Lawmakers are considering a new school funding model that would allocate more resources to districts with high concentrations of low-income, special needs, and English language learner students. The current model, which funds schools based on student headcount, is seen as inadequate by some lawmakers who argue that it does not adequately support students with unique needs.
That’s because the state has not changed the way public schools are funded in over 30 years. For the past several decades, districts received money for every student that is in their district. That means districts with more students received more money. A new funding model that lawmakers are considering implementing would have a weighted funding component, as well as the traditional per pupil funding component.
State Senator Arthur Orr said that means more money would be allocated to districts with a high concentration of low-income students, students who have disabilities, and students who are just learning English. “The student-based funding model gives a base amount for each child enrolled,” said Orr. “Then it looks at the situation of the child and it says, ‘Okay, well if there’s an English language learner, we will give you a little extra money because you’re going to have to teach that child English before they can excel in the classroom.' If they are a special needs child, many times those children need additional aids, supervision, and assistance.” Orr said he thinks that the current funding model does not give enough money to help educators teach students who require more attention and resources. “We have a small amount of money that, over time, we are dedicating to Special Ed or ELL instruction or poverty, but it’s just a fraction of what we need to do, said Orr. ”That’s the reason for visiting the complete funding model and not just doing it on headcount, but doing it on the particular new needs of the students.”“When a school system has a high rural impact in its constituent, the busses have to travel a lot farther on those country roads, so they have a greater needs when it comes to transportation,” said Orr. He said the new model would also include support for districts that have a high concentration of gifted and charter school student
School Funding Education Reform Weighted Funding Special Needs Students English Language Learners
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