School+Finance+Terms

Key Concepts

Based on the lectures and notes, the following are three key concepts in school finance in the state of Texas. **Equality** means that students should all be given equal access to basic educational programs. For example all students have the opportunity to receive instruction in basic core programs like math, language arts, social studies, and science. Another example would be certain basic elective courses, such as foreign languages. Although the course offerings might vary across the state, all students have access to some form of foreign language instruction. **Equity** means that the individual needs of students are met by the school. Special Education is a good example. Schools must provide an education that is appropriate to meet the needs of each individual as determined by the ARD committee at each school. ESL students are also provided instruction to meet their individual needs. In each of these cases, state funding is provided to ensure that students have a fair opportunity to participate in special programs to meet their specific and individual needs. A third key concept is adequacy. **Adequacy** means that each school district receives funding that allows them to meet minimum state standards. For example, the state provides funding to ensure that districts pay teachers a minimum salary. Not all districts pay the same amount, but the state ensures that the funds are adequate to provide the minimum salary. A second example is textbooks. The state pays for textbooks based on enrollment. Although some districts may provide additional materials, all districts have funding to provide an adequate amount of educational materials for each student.