Can we close the economic divides between K12 neighbors?

The solutions start with district leaders lobbying for new state policies, such as redrawing districts intentionally to serve a more racially and economically diverse mix of communities, a new report advises.

By Matt Zalaznick April 4, 2024

District Administration

The "Crossing the Lines" report by New America, highlighted in Matt Zalaznick's article from April 4, 2024, sheds light on the significant economic and racial divides between neighboring K-12 school districts. According to the study, the average poverty rate gap between adjacent districts is around 5%, but this disparity skyrockets to over 30 percentage points along the "100 most economically segregated borders." This economic segregation often correlates with racial divides, contributing to unequal educational opportunities and resources across districts.

The root cause of these disparities lies in how districts have historically been delineated, serving either affluent or impoverished communities, often along racial lines. This leads to a significant imbalance in local revenue, averaging a difference of $4,119.46 per pupil along the most segregated borders. State funding fails to bridge this gap adequately, with some states like Ohio offering higher-poverty districts roughly 14% more per pupil, whereas Pennsylvania provides 11% less, exacerbating the disparities.

The segregation enforced by district boundaries not only impacts funding but also deprives students of the chance to learn in more diverse environments. The report notes a stark contrast in the racial composition of students along the most segregated borders, with some districts having nearly 80% gaps in the proportion of students of color. This separation usually falls between districts that are predominantly white and those that are predominantly composed of students of color.

To address these issues, the report suggests several strategies. District leaders are encouraged to lobby for state policies aimed at redrawing district lines to include a more diverse mix of communities, thereby diluting the economic and racial disparities. Another recommendation is to reconsider the reliance on local property taxes for funding, suggesting instead that taxes be pooled across districts to even out resources. If local property taxes continue to be a primary funding source, the report argues for implementing "guardrails" to ensure equitable contributions and limit excessive spending by wealthier districts.

The article underscores the importance of systemic changes to bridge the educational divides, advocating for policies that promote equity and diversity in school funding and composition.

Source: [Original article URL](https://districtadministration.com/can-we-close-the-economic-divide...)

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com