Public school funding has been a topic that has come into question through the years because of the disparities that we are seeing between differing communities. I have only become aware of these unequal opportunities in more recent years as I have gotten older and recognized that I was privileged with some opportunities other students were not. The article, Learn How Texas Funds Public Schools In 7 Easy Steps from Houston Public Media, expanded my understanding of how the local community's financial/income situation is such a large component in what resources and support their children are provided in the classrooms. Many districts in Texas, and across the country, are faced with lack of funding per student because they may come from low-income families living in highly populated communities. As a result, students in lower funded public schools have more needs that cannot be met because of the high reliance on the local community, but its inability to provide such a large portion of the necessary funds. This perpetuates a cycle that prevents students from receiving the same opportunities as students coming from higher-income communities and schools. Learning all this, I believe money has a lot to do with 'it', and I hope that in future years we are able to close the gap between these disparities through changes in our laws and policies. Many advocate to see changes by suggesting that the state and federal government contribute in a greater capacity to improve each students' educational experience in a fair way. I hope it is Texas's time to take a step towards achieving this!
