Stimulus Bill Falls Short
According to the 21st Century School Fund, The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 - the economic stimulus legislation - fails to address the deficit in school modernization. It misses
an opportunity to maximize jobs in a way that could have begun to
eliminate tremendous disparity in public school conditions experienced
by our nation's public school children. School facilities are a key
part of our nation's public infrastructure and warrant federal
investment, just like roads, bridges, and transit.
The $6.6 billion allocated for PK-12 school renovation and repair, if
targeted to the neediest students and buildings, could create safe,
healthy learning environments and increase access to state-of-the-art
school facilities. The addition of $20 billion of tax incentives for
qualified school construction borrowing will also improve conditions,
but only in more affluent school districts.
In the final stimulus package, provisions for accountability, equity,
and environmental improvements were eliminated. Because of this, it is
critical for states to ensure resources are allocated in ways that are
educationally appropriate, neighborhood friendly, and environmentally
sustainable. This means funding projects that
(1) target the neediest
students and the school buildings in the poorest condition;
(2)
maximize improvements in education and use of natural resources; and
(3) include school districts and community members in critical
decisions.
States and school districts are often overwhelmed by the level of their
infrastructure needs. This leads to an understatement of need. This
lack of information hampered the President and other Congressional
supporters of federal funding for school construction. To ensure
public school children, especially from low income families are not
left behind in the future, far better documentation of public school
infrastructure deficiencies is needed.
The Department of Education needs to establish a national publicly
accessible database on the inventory, condition and design of our
public school buildings. A start towards this will be careful
adherence to the federal provisions for accountability and transparency
in the spending of these $6.6 billion for school construction.
3Types
of Private Giving
in Public Schools
Volunteers
give their time to
such activities as tutoring programs, after-school enrichment programs,
mentoring programs, and classroom support.
2. Monetary
Contributions
Funds
for Public Schools
Fundraising
Campaigns for School Facilities
Public
Education Network
Education
Week Grants
Foundation
Center
On Philanthropy
NSBA
SchoolGrants Newsletter
Monetary
donations are almost always targeted for a specific purpose or program.
Generally, schools first develop priorities, plans, or goals and then
approach private givers with specific proposals in a capital campaign.
3. Material
Donations
Computers
for Learning (CFL) provides
schools and educational nonprofit organizations a place to request
excess computer equipment. It also provides a quick and easy way for
government agencies and the private sector to donate that equipment to
schools and educational nonprofits. Many schools receive donations
of instructional materials, computers and software, equipment and
supplies, and gift certificates and awards (such as free tickets to a
ball game for an outstanding report card).
Corporate and business
donors generally start out by providing in-kind support and, as the
relationships develop, some givers would eventually provide monetary
support as well.