this confusing subject. Sincerely, Justine Pendel e-mail: (stiners99@hotmail.com)

-- Justine L. Pendel (stiners99@hotmail.com), December 02, 2004.


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