Adequacy, Equity and Equality

1)      According to “School Funding 101” in the resource section of this course, adequacy is the need for just enough funding to allow students to achieve.  There are many examples of adequacy issues in education.  Generally, these issues are the hot topics that are the center of school finance litigation.  For example, many in education believe that teacher salaries are inadequate and should be increased.   With the rising pressure of standardized testing and accountability, are teachers being adequately paid for their efforts?  Adequacy is also an issue when it comes to the amount of money necessary for the General Diffusion of Knowledge.  This is currently a hot topic in the financial litigation is whether or not the state is providing adequate resources to educate our students and again, standardized testing is listed as a reason for needing more resources.

2)      Equity is defined “equal distribution of resources for schooling, taking into account student differences and school district characteristics.”  An example is in the Tier 1 funding formula.  Districts are given more funding for programs that are above and beyond the core curriculum.  These programs include, special education, gifted and talented, career tech, etc.  Special programs are for “special” students with “special” needs that required “special” attention and funding beyond those of “regular” students.  Another example is in Tier 2.  The state has a guaranteed level of funding and will “fill in the gap” for property poor districts.

3)      Equality, according to Dr. Arterbury, means “every student has the same access to the same type of basic educational program.”  An excellent example of equality can be found in special education.  Districts are required to offer each student the same “free and appropriate public education (FAPE)” in the “least restricted environment.”  This concept insures that schools meet the needs of every student in the best possible way.  Students are not discriminated against based on their learning disabilities, handicaps, etc.  Although instructional strategies may differ, students are receiving the same type of education.  In regards to school finance, an example of equality would be in the funding formulas.  The state provides equal funds for educational programs that benefit all students.  This includes your core academic areas that are required for all students to graduate, regardless of ability.

Reflection:
Until we realize there is no “cookie cutter” method to school finance, we will never meet the criteria of equality, equity, and adequacy in school finance.  Just like classroom instruction, school finance must be adapted to meet the needs of your specific students.  For example, offering more funding for special education is an excellent way to meet the needs of students with disabilities.  However, telling a district that they can only have a certain percentage of special education students takes away from that effort.  The funding formula does not know the specific students in each of our districts…WE DO!  Therefore, we should receive the funding necessary to education every single one of them.  Just like in the classroom, each group of students comes with a different set of challenges and needs.  Providing more local control of finances will allow districts to better meet the challenges of equality, equity, and adequacy.  I am a firm believer that if we make decisions on what is best for the individual students, we cannot go wrong.  Even a “wrong” decision can work out well if it is made for the “right” reasons.