Public Funding of Schools

Definition

This refers to the financial support provided by federal, state, and local governments to public schools for their operation and maintenance.

Analogy

Think of a school as a car. It needs fuel (funding) to run smoothly. The government is like the gas station that provides this fuel (money). Without it, the car (school) can't function properly.

Related terms

Property Taxes: These are taxes paid by homeowners based on the value of their property. A significant portion of these taxes often goes towards funding local public schools.

Per-pupil Spending: This is the amount of money spent per student in a school or district. It's calculated by dividing total school expenditure by the number of students.

Title I Funding: This is federal funding provided to schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.