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graceyperkins t1_j7natyf wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in Landmark Pa. school funding case decided: The state’s system is unconstitutional by Hashslingingslashar

They are “facts” without context.

Are you accounting for the overall budget? Number of students? Legacy costs? Buildings? Charter school costs? Allentown had to get money from the state otherwise they’d be insolvent because the property taxes would leave them millions short. Even when they raise them based on the maximum amount allowed, they still cannot close the budget. There’s nothing left to cut. It’s a mess.

Again, you’re over-simplifying and have very little idea of what goes into a school budget.

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IamSauerKraut t1_j7nd2jv wrote

You raise a great point with charter schools. Time to address that 800 lb pile of poo in the school house.

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[deleted] t1_j7nd1ys wrote

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graceyperkins t1_j7nefwd wrote

Sitting through multiple board meetings to learn the details? I’m not going to sit here and say ASD does everything perfectly, because not even close. But when you have a district that uses a school building that was built in the Grant administration, it’s apples to oranges.

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[deleted] t1_j7ng0ci wrote

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graceyperkins t1_j7nhgum wrote

I never said a new building would fix inequity. There are a plethora of factors that go into budget and achievement. Properly funding the district would go a long way to helping children achieve. It’s not properly funded now, and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone to agree that it is.

Parent engagement is vitally important. So is proper funding. Both things can be true.

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[deleted] t1_j7ni1w9 wrote

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graceyperkins t1_j7nios2 wrote

I brought up old buildings as a factor. Updated facilities won’t solve the problem, but it will move the needle. The money goes into many different pots for the whole educational experience.

Here’s why I brought up old buildings. No a/c. How many days did ASD have to call off school because it was too hot to have those kids in the buildings? Newer facilities and districts don’t have that interruption. Installing a/c units (if it can be done) is ridiculously expensive. That’s a problem of equity. Poverty doesn’t just hit you over the head. It’s a death of a thousand cuts.

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[deleted] t1_j7njy32 wrote

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graceyperkins t1_j7nkkay wrote

So, let’s do this— adequately fund ASD and then reevaluate. Let’s see what issues still exist and work on solutions from there. Money doesn’t fix all problems, but it will certainly help eliminate a bunch of them.

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[deleted] t1_j7nmj0u wrote

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graceyperkins t1_j7nnjx2 wrote

How do you improve parent engagement? And to what level? How do you measure it so it’s equitable to other districts? I sure hope you don’t need funds to do it.

Or you could just make funding equal across districts because making kids do more with less just because you can is cruel to say the least.

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[deleted] t1_j7nodsq wrote

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graceyperkins t1_j7nrt0x wrote

You have a viable solution of increasing funding to improve outcomes but don’t want to because it won’t solve all problems. It should be a multi-tiered response that includes an increase of funding to an equitable level.

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[deleted] t1_j7nsstq wrote

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graceyperkins t1_j7nwrpy wrote

I’m saying fund them equitably for the services they have to provide. How much of the per pupil funding does to debt service? Building maintenance? Special services? How much actually reaches the classroom/student and not legacy costs?

You keep saying “parent engagement” but are not offering one measurable metric besides what some teacher friend told you? That’s not policy, that’s platitudes. There are real, tangible things that can be targeted with increased funding. Money cannot fix everything, but it’s a start to just get them on a level playing field. You don’t even want to do that. I don’t even know what you want other than not adequately find schools for “reasons”. If there was an actual, successful way to increase parent engagement, you don’t think schools would have done that by now? Seriously? Equitable funding is an evidence-based lever they can pull— hence the court case.

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[deleted] t1_j7oyizb wrote

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graceyperkins t1_j7p95d1 wrote

Why not look at the court case? They proved to the judge that inequitable funding directing harms kids.

I’m honestly not interested in changing your mind. I’ve asked you numerous times about your metric for parent engagement. You’ve ignored it and then ask me to prove myself? You’re clearly not arguing in good faith.

Have the day you deserve, sir. :)

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