Evans proposes leveling the playing field for school sports funding
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| Schools in Mason District, such as Annandale High School, are able to raise much less money that schools in more affluent areas. |
The top priority for school board member Sandy Evans (Mason
District) during her last year on the board is a plan to bring equity to
funding for sports and other extracurricular activities.
Some Fairfax County schools are able to raise significant amounts
of money from parents and businesses for athletics, field trips, and extracurricular
programs, Evans says, while schools in less-affluent areas, including some in
Mason District, have more challenges.
of money from parents and businesses for athletics, field trips, and extracurricular
programs, Evans says, while schools in less-affluent areas, including some in
Mason District, have more challenges.
Evans has heard of athletic teams that made it to championships but weren’t able
to go because they couldn’t raise enough money. In other cases,
middle schools can’t provide after-school programs because they can’t afford an
extra late bus.
When the all-girls Odyssey of the Mind team at Glen Forest Elementary School in
Bailey’s Crossroads made it World Finals, their parents had to launch a major
fundraising drive. In other, more affluent communities, the PTA has the budget
for things like that.
Bailey’s Crossroads made it World Finals, their parents had to launch a major
fundraising drive. In other, more affluent communities, the PTA has the budget
for things like that.
At Evan’s request, Fairfax County Public Schools staff
provided 2018 data on revenue to schools from gate receipts at high school
games and other revenue from support organizations, such as PTAs and booster
clubs.
provided 2018 data on revenue to schools from gate receipts at high school
games and other revenue from support organizations, such as PTAs and booster
clubs.
Annandale High School reaped $76,271 in gate receipts in 2018,
or $35.17 per person. For Falls Church High School, the gate receipts are $64,669
($30.61 per pupil). Justice High School got even less revenue from gate receipts
– $57,816 ($26.52 per pupil).
or $35.17 per person. For Falls Church High School, the gate receipts are $64,669
($30.61 per pupil). Justice High School got even less revenue from gate receipts
– $57,816 ($26.52 per pupil).
Schools getting the most money from per-person gate receipts
in 2018 are South County, with $127,776 ($58.21 per pupil); Lake Braddock, with
$145,632 ($51.81); and Madison $110,760 ($49.82).
in 2018 are South County, with $127,776 ($58.21 per pupil); Lake Braddock, with
$145,632 ($51.81); and Madison $110,760 ($49.82).
Not all schools are included on the list of revenue from PTAs
and booster clubs, but among those for which data is listed, there’s a huge
disparity, depending on the school’s location. For example, Colvin Run in Wolf
Trap got $216,486, Spring Hill Elementary School in McLean got $100,595, and
Chesterbrook Elementary School in McLean got $87,615.
and booster clubs, but among those for which data is listed, there’s a huge
disparity, depending on the school’s location. For example, Colvin Run in Wolf
Trap got $216,486, Spring Hill Elementary School in McLean got $100,595, and
Chesterbrook Elementary School in McLean got $87,615.
Among Mason District elementary schools, Parklawn Elementary
raised $504, Mason Crest raised $2,500, and Weyanoke, $2,201.
raised $504, Mason Crest raised $2,500, and Weyanoke, $2,201.
Those results were “eye-opening, if not surprising,” Evans
wrote in her newsletter to the community. The school board approved her motion
asking staff to submit recommendations “on how to better support our
highest-needs schools, so we would not continue to have this glaring
discrepancy.”
wrote in her newsletter to the community. The school board approved her motion
asking staff to submit recommendations “on how to better support our
highest-needs schools, so we would not continue to have this glaring
discrepancy.”
The staff recommendation would supplement funding at high-poverty
schools with per-pupil discretionary allocations. That approach is similar to
the current system of needs-based staffing, which provides extra academic
resources to schools with high proportions of lower-income students.
schools with per-pupil discretionary allocations. That approach is similar to
the current system of needs-based staffing, which provides extra academic
resources to schools with high proportions of lower-income students.
The school board will discuss the staff’s recommendations at
its work sessions on April 29 and May 2.
its work sessions on April 29 and May 2.
The superintendent is creating a working group of principals
and stakeholders, such as PTA and booster club representatives, to draft a
comprehensive plan.
and stakeholders, such as PTA and booster club representatives, to draft a
comprehensive plan.
Evans doesn’t want to wait until 2021. She is looking at
ways to get started on this for the upcoming fiscal year. The first step would
be figuring how much schools need, and “what a robust program should cost.”
ways to get started on this for the upcoming fiscal year. The first step would
be figuring how much schools need, and “what a robust program should cost.”
Evans notes that a similar cost-sharing plan was used for
synthetic turf fields several years ago, after it was determined that some
schools were able to easily come up with the required matching funds and others
weren’t. Schools with high poverty rates got supplemental funds from FCPS.
synthetic turf fields several years ago, after it was determined that some
schools were able to easily come up with the required matching funds and others
weren’t. Schools with high poverty rates got supplemental funds from FCPS.
It’s important for the public to know that these efforts do
not call for taking money away from schools, she says.
not call for taking money away from schools, she says.
“All would continue to control and keep their own
fundraising, which is only fair,” Evans says. “But we should help out those
schools that don’t have much fundraising capacity so their students can benefit
from robust after-school programs, clubs, and sports programs like students at
our wealthier or better-connected schools.”
fundraising, which is only fair,” Evans says. “But we should help out those
schools that don’t have much fundraising capacity so their students can benefit
from robust after-school programs, clubs, and sports programs like students at
our wealthier or better-connected schools.”
6 responses to “Evans proposes leveling the playing field for school sports funding”
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So what's the incentive for parents at certain schools to contribute if it knows that FCPS plans to make up the difference? FCPS already spends far more per pupil on students in Mason District than on students in other magisterial districts.
That was my exact thought when i first read about this. I recognize that schools have different economics depending on the area they are located in but this just seems like a horrible disincentive program. And i am in Evans' district!
The 2018 figures are for fiscal 2018 (which ends in mid-2018). The gate receipts for Justice HS undoubtedly have been higher in fiscal 2019 because the Wolves team went 7-3 in the fall of 2018.
Oakton HS is less than 14% low-income, but its gate receipts per student in FY 18 were lower than Annandale's. Does Sandy Evans want FCPS to set aside additional money for Oakton? She is always looking for ways to take money away from other schools and reallocate them to schools in her district, but this proposal deserves scrutiny.
Cost sharing but keep their own fundraising? How does that work? The "Oddysey of the Mind" example is not a good one. The costs for these higher level competitions are generally for hotels and travel fees for a very small handful of children out of hundreds at a school. There is an Odyssey team from a local school I know of going to "Worlds" in Michigan this year. They are fundraising because they did not expect to win. They also did not offer the activity to the school. It was an out of school club unrelated to school and they chose to only invite certain kids to join their very small club and did not open it to anyone else in the school or do any work at the school or mention it to the PTA. That is fine, but do PTAs at other schools funds those things?
I applaud any attempt to level the playing field. Imagine what would happen to improve things for all schools if parents weren't shopping schools. Let's start with athletics and after school programs, but we have to get to building improvements soon. Stop neglecting crumbling schools and instead expand the schools wealthier families are migrating to and maybe we'd achieve some real equity across the board.