In my last posting I introduced the topic of how public education is funded in Texas and I wanted to revisit that conversation. By way of brief update, the legislature has established a basic allotment per student and then a separate “tier” of funding for program enrichment which addresses students needing a continuum of special services. That basic allotment (or tier 1) currently guarantees $5,140 per student per school year which is the state’s attempt through wealth equalization to ensure some level of consistent funding. Tier 2 funding is supplemental and dependent upon the needs of a given student population. This “program enrichment” allocation is designed to provide additional resources for students requiring special services, such as special education, bilingual education, career and technical education, and gifted and talented education. In sum, when you factor in our general operating budget, it costs on average around $10,000 a year to educate a student in our district. Though a portion of our revenue comes from the state via sales tax collection, that portion this year was approximately 15%. This means that 85% of our revenue (money needed to balance the budget) was generated through local property taxes. In simpler terms, we’re collectively expending approximately $55 per instructional day to ensure a child can come to a public school.
I quoted Ben Franklin previously who is credited with saying “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” We’re wrapping up the third marking period today in preparation for spring break so all grades are being finalized as I type. Like many parents, I have created some monetary incentives for my boys to do well in school but also to recognize their efforts through some tangible gestures. There have even been research experiments conducted that explore the benefits associated with direct incentives for attendance, behavior, coursework, etc. Consider the following chart from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, as a time-tested concrete example:
It has always been a pretty safe bet that the more you learn, the more you earn. The chart above seems to make a pretty compelling case for this argument. On average, a person with a bachelor’s degree earns around 65% more income per week than a person with only a high school diploma. A person with an advanced degree can average as high as 158% more income per week. In dollars, we can estimate a high school diploma affords an annual salary of $38,000 compared to $62,000 for a bachelor’s degree and $98,000 for an advanced or professional degree. More recently, our state education agency has adopted a broad “College, Career, and Military Ready (CCMR)” focus to recognize the multiple pathways students can pursue towards postsecondary success. If you spend some time browsing the related content and subjects on the Labor site you’ll see a variety of outcomes based on education decisions. They even offer a light-hearted spin to the iconic Game of Life board game with their own online version that is intended to help users make informed decisions about some really important matters.
At the end of the day (and more precisely a school year), I’m not sure if a $10K investment is too little, too much, or just right but I’m pretty sure it’s not for me to decide. I will say this though – I’ve never had a student (child) tell me that he or she was provided too many opportunities…
What if? Why Not? 