[deleted] t1_j7n2uom wrote on February 7, 2023 at 11:58 PM

Reply to comment by hypotenoos in Landmark Pa. school funding case decided: The state’s system is unconstitutional by Hashslingingslashar

This suit is about inequality in school funding. So, it's specifically addressing schools that are underfunded.

Also, these instances you mentioned are rare. In most cases, higher funding results in higher achievement. A large amount of higher spending but "lower achievement" is due to IEPs and the case of places like Philly it has to do with admin bloat which based on their budget should have the highest per pupil spending but the money doesn't get there.

Per pupil spending also doesn't account for family socioeconomic status, which is the greatest predictor of educational achievement, but SES does define neighborhoods and school districts.

IamSauerKraut t1_j7nbu1r wrote on February 8, 2023 at 1:04 AM

>In most cases, higher funding results in higher achievement.

Lower Merion, for instance?

B0MBOY t1_j7pdmwv wrote on February 8, 2023 at 1:43 PM

Not to be that guy but I know for a fact my local school district keeps more old school buildings open than necessary and that they blow an inordinate amount of their budget on repairs for those buildings. They have too few students in each school but parents are emotionally attached to the high schools they graduated from and won’t let them close for consolidation efforts. It’s also a very low ranking school district. I don’t believe showering money on the school system will improve the education of students here.

[deleted] t1_j7plqfu wrote on February 8, 2023 at 2:45 PM

Yeah, that's interesting. I didn't know about districts specifically like that. I wonder if a county model would remedy the fact that moving away from the hyper localized format we have would allow for outside influences to make a better financial decision.

B0MBOY t1_j7px6vg wrote on February 8, 2023 at 4:03 PM

I guess my question is if the current model is “unconstitutional” what is a “constitutional” model? And does this actually improve children’s education or is this simply more political maneuvering?

[deleted] t1_j7qdc17 wrote on February 8, 2023 at 5:47 PM

I dont see whats wrong with attempting to give students equal educational opportunities regardless of where they live in the state. Is one example of a districts misnamgement enough evidence to say that there shouldn't be more equitable funding in public education?

Edit: I haven't read enough on this particular law suit and the proposed changes I do know that PA was (maybe still is) the state with the greatest disparity in quality of public education. Something needs to change.