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Baltimore school board tackles unfair school funding
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Now that Alonso wants to funnel more money directly to schools and allow principals to tailor programs to their schools, the school board is wrestling with how to make sure the funding is distributed fairly based on students’ needs.
Until now, the most troubled schools and the largest schools sucked up the most funding, to the detriment of the rest.
Examining test scores of both struggling and gifted students and the number of students who are over-age, school board members agreed Tuesday that they don’t want to financially punish schools that successfully help struggling students by taking resources away once test scores improve.
The school board then asked Alonso to come with several formulas to help guide how much money the system will allocate to schools.
Starting next school year, principals will have an average $5,600 of discretionary funding per pupil, instead of the $90 per pupil they have now.
The school board will hold a public hearing on the fiscal year 2008-09 budget at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at school headquarters on North Avenue.
kvolkmann@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
6:30 AM MST on Wed., Mar. 19, 2008 re: "Baltimore school board tackles unfair school funding"
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5:16 PM MST on Tue., Jan. 22, 2008
re: "Smith: Schools need more"
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11:43 AM MST on Mon., Jan. 21, 2008
re: "Smith: Schools need more"
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4:55 AM MST on Mon., Jan. 21, 2008
re: "Smith: Schools need more"
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Examiner Reader said:
I can't even read through this article. I'm sick and disgusted about the equation that money = education. I don't even understand what people are talking about anymore when it comes to kids and schools. I attended Catholic School where we didn't have "amenities" like a film studio, air conditioning, carpeting, fancy sporting equipment, a formal cafeteria, theatre, tennis courts or new books every single year. We had plenty of discipline and an environment that insisted on respect. And my parents would have put me in my place were I not getting through school or causing trouble. I graduated, learned how to analyze, read, write, became quite self-reliant and didn't look for others to CONSTANTLY bail me out or make excuses for my failures. Schools are not home and educators are not babysitters and should not be taking the place of parents. Less money, more smarts. Get with it.
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examiner reader said:
lets see need more money but all I see is when the Schools get more money they make more 140K asst superintendent positions, look at the web site under jobs and see the new ones they have created for 6/1/08 (bcps.org)and maybe we'll see the facts spelled out, the schools are nothing employees are nothing but they make more chiefs but where are all the indians at??? believe me when they have 8 electricians in BCPS facilities and 10 bosses something is certainly wrong in my eyes, so answer me that examiner!!!
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Examiner Reader said:
Since Smith is O'malley's "boy" these days, you would think that the boy gov would repay his dear friend with some cash for the schools. Especially since O'Malley wants Smith to be the next comptroller... what a joke.
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Examiner Reader said:
well jimmy where is the money coming from? you want your handler, marty y;'malley to raise taxes again? prehaps if you did not give large increases to your aides and county employees there would be more cash for other items.
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