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ALBANY---Inadequate state aid to public schools is a key cause of low graduation rates statewide and is driving up local property taxes according to a new report by the Alliance for Quality Education and the Public Policy Education Fund.
"There is a dual crisis within New York State's school funding system," said Karen Scharff, chairperson of the Statewide Steering Committee of the Alliance for Quality Education and executive director of Citizen Action of New York. "New York State is 48th in graduation rates and number one in property taxes. The only way to solve both problems is to fundamentally reform school funding so that a much larger share is funded through the state budget."
The report, based on State Education Department data evaluated by the Fiscal Policy Institute, found a strong correlation between education spending and graduation rates. Districts that graduate 90% of students spend an average of $5,000 more per pupil than districts that graduate less than 50% of students.
"The evidence that this report presents is consistent with the common sense knowledge of parents," said Doug Williams, a parent from Schenectady. "Without more school funding our schools will continue to struggle and our children will not be prepared for college or 21st century jobs."
On the property tax side, the report found a strong relationship between levels of state aid and local property tax hikes both in this year's budget and historically. This year school districts that project property tax increases of less than 4% received an average state aid increase of 7.48%. While districts predicting a 4% to 10% property tax hike received an average state aid increase of 6.95%, and districts facing tax levy increases of greater than 10% had state aid increases averaging 6.6%.
"This report clearly supports the conclusion that if the state takes on a much larger share of total school funding, we can target funding necessary to provide every student the opportunity to graduate and we can stop over burdening local property taxpayers," said Maureen Sheehan, president of the Rondout Valley School District.
Statewide, 36% of students (more than one-third) scheduled to graduate in four years as of June 2005 did not graduate. In nine districts, serving 39% of the students in the state, less than one in two students graduate on time. The report points out that contrary to popular belief, this is not just a big city problem. In fact, 30% of kids in poor rural districts also failed to graduate on time according to the report.
"State Aid to schools is a double edged sword if not adequately increased, said Scharff. "Inadequate State Aid hurts our schools and hurts taxpayers."
Although there are some anomalies in this trend, overall more school aid means more successful schools. To evaluate those districts that seem to buck this trend you must account for the higher cost of educating low income students, disabled children, various regional factors and other factors that affect the total cost of educating a district's children.
The report, The Dual Crises, authored by PPEF Policy Analyst Bob Cohen, contains 14 charts and graphs highlighting the findings.
"THE DUAL CRISES" REPORT FINDINGS:
The report finds conclusive evidence that the more money a school district spends on its children's education, the higher the graduation rate of that school district:
--School districts with graduation rates of less than 50% spent an average of $13,593
--School districts with a 50% to 67% graduation rate spent an average of $15,009
--School districts with a graduation rate of between 67% and 90% spent an average of $15,916
--School districts with more than a 90% graduation rate spent an average of $18,551- demonstrating a clear direct relationship between increased spending and graduation rates.
This report also documents how the growth in school property taxes is low in years when state aid increases are higher and that the opposite is true when state aid increases are inadequate:
When the State does not pay its fair share, school districts have to make up for the shortfall with more substantial increases in school taxes and when the state does pay its fare share, then school tax increases are more modest.
An analysis of year-to-year changes in state aid and "local contributions" made by school district taxpayers over 12 years presents a very clear picture:
In the 6 years when state aid to school districts increased by 4% or more local contributions increased by an average of 2.1%.
However, in the 6 years when state aid increased less than 4%, school district contributions increased by 7.2%.
In the 5 years when state aid increased by less than 3%, local taxes went up 7.9%.
These historical trends continue even in 2006
--Despite inflationary increases included in the newly adopted State Budget, many districts are still facing cuts in educational programs. This report also presents anecdotal evidence from across New York State that when the State does not pay its fair share, school districts have to make up for the shortfall with more substantial increases in school taxes and when the state does pay its fare share, then school tax increases are more modest.
The Alliance for Quality Education (AQE) is a statewide non-profit coalition of over 230 organizations of parents, children's advocates, schools, teachers, clergy, labor unions, business leaders and others. AQE believes it will take fair funding and smarter spending to support better schools and give every child in New York State a quality education - from pre-K to High School graduation. For more information or to read the report visit www.aqeny.org or www.ourkidscantwait.org. 5-30-06
© 2006 North
Country Gazette
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