In recent months, hundreds of teacher protests have exposed the inequalities of the public education system. District budget numbers show how funding programs decide what students are worth, depending on where they live and their families’ wealth. In the United States, public schools are funded by local, state, and federal governments; these school funding levels are generally based off of local income and property taxes. Due to funds being collected this way, schools in wealthier districts are able to collect more, whereas schools in poorer districts receive less funding. The lack of funding for schools in high poverty areas results in students receiving a far lower quality education than those in high-income areas.
I grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in a school district with nearly half of its students living in poverty. My school district was severely underfunded and ill-equipped to provide students with an adequate education. Students who attended this districts schools were met with high student-to-staff ratios and little access to high level and AP courses. The teachers who taught in this district were often inexperienced, and underqualified.
Many of the teachers I had were extremely young and had not been teaching for long. The middle and high schools did not offer students many advanced classes, seeing as though many of the students were not academically strong enough for them. There was also a low level of spending on teacher wages and instructional materials. Often, schools in this district were unable to provide even basic classroom supplies. These schools did not provide students with modern technology, and there was limited access to the library’s computers.
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The classrooms did not have digital projectors or smart boards, they only had overheads and TVs on carts. My elementary school did not have a playground for recess, or a gymnasium. Gym class was held in the school’s auditorium, and any outdoor activities took place in the field behind the school; there was no track, no basketball court, and no blacktop for playing games. When schools cannot provide students with basic learning materials, the students education experience suffers.
There are clear consequences to providing fewer resources to students in low-income schools. Due to high student-to-staff ratios, teachers are unable to properly teach and assist students. This causes students to not receive the highest level of education and can cause lower standardized test scores. These low test scores, combined with the lack of a quality, challenging curriculum, leave students underprepared for life after graduating. Students in all school systems need to receive an education that allows them to flourish in college, or the workforce, upon completion. With school districts being defined by income, wealthier and poorer kids receive different levels of education which, ultimately, can trap low-income students in the poverty cycle.
School systems in high-poverty lack the essential funding necessary to provide students with the best education possible. These schools are forced to cut beneficial programs, pay their instructors low wages, and neglect purchasing important learning materials, all of which negatively impact students. Underfunding education doesn’t just leave children ill-prepared for the world, it can make the world a more divided place to grow up in.
