Fix Education Funding Problems

By Gaspar Roberto Garcia

The current priorities used for funding the functioning of components of the education system result in insurmountable problems for the State of California and account for the constant scream for more funding for this important enterprise of the people. The answer to the problem is to reverse the funding priorities.

Given the top-down process of funding the children's education, there is an almost constant cry for more money for the education system to be able to properly provide an appropriate education for California's children. The solution to the funding problem in California requires a reversal of budgeting priorities. Even though common sense should tell school decision makers that the children have a higher priority in funding than the employees working downtown at the district offices.

If the education of children was made the school district=s first priority, the school district would necessarily have to fund the classroom needs first, the school needs second, and the district central offices last. The suggested education funding priorities are premised on the following facts:
1. The taxpayers already provide classrooms equipped with lights, heating, air conditioning, desks, and playground equipment within the school grounds.
2. On average, 30 children are assigned to each classroom.
3. The State provides $6887 per year to support the cost of education for each child.
4. The State revenue brought into the district by 30 children assigned to each classroom is equal to (30X$6887) $203,610 per classroom.
5. The classroom revenue for the State of $203,610 is augmented by Federal and Local dollars by approximately $600 per child, or (30 X$600)=$18,000, making the revenue per classroom equal to $224,610.

If the children are made first priority in financing education, the teachers are better paid, the adult to child ratios is improved, the classrooms are better supplied, cleaner, and more comfortable. The model for funding education in the alternative of the current school finance process follows:

Classroom

School site Budget_______________________________

Since there are, on average, twenty-five classrooms per school, a school budget must be based on the revenue balance for each classroom multiplied by twenty-five. In this example the school budget would equal to ($111,610 X 25) or $2,790,250. Necessarily, the schools'administrative staff and school support staff would have to be funded from the revenue left after funding the 25 classrooms.

Total school site budget excluding classroom costs= $2,790,250 Cost for one school principal salary and benefits = $90,000 Cost for one school vice principal salary and benefits = $75,000 Cost for two clerical staff salary and benefits= $75,000 Cost for two teacher clerical staff salary and benefits= $75,000 Cost for one plant manager salary and benefits= $45,000 Cost for four counselors salary and benefits= $240,000 Cost for one school nurse salary and benefits = $65,000 Cost for two librarians salary and benefits = $130.000 Cost for school discretionary projects or staff= $205,000 Total yearly school site Costs= $1,000,000 Balance of revenue for each school site including its classrooms = $1,790,250

School District Office Staff and Operations

In this example the school district office the revenue remaining from each school would cover costs. If the district had only one school, there would not be a central office so the principal would also be the district superintendent and the $1,790,200 would be available to cover costs of what is considered operation costs for the district. If the district had multiple school sites then the number of school sites times $1,790,250 would constitute the budget to operate the school district. For example, if the district had twenty school sites, it would have a school district office staff and operations budget of (20 X $1,790,250) or $35,805,000.

It only makes sense to spend money at the school district office level if it is important to spend the money to help children gain support in acquiring an appropriate education. All expenses made for any purpose other than helping children directly, would clearly be a misuse of tax dollars.

If you have problems understanding that reversing the current budgeting process and adopting the suggested "children-first" budgeting process will result in a better education for children and better use of tax money for education, please contact me by telephone at 568-3692 or by writing me at 1395 Garden Highway #175 in Sacramento, California 95833.

Please vote for Gaspar Garcia in his bid for 9th Assembly District.