PME 862 - Educational Organization and Instruction
Module 1: Exploring Funding in Education and Implication for Equity
How are education and economics related?
Education and economics are irrevocably intertwined; education plays a vital role in positively shaping the individual who then redirects their knowledge and skills back into the economy in a variety of ways (Brimley et al., 2020; Wood, 2019; Young et al., 2014). More specifically, “education produces human capital, contributes to economic health, and drives the economic and social welfare of entire nations” (Wood et. al., 2019, p. 26). Individuals who are educated possess the ability to make informed choices, are better trained and knowledgeable, earn higher wages, and are thus more financially empowered which results in their strong consumer capabilities (Brimley et al., 2020; Wood et.al, 2019). At the same time, the economy is positively affected through the acquisition and retention of trained employees who take more pride in the work they do. This, in turn, reduces the cost industries would otherwise have to absorb when training employees as needed, and ultimately supports the production of goods and services which grows a nation's economy (Wood et al., 2019).
A strong economy ultimately generates more money which can then be redirected into the public-school system (Young et al., 2014). The contrary is therefore also true. This brings to the forefront Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. If one looks at a nation’s economy as a functioning organization, and that human capital plays a vital role in its economic health, then this very relationship suffers when a nation’s human capital is unable to meet their physiological needs (Bolman and Deal, 2017). Brimley et al. (2020) state that “[a] nation with high educational development will overcome to a great degree any lack of natural resources” (p. 19). This strongly supports the notion that education for the purpose of sustaining the democratic process, optimizing available material and human resources, and providing a sustainable foundation upon which an active citizen can contribute to society, is the facilitator upon which economics can thrive.
References
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership. (6th ed.) Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass.
Brimley, V., Verstegen, D. A., & Knoeppel, R. C. (2020). Financing education in a climate of change (13th ed.). Pearson. Chapter 1: The economics of education.
Wood, R. C., Thompson, D. C., & Crampton, F. E. (2019). Money and schools (7th ed.). Routledge.
Young, L., Levin, B., & Wallin, D. (2014). Understanding Canadian schools: An introduction to educational administration (5th ed.).
Module 2: Budgeting Approaches
What ethical standards should guide school leaders' professionalism in handling money?
Wood et al. (2019) are accurate when they state that “[s]tandards are key to the integrity of the entire social order, and people with fiduciary capacity for public money have an exceptional duty to ethical conduct” (p.133). They continue with morally grounded, ethical examples of practices that require the highest degree of integrity. Given that education is a social service, and that it serves the most vulnerable group of our population: our children, it is paramount that any administration conduct themselves in a manner that supports the students’ best interests in addition to those in the capacity for facilitating their learning, such as teachers and support staff.
The money a school has at its disposal is allocated based on government funds which, ultimately, stem from the tax payers' hands. Public schools continually operate with the ongoing dilemma of determining what amount of money is enough per child (Pijanowski, 2017), and can only do so much with what they are given. If, according to the Quebec Educational Act, every student between the ages of preschool to 21 years old is entitled to a fair public education (Publications Quebec, 2021), the question remains as to what “fair” means, and what role budgetary allocation has to do with it?
This prompted me to investigate how Quebec funds public schools and I was astounded; unfortunately, not in a good way. In an article entitled Quebec’s (sadly) Distinct Education System (2020), the breakdown of the percentage of public funds actually allocated to public schools is discussed thoroughly. To summarize, like many other provinces, Quebec does have its share of private schools, however, 60% of their funding comes from the public pocket. This means that only 40% of Quebec’s private schools’ budget comes from the tuition that parents pay for their child to attend. Moreover, and to further the educational and social economic divide that this is perpetuating, of the fully publicly funded schools, many have particular programs that require a selection committee to determine who is eligible to be enrolled in this said public school. Examples of such programs include Sports Études and Art Concentrations. Consequentially, if the “cream-of-the-crop” are not either attending a private school (which is funded largely by the public purse despite appealing to more affluent families) or selected in a particular program that receives extra public funding, then they are simply part of the regular stream of students which clarifies why “public schools have an over-representation of students with special needs who tend to require more support” whereas this support has unfortunately been distributed elsewhere (p. 4). There is a myriad of ethical issues with this scenario. If, as Pijanowski (2017) maintains that “achieving adequate schools through equitable funding” remains a societal priority, then “equitable funding mechanisms must also balance those efforts against the need to maintain taxpayer equity” along with the right for every child to receive a fair education (p. 2). Moreover, if administrators are bound to, and follow, the standards of ethical practices (Wood, et al., 2019), then I strongly believe this should be practiced from the top level down. Ethical standards and procedures should apply to all branches of the educational system especially the provincial government.
References
Pijanowski, J. (2017). School Finance as a Moral Dilhemma. EJournal of Education Policy. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1169361.pdf#:~:text=At%20each%20level%20of%20school%20finance%20decision-making%20moral,fall%20outside%20the%20core%20mission%20of%20the%20institution.
Publications Quebec. (2021, August 11). Quebec Education Act. Légis Québec. Retrieved October 25, 2021, from http://legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/en/ShowDoc/cs/I-13.3.
Quebec's (sadly) distinct education system. The Monitor. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2021, from https://monitormag.ca/articles/quebecs-sadly-distinct-education-system/.
Wood, R. C., Thompson, D. C., & Crampton, F. E. (2019). Money and schools (7th ed.). Routledge.
Module 3: Case Study Analysis ONE
This case study is a vivid example of the deep connection between providing quality education and its dependence on (and thus affected by) the economy. As Brimley et al. (2020) indicate, “[t]he interconnection between education (providing the human capital to engender economic strength) and the economy (providing funds for education) is a reality” (p. 6). At the same time, the legal and moral requirement of the public to invest in education through taxation is also at the forefront of this case study whereby “all of us should pay for education through our taxes because we believe that a more educated population will be better for all of us” (Young et al., 2014, p. 2).
With a reputation and a strong academic history to preserve, an understanding of the current economic crisis within the community, and clear political implications any decision will render, the take-away from this case study is that schools are the playground for relentless weighting of the benefits and fallbacks that a lack or surplus of funding will have on their ability to provide quality education to students. More specifically is the notion of fairness both in regards to fair access to education for all and fair financial obligations from the general public.
How does this school district and community compare to yours?
An article written by the Montreal Gazette Editorial Board in 2016 states that “[t]he funding model for Quebec school boards outside Montreal is unfair” (par. 4). There are several reasons for this. First, the Quebec government caps the overall funding allowance. As such, boards are limited by the amount they are permitted to collect from property taxes. Secondly, as a result of this, “[e]conomy of scale dictates that smaller boards – usually English ones – are more likely to have to set their rates closer to the maximum in order to reach the funding level they are allowed” (par. 4). Thirdly, the previous Parti Quebecois government removed what were called “equalization payments” that would have otherwise fixed any budgetary pitfalls as a result of this model (p. 6). Finally, as is the law, any homeowner who does not have school aged children can choose to pay their school taxes to either the French or English school board, and more often than not, homeowners choose to pay to the board that is taxing them less: the French school boards. If we are to examine what this discriminatory model means for equitable education, we can clearly see the heavy political issues in Quebec have their hands wrapped around the school system thus negating the fact that “adequate and equitable support for public schools is absolutely essential” (wood et al., 2019, p. 5).
Recently, with persistent push from Anglophone politicians and with the support of the English-speaking populations off the island of Montreal, Bill 166 was passed in March 2018 that would finally equalize school taxes for all. As a parent of a school-aged child, this meant I was paying $500 less in school taxes for the privilege of sending my child to the English system. Although this may have been a win, it did come with certain conditions and restrictions, not to mention the fact that we are still implicated in numerous educational changes (elimination of school boards, revision of curriculum dealing with Quebec’s culture and history, and a school supply lawsuit) that has and will continue to affect the cash flow to the public system and consequently affect the quality of education we are able to offer students.
In the end, as was the issue in this case study, the persistent ebb and flow of educational needs vs. available funds, will continue to plague the system for the foreseeable future.
References
Act to Reform the School Tax System, no. 166 (2018). http://www.education.gouv.qc.ca/fileadmin/site_web/documents/ministere/Taxes_scolaires_Faits_saillants.pdf
Brimley, V., Verstegen, D. A., & Knoeppel, R. C. (2020). Financing education in a climate of change (13th ed.). Pearson. Chapter 1: The economics of education.
Montreal Gazette Editorial Board. (2016, July 19). Editorial: Anglophones and school taxes. Montrealgazette. https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/editorial-anglophones-and-school-taxes/
Wood, R. C., Thompson, D. C., & Crampton, F. E. (2019). Money and schools (7th ed.). Routledge.
Young, L., Levin, B., & Wallin, D. (2014). Understanding Canadian schools: An introduction to educational administration (5th ed.).
Module 4: Case Study Analysis TWO
What are the most pressing priorities in beginning this process?
Ultimately, student success is the most pressing priority in this case study and supporting their success is dependent upon the resources available. As such, I will aim to accomplish this in a timely manner since, from experience, the delay in the rollout of programs and applicable resources can negatively affect student performance.
Based on the priority identified above, I will work at identifying the resources available. According to Young et al. (2014), the “educational system contains many kinds of resources” (p.2). As I process this literally, I will aim to outline all resources available to me (and that will concretely help with my assigned task) over and above monetary allocations. This includes books, equipment, community programs, various supplies and, most importantly, the human capital which I will not only approach for raw feedback, but whom I plan on incorporating into the development and execution of my plan. Essentially, not only do I want to know what they need, I want them to be a part of the process. This then implies that I will actively immerse myself among these key individuals in order to accurately gauge their needs and their motivation, which also has a direct impact on student success.
To ensure that my skills and knowledge of curriculum design and development does not get overshadowed by the necessities of management, I will also ensure that I focus on the output product that I am being asked to provide within an acceptable timeframe. In education, the immanent need to see results in the student population is critical, and it often takes an exorbitant amount of time to consolidate and then produce the required resources to help spearhead positive results. I believe that effective time management and realistic SMART goals (that align with district and school level goals) are going to be the real motivator in making sure that students are experiencing what we are setting out to accomplish.
I could not help but suggest a concrete output product. Based on the preliminary description of the needs within the district, differentiation is necessary so as to scaffold student learning. This will then address the needs in low performing and high performing schools. Based on my experience as a curriculum specialist, I would ensure that the resources provided/created will reflect this need. This should include concreate differentiated educational material that will have been created through a PIC committee, thus utilizing the available human, material, and financial resources. This would then be followed by district wide professional development. Finally, as rapidly as the plan will be rolled out, data collection from students at all levels will have to begin and adjustments will have to be made accordingly.
This entire case study falls in line with the importance of investing in instructional development since this is the direct means by which educational gaps can be closed – in the classroom with a variety of applicable and readily usable material, along with human capital, poised and ready to deliver (Wood et al., 2019).
References:
Wood, R. C., Thompson, D. C., & Crampton, F. E. (2019). Money and schools (7th ed.). Routledge.
Young, L., Levin, B., & Wallin, D. (2014). Understanding Canadian schools: An introduction to educational administration (5th ed.).
Module 5: The Future of Educational Finance
What are the future trends and issues in school finance?
What I have internalized as one of the major lessons in the course, is the complex relationship between the social, political and economic realities that affect schools. At the same time, I have come to appreciate the very fact that investing in education, is investing in the future. Although this may sound cliché, the literature proves it time and time again (Wood et al., 2019). Since the battle for monetary support in the educational system will forever be a point of contention (and sometimes consensus), I believe the future of educational financing is not only a matter of how much will be available, but a question of from where, and how can we use it best.
When looking into schools’ future financial needs, I believe it is vital to also look beyond the immediate and to envision what our society requires. For example, technology is forever evolving and future employees will have to be literate in the use, and application, of these technologies. One can therefore say that students need to not only have equal access to modern technology, but to have been encouraged to utilize it in a creative manner.
Equal access to education and addressing as many issues of social, political and economic inequalities will also need to be addressed. Suffice to say that the allocation and investment of funds in order to bridge this gap, raise awareness, and begin to eradicate these issues is only the starting point. For students to have equal opportunity, we need to examine not only the financial side but the quality of the educational services being offered to students. Although they may arguably go hand in hand, I support what Wood et al. (2019) describe when they say that “[s]chools need leaders who promote the success of all children by understanding, responding and influencing the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context in which education is embedded” (2019, p. 351). In fact, leaders who embody and then project this, will then inspire others to utilize the allocation of money as efficiently, and as creatively, as possible.
Finally, in regards to sourcing and funding schools, I continue to support the idea that society has an obligation to the educational system since it is in schools that future citizens are trained; therefore, the notion of taxes as a primary monetary source for schools remains applicable. However, where I see this as possibly branching out is through the necessary trends in education. For example, technology is an expensive requirement. As such, perhaps allowing for major tech companies to fund and/or supply schools with their product may be an avenue that can be explored.
In closing, the following image puts into perspective what I hope to have presented in this, my last discussion post of my PME program; that looking not only to the immediate, but to the distant future, is what society and politics must support within the realities of today’s economy. Not an easy task indeed, but a necessary one.
Education is our Future
References
Wood, R. C., Thompson, D. C., & Crampton, F. E. (2019). Money and schools (7th ed.). Routledge.
Debate Assignment
This assignment challenged us to defend the idea that principals should have control over school budgets. Through rigorous research, we present the following opening arguments, rebuttal arguments and a closing statement.