Money Can’t Buy Me Love - But it Can Buy Quality Education

Déjà vu, all over again.  In 2009, a $h*t ton of money was dumped all over America as a result of a National Reinvestment Act – aka ARRA.  Federal funding was made available to schools, cities, and towns to “Get America Going Again.”  Opportunities were created for schools all across the nation to add important positions in their schools for a time – albeit brief – genuinely focusing on the academic growth and social development of their kiddos.  Now, the purpose of the funding was to create jobs…or not have the schools lose jobs.  But they were important jobs.  Then, just like magic…they all went away.

Great Movie

For a brief period in American history, the little guy public school was able to move ever so slightly forward.  The ritzy private schools continued, and I heard that some even had shorter waiting lists – requiring them to admit some of the less elite applicants.  Those who know me understand the haves and have-nots thing sticks in my craw.  The competition starts early in education, and there are families with a statistical advantage that actually begins in the prenatal phases of life.  And your kids, my kid, our students, and every kid out there are in competitions they don’t even know exist yet. 

Face the facts, folks.  Our children and students will be competing for spots on sports teams and admissions into schools – and this can begin as early as Kindergarten.  We all know the college thing – where did you go?  What schools did you get into?  They will be competing for jobs and even soulmates.  If you don’t think that money plays a vital role in the success of your ability to get the best mate or even keep your marriage, you are either incredibly lucky or blind to statistics.  First marriages are ending at around a 50% dissolution rate, and second marriages are as high as 70%.  Financial problems are killing marital bliss about 40% of the time, according to Google’s Machines. 

And if you are curious about what socioeconomic status has to do with educational performance – check out this article in the New York Times.

Play around with the interactive scatterplot for a few minutes, and you will see what I mean.  Type in your town.  Type in the cities and towns you know.  And if you don’t already know the big secret – you will pretty darn quick. 

Back to the Déjà vu.  We had all this funding to get us out of COVID – and guess what?  In a couple of months, it is gone.  Schools across our state and nation will have to give up some of their best new teachers and staff.  And there will be schools across the state and nation just waiting for the best teachers to get to their schoolhouse doors so that they can pick them up.  And at the end of it all – at the end of the funding cycle – the schools that were fine will continue to be fine and those with budgetary issues will get back to the mediocrity they’ve been struggling through for years. 

Inflation is through the roof.  Mortgage rates couldn’t be higher.  I think eggs were at eight bucks a dozen not too long ago.  And, I even heard there are people bringing strays they hardly know into their homes just to split the bills.  This type of inflation makes it challenging to continue to invest in education.  Investing in education means investing in the future. A well-funded educational system equips students with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the complexities of the modern world, innovate within their fields, and contribute meaningfully to society. It prepares them not just for today's jobs but for tomorrow's challenges and opportunities. 

OUR KIDS WILL HAVE TO WORK WITH OR COMPETE WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE! 

This has a prep for the future look to it. 

Investing in education is a matter of social equity. Quality education should not be a privilege of the few but a fundamental right for all. Underfunded schools often serve disadvantaged communities, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality. Check that New York Times thing one more time.  By investing in education, we can level the playing field, giving every child the opportunity to succeed regardless of their socio-economic background.

The most immediate consequence of underfunded schools is a decline in educational outcomes. Lack of resources means larger class sizes, outdated teaching materials, and insufficient support for students with special or social-emotional needs. These conditions make it difficult for students to learn and teachers to provide the individualized attention they require, leading to lower graduation rates and decreased academic achievement.

Underfunded schools also struggle to attract and retain qualified teachers. With limited budgets, salaries are often lower, and teachers are forced to work in challenging conditions without the necessary support or resources. This leads to high teacher burnout and turnover rates, which disrupts learning and deprives students of stability and quality instruction.

When schools are underfunded, they cannot invest in new technologies, programs, and teaching methods that can enhance learning and better prepare students for the future. This stifles innovation within education, leaving students ill-equipped to compete in a global economy increasingly dependent on technology and innovation. Remember AI is here.

I grew up in a place where I saw it first-hand. I worked in the district I grew up in too.  For a long time test scores varied by neighborhood.  And when there were two high schools – there was some pretty strange stuff going on.  By addressing the funding disparities that plague our educational systems, we can unlock the potential of countless individuals and pave the way for a brighter, more equitable future. The time to act is now, and our kids’ futures depend upon it.