The federal education funding foprmula has long been skewed against rural schools, making it hard for schools with high percentages of poor students to receive proportionately as much as large schools with low rates of poor students. But the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee is considering a bill that would change the formula. Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Glenn Thompson introduced the "All Children are Equal Act" last July, and it has been added to the "Student Success Act" being considered by the committee.
Allocations under the Title I formula, "are the largest source of federal funding to school districts and aim to improve the achievement of disadvantaged children," Agri-Pulse notes. Poverty indicators are calculated through number and percentage weighting brackets to determine amounts. The bracket that yields the highest per-pupil allocation is the one used to determine the amount. Hampton, Ark., district Superintendent Jimmy Cunningham told the committee "the number weighting bracket is mathematically far more powerful than the percentage weighting bracket, meaning that money is diverted away from smaller, poorer districts."
The "All Children are Equal Act" would make a gradual correction in the weighting factors used to allocate funds over four years. The American Farm Bureau Federation says ACE will make the Title I formula fairer and more effective. "Approving this legislation ... will benefit students living in poverty, whether they reside in rural, small-town America or in an urban setting," said President Bob Stallman. Agri-Pulse is available by subscription-only, but a four-week free trial is available here.
Allocations under the Title I formula, "are the largest source of federal funding to school districts and aim to improve the achievement of disadvantaged children," Agri-Pulse notes. Poverty indicators are calculated through number and percentage weighting brackets to determine amounts. The bracket that yields the highest per-pupil allocation is the one used to determine the amount. Hampton, Ark., district Superintendent Jimmy Cunningham told the committee "the number weighting bracket is mathematically far more powerful than the percentage weighting bracket, meaning that money is diverted away from smaller, poorer districts."
The "All Children are Equal Act" would make a gradual correction in the weighting factors used to allocate funds over four years. The American Farm Bureau Federation says ACE will make the Title I formula fairer and more effective. "Approving this legislation ... will benefit students living in poverty, whether they reside in rural, small-town America or in an urban setting," said President Bob Stallman. Agri-Pulse is available by subscription-only, but a four-week free trial is available here.
No comments:
Post a Comment