School Funding: A Unique Approach

"God made the idiot for practice, and then He made the School Board."

   - Mark Twain (1835-1910), American humorist

In this piece titled "No Class," Robert Maranto, a professor at Villanova University, recounts a recent experience as a parent of a soon-to-be student at his local elementary school:

"...like any good parent, I called the principal's office at my local public elementary school to check it out before sending my son...On my fourth try I reached a live person, and had a brief conversation:

'Hi, I'm Bob Maranto. I'm a parent who lives in your school's attendance zone. My son will be old enough for kindergarten next fall...I was wondering if I could come visit the school sometime.'

'We don't have any visiting this year,' the administrator replied. 'We're doing construction and a lot of things are going on.'

'Could I watch a class in session?'

'No, even when there's no construction you could not watch a class.'

'Well, could I meet my son's teacher?'

'No, the teachers are busy teaching all day and then they go home.' "

Undeterred by the initial rebuff, Maranto persisted for five months, making 22 attempts at getting permission to visit the school. He eventually succeeded, but has yet to gain access to a live class.

He acknowledges that schools find some parents difficult to work with and suspects that having to comply with so many federal, state and local regulations also complicates a school administration's ability to give parents more attention. Those things considered, however, he believes things could be better. He cites a more positive experience he had in Arizona:

"But some public schools do better. Last year I led an accreditation visit to an Arizona charter school, Tuscon's Academy of Math and Science. I slipped away from the guided tour, roaming the parking lot as school let out to question parents about how school staff treated them. Thirteen of 14 parents said their school welcomed their input...Half the parents had watched classes. As one lady assured me: 'It's easy--you just talk to Mrs. Shannon at the front desk, tell her which class you want to go watch, and she'll tell you which room it's in.' "

Maranto goes on to praise Arizona public schools in general and concludes they're better than those in his home state of Pennsylvania because of a unique system of budgeting and an open enrollment policy:

"...Arizona has open enrollment across district lines as well as 500 charter schools--many started by teachers--so parents unhappy with one school can easily find another. In addition, state funding means that education dollars follow enrollment, so schools that alienate parents lose money which in turn alarms school boards and makes principals unemployed."

In other words, there's competition between schools for state education budget dollars. In order to get their allotment, they have to perform. If they don't, parents will enroll their kids in a school that does, leaving the under-performing facility in the lurch. Harsh maybe, but evidently quite effective. 

Competition is nothing new, but this is the first time I've read or heard about utilizing it in this manner to administer elementary education budgets. Maranto is sold on the concept, and I must say he's pretty much convinced me. I wonder if anyone out there has any experience with such a set-up outside Arizona? I'd be interested in how it's working.