School funding is an integral component of the educational system, which is discussed in the work of Joy Zgleszewski. The initial message that was identified is that schools need funding to ensure students can perform well (Zgleszewski, 2023). This is especially applicable to students who are underprivileged and require better educational opportunities. As the need for knowledge and expertise increases, a growing gap in access to academic opportunities persists between majority and minority students (St. John, 2023).
Overall, minority children perform poorer than white students on standardized tests, which has worsened in the last thirty years in most areas (St. John, 2023). In urban schools, both the number of students who struggle to understand English and the number of students who require special education support are on the rise (St. John, 2023). Therefore, it can be argued that, in addition to the general importance of school funding for all students, underprivileged children require it even more.
Moreover, it has been identified that funding issues are present throughout states. As mentioned, “funding mechanisms are often an issue within the states”(Zgleszewski, 2023, p.2). Indeed, the levels of funding vary significantly across states, and districts with high poverty rates receive a smaller amount per student than those with low poverty rates (Allegretto et al., 2022). As a result, the funding for education tends to be failing and unequal. It depends excessively on state and local assets (Allegretto et al., 2022). Consequently, students, especially those from low-income families, are disadvantaged by the existing system.
Finally, the aspect of financial litigation suits is essential to mention. When discussing financial litigation suit outcomes from the 1990s to 2011, it was noted that in the 1990s, there were more efforts to reduce inequality, whereas in the 2000s, revenue inequality increased (Zgleszewski, 2023). What is noteworthy here is that such issues become more severe both during and following recessions.
During an economic crisis, funding deficiencies and disparities often worsen, typically resulting in issues that persist long after recovery has begun (Allegretto et al., 2022). Therefore, during unfavorable economic conditions, schools can also receive poorer funding. Overall, it can be observed that fiscal equity in public education is an issue that depends on numerous factors, and Zgleszewski’s work effectively captures these aspects.
References
Allegretto, S., Garcia, E., & Weiss, E. (2022). Public education funding in the U.S. needs an overhaul. Economic Policy Institute.
St. John, E. P. (2023). Research, actionable knowledge, and social change: Reclaiming social responsibility through research partnerships. Taylor & Francis.
Zgleszewski, J. (2023). Trends in fiscal equity litigation in education. EACS 5343.