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> lacked access to a proper education". How does that explain Washington DC with the highest levels of funding per child in the country? Every kid has access to

> lacked access to a proper education". How does that explain Washington DC with the highest levels of funding per child in the country? Every kid has access to a well funded school with well paid teachers. Education funding in the US is wildly uneven. Spend some time visiting inner-city schools. They are not even remotely "well-funded". Property-tax driven school funding formulas ensure that richer areas have much, much better funded schools than poor areas.

rayiner 11y ago
Inner city public schools are some of the most well-funded in the county. Washington DC is almost entirely "inner city" public schools (I.e. Almost all the student population is low income) and has the highest per student spending. The wealthy suburb of DC where I grew up spends $13,500 per student per year. That's a lot less than DC or Baltimore or Chicago, all of which have 70-85% low-income students, and only moderately more than Philadelphia, which is also almost all "inner city" schools.
- pen2l 11y ago
  So what's going on then? Exactly how are inner cities misusing funds, and what are wealthy suburbs doing right that they're able to get such bang for their buck? Also, are you certain that wealthy suburbs are spending that little? I know some rich families in NYC who are sending their kids in high school to schools that ask above $50k. It's a straight pipeline to Ivy league, and from what I understand there are good reasons this high school asks $50k -- they have top of the line 3d printers, souped up computers, etc.
  - orangecat 11y ago
    what are wealthy suburbs doing right that they're able to get such bang for their buck Teaching students that live in wealthy suburbs. there are good reasons this high school asks $50k -- they have top of the line 3d printers, souped up computers, etc. Those things probably account for $5k of value, with the other $45k being the ability to list the school on the kid's Ivy league application.
  - jazzyk 11y ago
    I wish people would understand that it is not ONLY about the money. I live in an affluent suburb, our high-school is 40 years old, the roof is leaking, etc. A few inner-city schools are brand new, modern, etc. Yes, teachers are better in my town - but the most important difference are the role models. IN my town most families are professional couples, typically doctors, executives, etc. Kids are expected to not only go to college but good college and then continue on to graduate school, to at least match their parents' status. None of that, sadly, is at work in inner city families. It is a difficult problem and not something that money alone will fix.

rayiner 11y ago

Inner city public schools are some of the most well-funded in the county. Washington DC is almost entirely "inner city" public schools (I.e. Almost all the student population is low income) and has the highest per student spending. The wealthy suburb of DC where I grew up spends $13,500 per student per year. That's a lot less than DC or Baltimore or Chicago, all of which have 70-85% low-income students, and only moderately more than Philadelphia, which is also almost all "inner city" schools.

pen2l 11y ago
So what's going on then? Exactly how are inner cities misusing funds, and what are wealthy suburbs doing right that they're able to get such bang for their buck? Also, are you certain that wealthy suburbs are spending that little? I know some rich families in NYC who are sending their kids in high school to schools that ask above $50k. It's a straight pipeline to Ivy league, and from what I understand there are good reasons this high school asks $50k -- they have top of the line 3d printers, souped up computers, etc.
- orangecat 11y ago
  what are wealthy suburbs doing right that they're able to get such bang for their buck Teaching students that live in wealthy suburbs. there are good reasons this high school asks $50k -- they have top of the line 3d printers, souped up computers, etc. Those things probably account for $5k of value, with the other $45k being the ability to list the school on the kid's Ivy league application.
- jazzyk 11y ago
  I wish people would understand that it is not ONLY about the money. I live in an affluent suburb, our high-school is 40 years old, the roof is leaking, etc. A few inner-city schools are brand new, modern, etc. Yes, teachers are better in my town - but the most important difference are the role models. IN my town most families are professional couples, typically doctors, executives, etc. Kids are expected to not only go to college but good college and then continue on to graduate school, to at least match their parents' status. None of that, sadly, is at work in inner city families. It is a difficult problem and not something that money alone will fix.