New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called for the “death penalty” for failing schools recently, setting off a war of words between those who believe in closing struggling schools and those who want to kill them and fire the staff.
Bruce Baker takes a different view. Here he demonstrates that Néw York has a funding system that is unfair to the schools with the neediest students.
Instead of vilifying teachers and principals and pretending to advocate for the children and families, Cuomo should look at where the money goes. It is not going to the kids who need it most.
Baker writes:
“Put simply, what the New York public should NOT tolerate, is a Governor and Legislature who refuse to provide sufficient resources to high need schools and then turn around and blame the schools and communities for their own failures. (all the while, protecting billions of dollars in separate aid programs that drive funds to wealth districts).”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Just follow the money. Race to the Top monies never make it to schools, or if they do they have been picked to the bone by NYSED and the huge stable of “consultants” that have taken over Albany. What a boondoggle!
concerned educator:
You may well be right about the siphoning off of funds but do you have any evidence to support your conjecture?
Just one of many reports:
http://www.lohud.com/article/20120129/NEWS02/301290044/Race-Top-costs-leave-schools-behind?nclick_check=1
concerned educator:
The article does not show that money is being siphoned off at all. What it shows is that for most Districts signing a voluntary agreement for Federal RttT money requires committing to very expensive and controversial programs whose costs are far more than the money received – essentially Fools Gold. The NYS District Administrations appear to have been totally naïve, if not plain dumb.
“. . . setting off a war of words between those who believe in closing struggling schools and those who want to kill them and fire the staff. ”
Diane,
Aren’t those two “camps” from the same army wh people like B. Baker opposing both of them?
wh = with
This is a really interesting piece. It seems to me, however, that State Funding simply ignores needs and is essentially a per student allotment.
What is the actual State Aid formula? Has it ever actually been used? What role do Fed $$ play in the formula?
Cuomo should be jailed for all those he harmed for his own self-serving reasons. And he has caused MAJOR DAMAGE to our students and teachers in NY.
Maybe if Cuomo were held accountable as he is holding the teachers of New York, other Governors as well as State and district Superintendents would take notice and either not follow in his footsteps at all or back or if they have already started down his demeaning and dangerous path.
I couldn’t agree more. My letter to Everybody’s Column in the Buffalo News this morning shows just how detached from common sense our Presidential Candidate/Governor is.
http://www.buffalonews.com/opinion/letter-young-test-takers-are-being-abused-20130918