Page 8 - The Edge - Winter 2016

2015 LEGISLATIVE WORKSHOP

BY DON HARRIS

ASU Report: Latino Students Receive

Less Local Funding, More from Feds

Taking an in-depth look at how state and local funding impact From a demographic perspective, Garcia’s report focuses on two
Latino students, David Garcia, Associate Professor at Arizona major points – school nance and educational achievement as they
State University, o ered a preview of his report due for release in relate to Latino students.
January 2016. “First and foremost,” Garcia said, “there are higher instructional
Garcia, addressing members of the Arizona School Boards needs – a higher number of students whose education is more
Association, the Arizona Association of School Business O cials costly, particularly English Language Learners. Second, there is a
and the Arizona School Administrators association at a legislative greater amount of poverty in those communities.”
workshop on Nov. 13, said school districts and charter schools with State funding in Arizona by and large is equal, based on
the most Latino students receive the least in state and local funds an equalization formula, but Garcia said there is an inverse
combined. Bonds and override elections account for local funds. relationship between state and locally provided funds. In higher
For example, per pupil funding in schools with less than 25 income areas with low Latino enrollment, bonds and overrides are
percent Latino enrollment was $7,954, compared to schools with at more common.
least 75 percent Latino enrollment, which spent $7,565 per student. “When you combine state and local funds, high Latino districts,
However, school districts and charter schools with higher Latino the most needy, actually get a little less than low Latino areas,”
enrollment spent more dollars per student than schools with low Garcia said.
Latino enrollment, but only a er factoring in federal dollars, Garcia Examining funding in rural schools, Garcia noted that low
said. at emphasizes the important role the federal government Latino enrollment school districts and charter schools spent
has in education, especially in a state like Arizona where some $2,099.82 per pupil from federal sources, the most of all groups
o cials are critical of the feds, he added. studied. At the same time, high Latino enrollment school districts
“Federal funding, unlike state and local funding, is geared and charter schools in rural areas spent $2,120.12 per pupil from
toward low income areas, resulting in more funding for high local sources, the least of all the studied groups.
Latino districts,” Garcia said. “It’s only a er federal funding that He explained that several rural districts are on Indian
we have an equitable funding system. Districts with greater needs, reservations or near federal lands, and as a result receive more
with more poverty, are getting more funds per pupil. Our state federal aid.
likes to beat up the federal government in regard to its role with Regarding bonds and overrides, Garcia found that fewer high
schools. e clear message that we want is how those federal dollars enrollment Latino districts propose bonds and overrides than other
have an impact on your schools and districts. districts, but their success rate is better.
“ e challenge in funding from a Latino perspective is that we On charter schools, Garcia said Latino students are under-
don’t do anything in school funding from a Latino perspective,” represented. Statewide, 44 percent of students in district schools
Garcia said. “We in Arizona don’t have a funding mechanism are Latino and 41 percent are white. By comparison, 36 percent of
because students are Latino.” charter school students are Latino and 47 percent are white.
Garcia said students in schools with a high Latino enrollment Summarizing, Garcia said, “ e ten-year trend is toward less
generally have greater needs, partly because of students in English state funding and more local funding, and on extraordinary
Language Learner programs. e orts on behalf of high enrollment Latino school districts and
Comparing demographics to achievement, Garcia found that communities to pass bonds/overrides and raise taxes.”
schools with the fewest Latino students had 43 percent in free and Data for Garcia’s report comes from the Arizona Department
reduced lunch programs; 70 percent passed the AIMs test; only of Education, Superintendents’ Annual Report, publicly-available
1.7 percent were in ELL; and 60 percent were enrolled in urban school nance data (2014); the Arizona Department of Revenue
schools. (2004-2014), and publicly-available data compiled by Stifel (2004-
In schools with the most Latino students, 85 percent were in free 2014).
and reduced lunch programs, double those districts with the fewest
Latino students; 53 percent passed the AIMs test; 16 percent were David Garcia, who teaches at ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers
in ELL programs, compared to only 1.7 percent in districts with the College, can be reached at David.Garcia@ asu.edu or (480) 727-
fewest Latinos, and 73 percent attended urban schools. 7413.

8 THE EDGE | WINTER 2016