One of the most fundamental challenges facing the K-12 education system is the existence of inadequate and inequitable systems of school funding. Chronic disinvestment has been shown to have negative impacts on student achievement, the ability to recruit and retain high-quality teachers, and the availability of resources such as mental health supports for students and educators. Funding disparities are especially prevalent in high-poverty school districts and districts serving predominantly nonwhite students, and the effects of the ongoing pandemic and economic recession could further exacerbate these disparities. The federal government is uniquely positioned to address this funding challenge by providing additional stable and targeted investment and working with states and districts to increase the amount and equity of their K-12 education funding.
Please join the Center for American Progress to discuss different policy ideas for achieving greater and more targeted investment in K-12 education. Our panel will discuss proposals for increasing federal investment and providing incentives for greater state and local investment, the impact of new funding at the state and district level, lessons learned from recent state-level funding reform initiatives, and how policymakers should engage with community members and grassroots education organizations in developing and implementing new funding policies.
Opening Remarks:
Scott Sargrad, Vice President, K-12 Education, Center for American Progress
Panelists:
Tonya Allen, President and CEO, The Skillman Foundation
Bruce D. Baker, Professor, Rutgers Graduate School of Education
Ivy Morgan, Associate Director for P-12 Analytics, The Education Trust
Daniel Walker, Executive Director, DelawareCAN
Moderator:
Lisette Partelow, Senior Director, K-12 Strategic Initiatives, Center for American Progress