5 ms·

It probably needs to be said because of situations like that in Baltimore, Maryland. The city spends more than 97% of what other major school districts spend, a

It probably needs to be said because of situations like that in Baltimore, Maryland. The city spends more than 97% of what other major school districts spend, and yet it's students are on average some of the worst performers: https://foxbaltimore.com/news/project-baltimore/baltimore-city-schools-41-of-high-school-students-earn-below-10-gpa https://foxbaltimore.com/news/project-baltimore/baltimore-ci...

eitally 3y ago
The answer is simple, though. When you invest the money exclusively in the schools and what happens in the schools, your reach is extremely limited. In Baltimore, and everywhere else, raising the minimum wage, offering free daycare & preschool, and improving the social services that prevent many low income kids from learning outside of the school (and parents from supporting them) is what will make the real difference. But, at least half of this country is opposed to spending money on those sorts of things because the "I got mine" attitude is more pervasive than "What's good for my neighbor is what's good for me".
- gotoeleven 3y ago
  You know they tried all this stuff right?
  - autoexec 3y ago
    Baltimore has free day care? You'd think that'd drive down the average cost of daycare there (which is like $900 a month)
pessimizer 3y ago
Baltimore is a segregated, poverty-ridden, drug-addicted city. Try performing at or even caring in the slightest about schoolwork if your parents are uneducated junkies and you haven't eaten for a day or two.
- localplume 3y ago
  [dead]
themitigating 3y ago
You are only taking into account one factor. Is the money being spent well? Do you need more money because of external situations that may affect a child's learning? For example in a poor area with more crime a child may need after school programs, which cost more money, to keep kids out of trouble.
- bobthepanda 3y ago
  The big thing is usually old building stock. Urban school districts in the US are disproportionately in old buildings that have high maintenance costs, low efficiency for utilities, and have all sorts of problems that need remediation, like lead or asbestos. There is generally no capex money to replace these buildings, and even if there was, finding a suitable property in an urban area is pretty difficult, since schools are big.

eitally 3y ago

The answer is simple, though. When you invest the money exclusively in the schools and what happens in the schools, your reach is extremely limited. In Baltimore, and everywhere else, raising the minimum wage, offering free daycare & preschool, and improving the social services that prevent many low income kids from learning outside of the school (and parents from supporting them) is what will make the real difference. But, at least half of this country is opposed to spending money on those sorts of things because the "I got mine" attitude is more pervasive than "What's good for my neighbor is what's good for me".

gotoeleven 3y ago
You know they tried all this stuff right?
- autoexec 3y ago
  Baltimore has free day care? You'd think that'd drive down the average cost of daycare there (which is like $900 a month)

pessimizer 3y ago

Baltimore is a segregated, poverty-ridden, drug-addicted city. Try performing at or even caring in the slightest about schoolwork if your parents are uneducated junkies and you haven't eaten for a day or two.

localplume 3y ago
[dead]

themitigating 3y ago

You are only taking into account one factor. Is the money being spent well? Do you need more money because of external situations that may affect a child's learning? For example in a poor area with more crime a child may need after school programs, which cost more money, to keep kids out of trouble.

bobthepanda 3y ago
The big thing is usually old building stock. Urban school districts in the US are disproportionately in old buildings that have high maintenance costs, low efficiency for utilities, and have all sorts of problems that need remediation, like lead or asbestos. There is generally no capex money to replace these buildings, and even if there was, finding a suitable property in an urban area is pretty difficult, since schools are big.