| No parent wants their child to have to attend a school | | | | offer higher-cost special and bilingual (not to be |
| that is sub-standard. We all want our children to get | | | | confused with English as a 2nd Language students) |
| the best education they possibly can. Even those who | | | | education programs. Special Boston Schools, such as |
| don't have kids in school today are interested in the | | | | the Mann School for the Deaf, are funded based on its |
| success of the schools and often get involved in | | | | students' special disabilities. Alternative Boston Schools |
| supporting their neighborhood schools. The reality is | | | | are funded on an individual basis, with no consistent |
| that not all kids get to attend the "top-notch" school. | | | | requirements across the board. In addition, 10 |
| Some, many in fact, wind up in schools that are facing | | | | designated Superintendent's Schools have been |
| issues that make it hard for them to inspire students to | | | | recently chosen. These Boston Schools have |
| do their best. Gangs, school violence, lack of funding, | | | | demonstrated consistently low performance. For the |
| and uninspired teaching and administrative staff are all | | | | '07-'08 school year, each of these schools will get $1.2 |
| factors that can be associated with failing schools. | | | | million in extra funds. In order for Boston Schools to |
| While money isn't everything, it sure helps. Having | | | | receive a more equitable distribution of funds they |
| enough funding, and in certain situations, a bit extra can | | | | would develop "weights" so that the allocations match |
| go a long way to tackling the other problems. Boston | | | | the needs of the students while still adhering to the |
| Public Schools are working to achieve more equality | | | | priorities of the Boston Schools district. Determining |
| for their schools by changing the way the budget is | | | | these weights will involve extensive participation from |
| allocated each year. Boston Schools are looking into a | | | | the community. The purpose of this is to institute a |
| budget allocation process used by other large urban | | | | formula to evenly determine which schools need what |
| districts called "weighted student funding", or WSF. A | | | | in terms of cash. For example, regular education |
| task force staffed by Boston Schools employees has | | | | students are given a weight of 1, students who are |
| been formed to look into the plan and determine if it's | | | | leaning to speak English a 1.7, and a moderate |
| something that will help Boston Schools achieve a | | | | special-needs student a 1.6. The whole thing would |
| more equitable distribution of funds. Currently, schools in | | | | then be added up, and guidelines for funding would be |
| Boston are not all receiving the funding required to | | | | determined. While this sounds like the same horse with |
| successfully implement the programs they offer. For | | | | a different color, it can affect more equitable funding |
| example, Traditional Boston Schools have, in the past, | | | | for all Boston Schools. |
| been allocated positions, not funds, based on the | | | | Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, |
| different types of programs they offer, as well as the | | | | providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and |
| number of kids in each program. Pilot Boston Schools, | | | | private K-12 schools. |