School Vouchers and the Problem of Inequitable Funding

One of the things that truly bothers me about our Anti-Public School Politicians us how they are either ignorant of school law or believe that the special interests that they are beholden to should be above the law.  Take for example public school funding.

Public schools in Texas are funded based on Average Daily Attendance (ADA). I will simplify the math to illustrate what this looks like. If the state sets an annual per student funding rate of $8,500.00, that does not mean that the schools receives $8,500.00 per child. That would only occur of the student attends school every day. The state funds based on attendance.  Using our $8,500.00 example and a 177-day school year, the state funds at about $48.00 per day per child (not the real amount, this is an illustrative example.) If little Johnny is absent ten times this year, he is funded at $8,020.00. This is not a complaint, just a fact of public school life.

Now take the proposed school voucher.  The child with a voucher enrolls in a private school.  The parent takes the (example) school voucher of $7,500.00 and presents it to the private school to cover tuition.  Fine and good if the child attends school every day.  But what if this child is absent?  Does the private school need to return $42.00 ($7,500.00 / 177) for every day this occurs?

If not, this creates two immediate and significant problems. 

Number 1: The private school is now receiving public funds for services NOT provided.  

Number 2: Private schools (which benefit the few) are now provided a more favorable funding mechanism than public schools (which benefit the many).

So, Anti-Public School Politician, which charge do you prefer? Theft or cronyism? Or would you rather fix these two problems by tracking private school ADA and either fund or recapture accordingly?

Except, if school vouchers are to be driven by ADA, that requires the creation of an entire bureaucracy to operate, monitor and audit the program.  And as a small government, fiscal conservative, you can’t be for that? 

Unless your belief really aren’t beliefs, but are instead lies of convenience. 

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

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