Educational Funding and Equity

Defining the Issue

Funding in education has multiple facets that need to be addressed. From how funds are
gathered to how they are distributed all impact the quality of someone's education. Before
specifically defining how education is funded and its issues, I first want to go over a brief
synopsis of education in the United States.
Education in the United States began in the 17th century while still being under the rule of
Great Britain. Schools were run by local communities and taught what they thought was
important, mainly religion and morals. Throughout the history of the United States, the education
system has gone through major reforms, including desegregation. This history explains why
education is run by the local government rather than the federal.
Each state is in charge of funding education and receives federal support, meaning
funding varies and results in a difference in education. For example, the state that spends the
most per pupil in New York at $23,091 per year, while Utah spends about a third of that at
$7,179 per year.1 That money does not go directly to students but is spilt among salary for
employees and other needs, leading to certain states and places receiving less money to fund
education. "Nearly half of the funding for public schools in the United States, however, is
provided through local taxes, generating large differences in funding between wealthy and
impoverished communities" (Biddle & Berliner, 2002).2 Communities that have higher property
taxes receive more funding to be placed into education. For example, National Public Radio
compared the amount spent per pupil in two Chicago-area school districts. One district where
"roughly two-thirds of its students come from low-income families," spends $9,794 per pupil.],
compared to a Chicago suburb set in an affluent neighborhood that spends $28,639 per pupil.3
The disparity in funding leads to resources, including teachers, being shared in the lower-income
areas. Students do not receive the same kind of education in the United States, and a lot of it has
to do with funding.
The question is, does funding affect education rates? To test this, I compared the top five
states that spent the most money on pupils versus the bottom five and the ACT standardized test
from 2018. 4

STATE SPENDING PER PUPIL ACT

1
Governing. (2018). Education Spending Per Student by State. Retrieved from https://www.governing.com/gov-
data/education-data/state-education-spending-per-pupil-data.html
2
Biddle, B., & Berliner, D. (2002). UNEQUAL FUNDING For Schools in America. Retrieved from
https://www.wested.org/online_pubs/pp-03-01.pdf
3
Turner, C., Khrais, R., Lloyd, T., Olgin, A., Isensee, L., Vevea, B., & Carsen, D. (2016, April 18). Why America's
Schools Have a Money Problem. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2016/04/18/474256366/why-americas-
schools-have-a-money-problem
4
College Board. (2018). Average ACT Scores by State Graduating Class 2018. Retrieved from
https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/cccr2018/Average-Scores-by-State.pdf
 New York $23.091 24.5
Connecticut $19,322 25.6
New Jersey $18,920 23.7
Vermont $18,920 24.1
Alaska $17,838 20.8
Mississippi $8,771 18.6
Arizona $8,033 19.2
Oklahoma $7,940 19.3
Idaho $7,486 22.3
Utah $7,179 20.4

The chart shows that spending does affect standardized test scores per state. In an earlier
version of this chart, I used the graduation rate by state instead of a standardized test score. I
discovered that graduation rates were similar despite spending. After taking a closer look, I
found that many states shape the type of education students receive, so I thought it would be
unfair to compare them based on differences in the education system at each state. I believe
standardized tests to be a more accurate representation.
Teachers are the ones opening up their wallets to provide supplies for their classrooms.
According to the National Center of Education Statistics, teachers in the 2011- 2012 school year
spent on average $459 on supplies for their classrooms.5 Below is a map of average teacher
spending per state.

5
Garcia, E. (2019). It's the beginning of the school year and teachers are once again opening up their wallets to buy
school supplies. Retrieved from https://www.epi.org/blog/teachers-are-buying-school-supplies/
 6

Teachers are unable to properly set up their classrooms to provide quality education for
their students.
One more aspect I want to discuss in this section is how the federal government invests in
education. Their goal is to supplement states and communities that need funding rather than fund
them completely. The U.S. Department of Education provided about 8% of the total education
funding in 2015. While the budget is up to the states, the federal government helps with
financing due to the pressing need for high-quality education.7 The United States ranked number
one in education in 2020.8 The following graph shows the breakdown of each level of
government's contributions to education funding in 2005. You can note how large of a chunk of
funding comes from local communities, mainly property tax.

6
Garcia, E. (2019). It's the beginning of the school year and teachers are once again opening up their wallets to buy
school supplies. Retrieved from https://www.epi.org/blog/teachers-are-buying-school-supplies/
7
Stephens, V. (2018, June 27). Federal Education Funding, Explained. Retrieved November from
https://sellingtoschools.com/education-management/federal-education-funding-explained/
8
U.S. News. (2020). The Best Countries for Education. Retrieved November from
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/best-education
 9

"On average, 47 percent of K-12 education funding comes from state revenue, while the
local government provides 45 percent, and the federal government provides the remaining 8
percent." 10

Educational Equity
Educational equity was heavily targeted by the Obama administration. Their goal was to
tighten achievement gaps. They did this by working towards "free, quality preschool; high,
challenging standards and engaging teaching and leadership in a safe, supportive, and well-
resourced school." 11The issue in doing this arises in the way schools are funded. Other
organizations, such as The Education Trust, see educational equity as "the ways in which dollars
are spent matter too, and making sure that students have equitable access to other resources."
The steps to decrease the gaps in educational equity are divided into three categories:
design, practices, and resourcing. 12

1. Limit early tracking and streaming and postpone academic selection.

2. Manage school choice to contain the risks to equity.
3. In upper secondary education, provide attractive alternatives, remove dead ends and
prevent dropout.
4. Offer second chances to gain from education.
9
U.S . Department of Education. (2014, September 19). 10 Fact About K-12 Education Funding. Retrieved from
https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/10facts/index.html
10
Leachman, M., & Figueroa, E. (2019, April 23). K-12 School Funding Up in Most 2018 Teacher-Protest States,
But Still Well Below Decade Ago. Retrieved from https://www.cbpp.org/research/state-budget-and-tax/k-12-
school-funding-up-in-most-2018-teacher-protest-states-but-still
11
Equity of Opportunity. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/equity
12
Field, S., Kuczera, M., & Pont, B. (2009). No More Failures TEN STEPS TO EQUITY IN EDUCATION. Retrieved
from https://www.oecd.org/education/school/38692453.pdf
 5. Identify and provide systematic help to those who fall behind at school and reduce year
repetition.
6. Strengthen the links between school and home to help disadvantaged parents help their
children to learn.
7. Respond to diversity and provide for the successful inclusion of migrants and
minorities within mainstream education.
8. Provide strong education for all, giving priority to early childhood provision and basic
schooling.
9. Direct resources to the students with the greatest needs.
10. Set concrete targets for more equity, particularly related to low school attainment and
dropouts.

Areas Affected by Lack of Funding

A student's education can be heavily affected by the lack of funding. The most impacted
area is experience. Areas that are affected by a lack of funding and contribute to the lowering of
academic success include:
- Limited access to mental and behavioral help
o School psychologists, counselors, and social workers are essential to identify
and treat students' mental health. Increases in "psychological distress and
depression may increase the likelihood of homework trouble, absenteeism,
and course failure. Likewise, experiencing trauma such as violence or abuse is
associated with lower standardized test scores, not just for the students who
experience trauma but also for their classmates." 13

- The Arts
o Extracurricular activities, such as music and theatre, lose funding frequently.
Standardized testing cannot measure these areas; therefore, they are not
important enough to receive funding.

- Field trips and out-of-classroom learning

13
Shapiro, S., &Partelow, L. (2018). Fixing Chronic Disinvestment in K-12 Schools. Retrieved from
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-12/reports/2018/09/20/457750/fixing-chronic-
disinvestment-k-12-schools/
 o Cuts in funding are one of the main reasons for the decline in learning
excursions. This leaves educators to turn to students paying for the cost of the
trips.

- Teacher salaries and benefits

o According to The Center for American Progress, "teacher salaries have been
stagnant for the last 20 years." 14 It can take up to 25 years in the profession
for a teacher to reach a salary of $75,000 a year. This has caused a drop in
enrollment for teacher preparation programs. States with low wages for
teachers also tend to have low student achievement.
- Conditions of learning environments
o A study of many New York middle schools discovered that buildings'
condition "was a contributing factor to academic performance." 15
- Textbooks and learning materials
- School lunch programs

Level 1
Intrapersonal Experiences

Primary Audience

The primary audience affected by funding in education is students from low-income

families, especially those of color. According to a survey from The Education Trust, "the U.S.
spends approximately 7 percent — or $1,000 — less per pupil on students educated in our
nation's highest poverty districts than those educated in the wealthiest." 16 Many are surprised by
this, even being noted by the federal government. "While one might expect schools in low-
income communities to receive extra resources, the reverse is often true; a Department of
Education study found that 45 percent of high-poverty schools received less state and local
14
Shapiro, S., & Partelow, L. (2018). Fixing Chronic Disinvestment in K-12 Schools. Retrieved from
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-12/reports/2018/09/20/457750/fixing-chronic-
disinvestment-k-12-schools/
15
Shapiro, S., & Partelow, L. (2018). Fixing Chronic Disinvestment in K-12 Schools. Retrieved from
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-12/reports/2018/09/20/457750/fixing-chronic-
disinvestment-k-12-schools/
16
Morgan, I., & Amerikaner, A. (2020, February 20). Funding Gaps 2018. Retrieved from
https://edtrust.org/resource/funding-gaps-2018/
funding than was typical for other schools in their district." 17 Students in high poverty areas not
"only suffer from lack of resources at home, but their schools must also scrape by on the
minimum." 18
Since states mainly fund education, it is essential to note that there will be variations in
how communities receive funding. For example, "In 20 states, the highest poverty districts
received at least 5 percent more in state and local funds than the lowest poverty districts. In six
states, the highest poverty districts received at least 15 percent more funding per student than the
lowest poverty districts." 19 On the other hand, "four states where the highest poverty districts
received substantially less in state and local funding than their lowest poverty counterparts." 19
The use of property tax also limits funding in low-income communities. "That means if
you live in a neighborhood with a lower tax base – as a disproportionate number of Black and
Latino children do – your school (generally) receives less money than schools in wealthier
neighborhoods." 20
School funding is very complicated, with states using complex formulas to either make
up the difference or, many times, not. But the bottom line is that the quality of education a child
gets is overdetermined by where that child lives. The deficit model is an education model that
has been used as a background to create laws and policies that dictate how schools receive
funding. The ideology of the model is that students, especially minorities, have a deficit that
needs to be filled with knowledge from teachers. 21 This has led to an increase of standardized
testing used as the basis of many funding decisions.
Segregation has played into the gaps in educational equity and funding in the United
States. When the segregation of schools was made illegal in the 1950s, due to the Supreme
Court's decision in Brown vs. the Board of Education, there were still many steps to ensure
educational equity. The impact of segregation still impacts the current education system. "Only
about half of African-American and Latino students graduate from high school on time, and they
are more likely than their peers to attend "dropout factories" that graduate less than 60% of their
students each year. Racial and geographic inequities in access to effective and qualified teachers
and high-quality educational programs persist, and in far too many instances, are widening. And
the students most in need of educational support are most likely to be suspended, expelled or
otherwise caught in the School-to-Prison Pipeline." 20

Intersectionality

17
Equity of Opportunity. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/equity
18
Lynch, M. (2017, January 15). Poverty and School Funding: Why Low-Income Students Often Suffer. Retrieved
from https://www.theedadvocate.org/poverty-and-school-funding-why-low-income-students-often-suffer/
19
Camera, L. (n.d.). In Most States, Poorest School Districts Get Less Funding. Retrieved from
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2018-02-27/in-most-states-poorest-school-districts-get-less-
funding
20
The Leadership Conference Education Fund. (2011). 57 Years After Brown: The Impact of Residential Segregation
on Educational Equity. Retrieved from https://civilrights.org/edfund/resource/residential-segregation/
21
ASCD. (2007). Discarding the Deficit Model. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-
leadership/feb07/vol64/num05/Discarding-the-Deficit-Model.aspx
 Intersectionality plays a significant role in the experiences of this issue. For one, students
of color from low-income families are more likely to face the problems in funding. "School
districts serving the largest populations of Black, Latino, or American Indian students receive
roughly $1,800, or 13 percent, less per student in state and local funding than those serving the
fewest students of color." 22 Students of color also, "start school academically behind their
peers." 21

Level 2
Interpersonal Experiences

Testimonies
- Teacher, 25:
o Do you think there is a correlation between funding and quality of education?
o "The amount of funding can definitely make a difference. I think that it really
is up to teachers to make the difference."
o What are your experiences with how funding impacts education?
o "I worked in a charter school after getting my certification, and when I got
there, I had tons of materials and toys to work with. When I switched to a
public school, I thought it would be similar. I had like a single crate of
materials to use. That leaves us to make up the difference."
o If you are comfortable answering, how much do you spend a year out of your
pocket?

22
Morgan, I., & Amerikaner, A. (2020, February 20). Funding Gaps 2018. Retrieved from
https://edtrust.org/resource/funding-gaps-2018/
 o "I probably spent about $300 setting up my classroom and more throughout
the year."
- Student, 20:
o Do you think there is a correlation between funding and quality of education?
o "I think there is. Well, ok, teachers with more experience are going to go
where there is more funding. I think that they know they are worth more and if
they can move to a place where they are valued by salary. There is also more
access to materials."
o What are your experiences with how funding impacts education?
o "I mean, I didn't see too much firsthand, but my high school did have some
issues with, like, upkeep. We had mushrooms growing out the windows and
power outages like twice a year. Actually, looking back, it kind of was a
mess."
o What areas do you think are most impacted by a lack of funding?
o "I'd say the arts, at least in the South. I don't think people realize how much
we need the arts and how often they are used. Sports are funded more than
something people use every day."
o Why do you think that is?
o "Well, for one, they are more coveted. I also think that they bring in a source
of revenue. I mean, like, about ten football games a year with like $10 tickets
for 2,000 people adds up more than a few plays a year."
- Student, 21
o Do you think there is a correlation between funding and quality of education?
o "Definitely, I feel like funding can vastly either improve the education system,
whether that be in poor communities or high-income. I think it ranges from
textbooks to laptops to the overall experience that a student gets."
o What are your experiences with how funding impacts education?
o "In 7th grade, there was not enough science textbooks, so I remember having
to share a book."
o What areas do you think are most impacted by funding?
o "I feel like football gets most of the funding. That's a no-duh in Texas. English
and science classes. There is not equal access to literature books and science
equipment like microscopes."
- Former Pre-School Director and Music Teacher
o Do you think there is a correlation between funding and quality of education?
o "No, because you see that districts that spend a lot less can get better
education than those like a private school."
o What areas are most impacted by funding?
 o "I think that administrative overhead should be cut. There are state-mandated
jobs that aren't relative. Vocational training is very important since many
people are reevaluating the value of a degree and need to be training people
for real-world jobs right out of high school."
- Student, 19
o Do you think there is a correlation between funding and quality of education?
o "Yes, definitely. I think I live in a bubble where I grew up because my parents
chose a school that was highly funded, and the education was so good there. I
know that other students weren't given the same education as us. You can see
that in STAAR or TAKS tests and how other students score on them around
Texas.
o What are your experiences with how funding impacts education?
o "Budget cuts were a big deal when I was in fifth or sixth grade. I don't know
why, but for some reason they told us about it, and in theatre, we couldn't put
on certain shows because we didn't have the budget for it."
o What areas of education do you think are most impacted by funding?
o "Athletics are overfunded; you can see that by glorifying people with big
expensive banners on the front of the school. Music and theatre departments
are always fundraising for money and never get updated."
Insights & Findings
- Most people recognize that there can be an impact on education due to funding.
However, they put the responsibility of fixing it on educators. The teachers and
administrators who people remember, even though they have very little control over
the issue. The most influential people in education funding and equity in the state and
local government. They hold the majority of the power in these decisions, and the
federal government only steps in, too, in their own words, "supplement." They also
think that what receives lots of funding is shaped by where the schools are. This could
also be a part of biases from people who did not participate in the areas they believe
are unfairly favored.

Levels 3 and 4
Organizations and the Community

- National Endowments for the Arts 23

23
National Endowments for the Arts. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.arts.gov/
 o The independent federal agency provides grants and other funding for the arts in
education.
o Their work in art education has allowed them to donate over $250 million since
1966 and research how the arts can impact achievement.

- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 24

o One of the many focuses of the foundation is increasing achievement rates in K-
12 education, especially Black, Latino, and low-income students. This is done by
investing in a couple of things.
o Two Main Focuses
 1. Teachers have standards-aligned instructional materials, real-time
assessments for gauging student progress, and in-school learning and
leadership opportunities.
 2. Principals have support to create an environment that empowers
leadership in all areas of the school to regularly use data to continuously
improve the supports, instruction, and learning students' experience.

- National Education Association 25

o The NEA acts as an advocacy group for student success. The organization is led
by 9,000 elected delegates and provides grants and training materials on many
subjects, including educational equity.
o "Systemic inequalities make life more difficult for so many of the communities
we serve. These inequalities exist in our schools as well, often codified into the
rules and laws that govern how we teach."

- The Education Trust 26

o The organization works to close opportunity groups. They believe that students of
color and low-income students are disproportionately affected by these gaps.
o They work with students to policymakers to transform education. They also
analyze data and use it to influence policies to help all students reach high
achievement levels.

- Education Reimagined 27
o They believe that the current education system in the United States is
"inequitable, inflexible, and inadequate." Their commitment is to provide an
equitable and transformative education for every single child.
24
K-12 Education. (n.d.) The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Retrieved from
https://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/US-Program/K-12-Education
25
National Education Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nea.org/
26
Who We Are (n.d.). The Education Trust. Retrieved from https://edtrust.org/who-we-are/
27
Education Reimagined. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://education-reimagined.org/
 o They have three core programs that all help students succeed.
 The Learning Lab
 "Gathers and connects learner-centered practitioners seeking to
demonstrate that learner-centered education can address today's
most pressing education challenges."
 SparkHouse
 "Community of young leaders from learner-centered environments
advocating for all children to have access to the kind of education
they've experienced."
 Movement Builder Network
 "Unites national and regional advocates for learner-centered
education to accelerate the movement beyond what we currently
see as possible."

- The Center for Education Reform 28

o CER's mission is, "expand educational opportunities that lead to improved
economic outcomes for all Americans."
o One of their focuses is to reform the school model, shifting to competency-based
models, like charter schools. Upon further research, the organization has a slight
political or religious lean and fights for support of Catholic schools.

- Stand for Children 29

o The group works in nine states across the United States to fight for better and
equal education. The three pillars of parents, politics, and policy lead them in their
fight.
o In 1996, the first Stand for Children Day gathered 300,000 people at the Lincoln
Memorial. Since then, they have "achieved over 209 state and local victories and
leveraged over $6.7 billion in education investments. The policies and
investments we've secured are improving the lives of more than 5.6 million
children."

- Leadership for Educational Equity 30

o The non-profit focuses on making sure every student across the United States has
an equal opportunity for education.

28
Covid and the Catholic Schools. (2020, November 04). Retrieved from https://edreform.com/2020/10/covid-and-
the-catholic-schools/
29
Education Advocacy Victories. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://stand.org/national/about/what-weve-done
30
Leadership for Educational Equity. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://educationalequity.org/
 o This is achieved by creating a group of over 45,000 civic leaders to fight for
educational equity. They are a network of connecting leaders to one another to
fight for their movement.

- American Council on Education 31

o The ACE is an organization that focuses on improving higher education. They
house many areas of policy. For funding, they focus on how to shape the federal
government's appropriations process.

Who is primarily represented in the leadership of these groups?

Teachers are the category most represented in the leadership of this issue. They have
firsthand experience in this issue and have ideas of how to improve the problem. Many
organizations have boards created out of current teachers who help to shape policy. Teachers
who are also apt to run for public office to make the change. In the 2018 midterms, "about 1,500
current and former educators are running for state and federal office, more than triple the number
who usually run for office in an election cycle." 32
There are government officials who act as representatives on this issue. The United States
Senate has a committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. However, there is no
subcommittee specifically designated to education. In that committee, Patty Murray was the only
one who had previously been a teacher. The U.S. Department of Education is primarily staffed
by members who have previous experience in education, be it teaching or as an advocate.

Community and U.S. Leaders

- Betsy DeVos: As the current Secretary of Education, she holds lots of power on how to
fund and run schools at the federal level. One of the critical things from her time in the
administration is how she wants to move more funding over to private and often
religious-based schools instead of providing funding to public schools. 33
- President Barack Obama: His focus on educational equity helped create a law that
provided $100 billion for funding in the first three weeks of his administration. 34
- Senator Patty Murray: As a former educator, Murray's priorities are to increase federal
funding for all schools. 35

31
American Council on Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.acenet.edu/Pages/default.aspx
32
Campbell, A. (2018, October 31). More than 1,000 teachers will be on ballots across the country next week.
Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/2018/10/31/18038984/teacher-candidates-running-for-office
33
Betsy DeVos, Secretary of Education -- Biography. (2019, June 27). Retrieved from
https://www2.ed.gov/news/staff/bios/devos.html?src=hp
34
Duncan, A. (2018, March 05). The Obama Legacy: Equity in Education. Retrieved from
https://talkpoverty.org/2016/12/16/obama-legacy-education
35
Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/biography
 - President Lyndon B. Johnson: In his presidency, many of his primary goals were based
on education. He made strives to provide funding for low-income schools. 36
- President Andrew Johnson: In 1867, he signed legislation that made the first Department
of Education help aid local schools. However, after one year, the department was
demoted because it would take too much control. 37
Community Leader Interview
The community leader I contacted was Angela Brown, a former district assistant
Superintendent and principal. She recently returned to being a teacher instead of being part of the
administration. I had a few questions about how funding works. I knew how it impacted
education, but I wanted a deeper dive into how it works from someone who had worked with it
firsthand.

1. Who are the primary funders in school districts?

"Schools are funded by the federal government through grants. These are usually, if not
always, for low economic school districts. Schools have to apply for the funds yearly and
provide information yearly stating how the funds were used, etc. Schools are also funded with
funds from the instructional materials allotment (IMA). These funds are distributed every two
years and are based on district size. Schools must request the funds through a program and the
requests are approved if they are for legitimate instructional materials. The biggest source of
funds for schools are from the state. These funds are based on many factors. I'm not sure exactly
how, but I do know that districts have to submit a budget each year."

2. What areas are typically impacted by budget cuts?

"Every area! If a school suffers a cut in the budget, it is best to try and take a little from
every piece of the pie instead of cutting a specific program or area. This can be in teacher
reduction in funding (RIF), consolidating classes, cutting extracurricular activities, limiting field
trips, combining job duties to cut support personnel. A good leader will ask every campus to find
areas to cut without affecting student learning outcomes too much."

3. As a teacher and administrator, do you think there is a good balance of how funding is
distributed?
"When I was at the central office, one of my job duties was to fill out paperwork every year
on how we balanced our funds across campuses. I think most schools do a great job with this.
Where there is not a good balance in finding is between districts and the funds they receive from
the state. Small, rural schools suffer. Just think about a rural school and how spread out its bus
routes are when compared to an urban community. It just costs more to run buses! This is true of
other areas as well. Then, you also get into the tax rates for districts, whether or not a district has

36
Brenchley, C. (2015, April 08). What is ESEA? Retrieved from https://blog.ed.gov/2015/04/what-is-esea/
37
An Overview of the U.S. Department of Education-- Pg 1. (2018, May 14). Retrieved from
https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/focus/what.html
high-cost houses for property taxes, businesses that are taxed, and even oil and gas reserves. So,
my answer is no, I don't think there is a good balance of funding is distributed."

4. What ways do school districts fill gaps in funding?

"There is not a lot of school districts can do to fill gaps. Some districts, Quitman for
instance, partnered with the hospital board to bring in a program for the teachers. Other districts
partner with other outside entities, especially for the Career Tech courses. Local campuses can
have school-wide fundraisers to help buy non-essential items, such as student incentives and
supplies. School districts have to be careful how they receive funds, though, to make sure it is all
legal and ethical. At the end of the day, it is about the students. We make sure that we can
provide everyone with a good education and that they leave better skills and knowledge to take
out into the world."

Social Media Perception

Social media plays a part in educating others about the issues occurring and helping
provide supplies for educators.
In 2017 Republicans in Congress attempted to pass a tax reform that would eliminate
teachers' $250 tax deduction. The trend "#Outofmypocket" was created to showcase stories of
how much educators spent their own money to provide materials for their students. 38

38
Walker, T. (2018). #OutOfMyPocket: Educators Speak Out on Buying Their Own School Supplies. Retrieved from
https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/outofmypocket-educators-speak-out-buying-their-
own-school
 39

39
MissKatieDi. (2018, August 28). [Tweet]. and
Bestymchadley. (2017, November 11). [Tweet].
 A recent TikTok account, mrhamilton, has put both of these experiences together.
Teacher Casey Hamilton works at a Florida school and has gained over 5 million followers on
TikTok. He uses his platform to provide teachers and students with money and materials. His
videos feature materials given to him from his wish list and sparked an outpouring of donations
for teachers. The following links are videos of him showing how many supplies were donated.
https://www.tiktok.com/@mrhamilton/video/6862369977245175046?lang=en
https://www.tiktok.com/@mrhamilton/video/6862322903153773829?lang=en
One last trend is celebrities and influencers using their platforms to encourage their fans
to buy supplies of teachers' wish lists. Stars do various methods to achieve this, including simply
asking teachers to link to their wish list or more fun challenges like the "#10featuredteachers." 40
The hashtag was created by Ed Droste, a member of the band Grizzly Bear, and got the
attention of many celebrities. For ten days, a teacher would be featured on an Instagram story,
and the star and their fans would purchase donations of the wish list. Kristen Bell, Busy Phillips,
Kiernan Shipka, and Jonathan Van Ness were among those who participated.
Twitter has also been a platform used for a similar purpose. Youtuber Chris Klemens,
Chrissy Teigen offered to donate materials to teachers.

41

42

40
Reid, C. (2018, September 26). Viral #10featuredteachers campaign helps teachers get the school supplies they
need. Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/viral-10featuredteachers-campaign-helps-teachers-get-
the-school-supplies-they-need/
41
Chrissyteigen. (2020, August 23). [Tweet].
42
ChrisKlemens. (2020, September 10). [Tweet].
 Level 5
Policy
Social Policies
- No Child Left Behind Act (2001) 43
o Passed by President George W. Bush, the act places an increase of responsibility
on states for students' academic progress. This is done by increasing standardized
testing.
o If a school does not meet the academic progress, they lose funding by having it
frozen or placed aside for school choice. To meet the "proficient" standard,
schools and the act would have to be funded more than it already is. For example,
"a study estimated that the state would have to spend about $1.5 billion more on
education each year to meet NCLB's additional accountability requirements and
achievement goals" in Ohio.

- Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) 44

o This act's primary focus is education equity. "ESEA offered new grants to districts
serving low-income students, federal grants for textbooks and library books,
funding for special education centers, and scholarships for low-income college
students. Additionally, the law provided federal grants to state educational
agencies to improve the quality of elementary and secondary education."

- 10th Amendment 45
o Leaves the responsibility of education up to states and local government.

- 14th Amendment 46
o Provides the background on how each person in the United States is eligible to
receive an education.

- Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1965) 46

o As part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's focus on the "War of Poverty," the
ESEA provides federal funding to low-income students. There six titles in the act.

43
NCLB and Funding Controversy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.newamerica.org/education-
policy/topics/federal-education-legislation-budget/federal-education-legislation/essa/nclb/nclb-and-funding-
controversy/
44
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/essa?src=rn
45
Jefferson-Jenkins, C., & Hawkins Hill, M. (2011, June 22). Role Of Federal Government In Public Education:
Historical Perspectives. Retrieved from https://www.lwv.org/role-federal-government-public-education-historical-
perspectives
46
Paul, C. (2018, April 29). Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Retrieved from
https://socialwelfare.library.vcu.edu/programs/education/elementary-and-secondary-education-act-of-1965/
  Title I is the part of the act that provides the funding for schools with
many low-income students. When you hear someone talking about a "Title
I school," this is what they are referring.
 Title II supports school libraries and textbook acquisition.
 Title III "mandated educational programming even when school was not
in session, and it provided for special education and related services in
isolated or rural areas."
 Title IV put $100 million into education research and training.
 Title V helps to provide supplemental funding to state departments for
education

- National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965 47

o The act was to make the arts accessible to all people in the United States. One of
the parts was to provide funding for education. The two quotes below convey the
act concerning education.
o "Democracy demands wisdom and vision in its citizens. It must therefore foster
and support a form of education, and access to the arts and the humanities,
designed to make people of all backgrounds and wherever located masters of their
technology and not its unthinking servants."
o "To fulfill its educational mission, achieve an orderly continuation of a free
society, and provide models of excellence to the American people, the Federal
Government must transmit the achievement and values of civilization from the
past via the present to the future, and make widely available the greatest
achievements of art."

- Emergency Immigrant Education Act (1984) 48

o Due to an influx in immigration, the act provides additional funding and services
to state and local educational agencies. Each agency that was selected received
"per immigrant child."

- American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (2009) 49

o Over $100 billion went to education to "save hundreds of thousands of jobs,
support states and school districts, and advance reforms and improvements that
will create long-lasting results for our students."

47
National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 (P.L. 89-209). (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.neh.gov/about/history/national-foundation-arts-and-humanities-act-1965-pl-89-209
48
H.R. 5077, 98th Cong. (enacted). Retrieved from https://www.congress.gov/bill/98th-congress/house-bill/5077?
r=98&s=1
49
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Saving and Creating Jobs and Reforming Education.
(2009, March 11). Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/implementation.html
 o Meant to help with recovering from the recession, the act also helped to improve
education and student achievement.

- San Antonio Independent School District vs. Rodriguez (1972) 50

o In this U.S. Supreme Court case, Rodriguez argued that the school district
violated the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause by relying on property
taxes for education funding.
o The court ruled against Rodriguez, stating that there was no right to education in
the Constitution. One justice also argued that the Equal Protection Clause "does
not require absolute equality or precisely equal advantages."

50
San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez (March 21, 1973) (Oyez, Dist. file). Retrieved from
https://www.oyez.org/cases/1972/71-1332
 Interplay
Levels 3, 4, and 5 play heavily into each other. The policies set out are created by the
people who influence the issue, but many organizations are part of the lobbying process. Level 1
has also been affected and has influenced Level 5 policies. The primary audience was put at a
disadvantage because of their status. People of color who are also part of the audience were
affected by segregation laws that were not reversed until the 1950s and took a long time to be
implemented and followed. Then when many of these policies, the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act, were put in place they were targeted to help people in those communities.
There is no right way to ensure every person receives an appropriate amount of funding
for their educational experience due to how the education system is set up in the United States.
To get all state and local governments to agree on a single method would be hard to achieve, and
then there could be cries over "too much government oversight or regulation." Educators must
work their hardest to provide a quality experience to their pupils and hope they receive support
from others if needed.
 Brand Partnerships

I believe that this is an issue that brands would feel comfortable aligning themselves
with. Education has facets that can come of as controversial, but my research has led me to
believe that this is something brands have helped with before. Many brands already align
themselves with providing funding in education. Crayola provides grants and funding to "ensure
that children meet their basic physical and emotional needs." 51 Simply by taking extra care to
look at social issues and organizations that businesses I have been to this past month, I have
noticed how many have supported education.
I believe that this is an issue that local small businesses should align with for the general
problem. Since this issue has significant disparities in local funding, i.e., property taxes being
used, having local businesses help with the case could help make up some of the funding.
Companies who cater their services or products to school-aged people, like orthodontists or local
toy shops, could benefit from aligning with the issue. Typically, brands receive promotions for
providing funding. While parents and guardians ultimately hold the purchasing power if their
children are exposed to the brand multiply times, they can influence the decision process. While
the obvious answer for how these brands should help the issue is to provide funding, there are
also more creative ways to help. Providing experiences to students, such as career fairs or
educational backgrounds, could be helping to provide and support students' educational equity. It
is vital that this issue is addressed but throwing money at it does nothing but continue the
process.
For this assignment, I focused on finding a more prominent national brand that already
has an association with education somehow. I also wanted to find a brand that could be
integrated into my creative component.
- Amazon
o While Amazon does provide funding for STEM education in schools, it would be
interesting to see them use a part of their platform. 52 Amazon can help teachers
fulfill their wish lists. Teachers spend money out of their pockets to provide
materials for their students. Many teachers already use the feature, as seen in how
social media impacts this issue. Another way they could help is simply by
organizing a page that places verified teacher wish lists in one place for those
generous enough to donate supplies to access quickly.
- North American Reciprocal Museum Association
o This organization provides members access to over 1,000 museums, zoos,
gardens, etc. 53To join, people can get a membership at their local NARM

51
Crayola Cares. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.crayola.com/about-us/company/crayola-cares/
52
STEM Education. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aboutamazon.com/impact/community/stem-education
53
National American Reciprocal Museum Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://narmassociation.org/members/
affiliated museum. Currently, this brand acts as a network for connecting
individuals to institutions. They could provide experiences to education
institutions through memberships or donations of experiences. Their variety of
institutions, from zoos to art galleries, can be used to give students a plethora of
new fields to explore. Ideally, if my program were to partner with them, and using
their connections, picking out the best museums and providing curated
experiences could help to fill gaps left by budget cuts.