Zahava Stadler, Policy Director of EdBuild, explains how housing discrimination and state funding policies disadvantage Black and low-income districts. EdBuild has reported on funding schemes throughout the country, documenting a $23 billion annual funding gap between White districts and districts of color. Ms. Stadler describes how states could allocate education dollars more equitably, benefitting at least 70% of students.

References

Access EdBuild’s knowledge base and tools on the website: edbuild.org

Overview

00:00-00:48 Intros

00:48-02:26 How schools are funded in most of the country

02:26-05:02 How reliance on property taxes shortchanges Black and other communities of color; impact of housing discrimination

05:02-08:23 Gerrymandering of school districts to advantage affluent communities

08:23-11:14 Examples of Indianapolis and Columbus school districting boundaries

11:14-13:44 Micro districts

13:44-16:23 Shifting school district funding to county or state levels to eliminate some of the inequalities; 70%+ of students would benefit

16:23-20:12 Funds from outside the formulas exacerbate inequalities

20:12-23:42 Problems with funding formulas

23:42-27:41 What EdBuild accomplished before closing and what is left to do

27:41-30:46 EdBuild reports and tools

30:46-32:39 Relationship of school funding issues to Movement for Black Lives; $23 billion annual funding gap between predominantly White districts and districts of color

32:39-34:30 Outro 

Transcription

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Soundtrack by Poddington Bear