The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 116, No. 15, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 13, 2006 Page: 2 of 36
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2
THURSDAY 13 APRIL 2DDG
THE CANADIAN RECORD
USPS D87-9BQ
PQ Sax 898, Canadian, TX 79DI4
Pliona: 8DB.323.S4BI or 5321
Fax: 8DB.323.5733
Past Office in Canadian (Hemphill
County), Texas. Published weekly
in Canadian by Nancy M. Ezzell
POSTMASTER: Send address
changes to The Canadian Record.
PQ Box 393, Canadian, TX 79QI4
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
S3D/S3B/S42 Annually
School Equity
300
270
240
210
180
150
120
90
60
30
0
Cost per Student
A-f7767
AA-f 7211
AAA-f640O
AAAA-t5679
AAAAA-f 5878
531-! 52
H
42
26 27
—
22 19
—
3 3
I
67 M
HE
□ A
□ AA
□ AAA
□ AAAA
■AAAAA
Foreign
Language
Fine Arts Vocational
Technology
Average Number of Courses
Total Courses
offered
Funding equity does not
produce educational equity
BY SALEM ABRAHAM
RECORD
EST. I393
INCORPORATED FEBRUARYI998
BEN EZZELL
Editors Publisher 1348-1993
NANCY EZZELL Publisher
LAURIE EZZELL BRDWN Editor
editar@canadlanrecard.CDm
MARY SMITHEE Dffice Manager
mary@canadianrecard.cam
ADVERTISING
Holly Henderson, Olivia Sims
advertising@canadianrecard.cam
aiivia@canadianrecard.cam
NEWS/FEATURES
Cathy Ricketts, Katy McGarr
news@canadianrecard.com
DESIGNS PRODUCTION
Laurie Ezzell Brown, Cathy Ricketts
Holly Henderson
PHOTOGRAPHY
Laurie Ezzell Brown
Cathy Ricketts, Katy McGarr
SPDRTS
Laurie Ezzell Brown
CONTRIBUTORS: Jenny Klein
WITH THE SPECIAL SESSION on school finance
about to begin, one subject that is sure to get
attention is "equity." When people involved
in school finance mention this word, it is un-
derstood that they are talking about funding
equity. The idea is that if each sehool is given
an equal amount of money per student, then the
state has achieved equity.
However, when you look at what different
school districts are getting for their equal
dollars it is clear that funding equity does
not produce educational equity. Educational
equity can only be achieved when each child
in Texas, no matter where they attend public
school, can have equal educational opportuni-
ties. The idea of educational equity seems to
align more closely with the requirement in
the Texas Constitution which ealls for "a gen-
eral diffusion of knowledge."
It makes the most sense to measure equity
where it counts, in the classroom Over the past
month, some of the employees in our research
department and I have gathered some data on
the educational opportunities offered in differ-
ent schools across the state.
We randomly chose 10 high schools from
each of the 5 UIL size classifications (A to
AAAAA) making a total of 50 different high
schools in our sample. We contacted each of
these high schools and obtained a list of elasses
offered in each sehool. Then we tabulated the
results to compare the number and types of
elasses offered in the various high schools.
We found that in basic elasses like English,
Math and Science every high sehool offered
similar elasses. However, when you look at the
number of classes in areas such as Foreign Lan-
guage, Fine Arts, and VoTech the real unfair-
ness of using funding equity as the yardstick
becomes apparent.
For example, the average A and AA high
school offers only 3 foreign language courses
(usually Spanish I, II, and III), while the aver-
age AAAAA high school offers an astounding
22 courses. Also, if you are a student looking at
Fine Arts or VoTech classes you will find three
times as many choices in the larger schools.
To add insult to injury, some of the people
who focus on funding equity make claims that
small schools are getting too much money.
Even though school funding formulas make ad-
justments for the economies of seale problems
that small schools face, the adjustments and the
extra money do not produce true equity.
Our research results show that smallschools
are spending more per child but still have less
to show for it. Many suggest that the solution
is consolidation, but this cannot work because
most of these small schools are in such remote
locations. Instead of the politically tricky move
of forced consolidation, it appears that the
state's plan has been to starve out the smaller
districts. Unfortunately, this approach has
resulted in severely limiting the educational op-
portunities of the kids in these: districts.
We were also interested to find that (>•"/.* of
Robin Hood school districts are sehool districts
with A or AA high schools. In the name of "eq-
uity" these small districts are sending money to
larger schools that have almost three times the
number of elasses than these small Robin Hood
schools. How can legislators claim that this is
equitable?
Some people may argue that the classes we
measured in our study are not core elasses but
are extras that these children in smaller school
districts don't need or dorft deserve. It is inter-
esting to note that Harvard and Princeton both
want incoming freshman to have four years of a
foreign language. Not everyone wants to go to
an Ivy League college, but a Texas child in the
average A and AA high school is not even given
the ehance to meet these requirements. What
kind of message are the legislators wanting to
send these kids?
The good news is that only about 8% of the
total students across Texas go to sehool in a
small sehool system (A or AA). It is anunfortu-
nate faet that these schools are less efficient and
cost more money, but in the overall scheme of
things it does not cost a lot to do the right thing
by these kids and provide them with an equal
education. So when the debate begins in Austin,
and someone brings up the word "equity" make
sure you know how they define equity, and for
kid's sake and Texas' sake, let's make sure we
focus on equity in educational opportunities.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Salem Abraham is a school
trustee for Canadian ISD and runs a money
management business in Canadian.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Begin by believing
survivors of rape
SEXUAL VIOLENCE is a crime that affects women, childx-en and
men every day of the year. The prevalence of sexual assault and the toll
it takes on our community are shocking. In Texas, one in five women
and one in twenty men have been the victims of sexual assault in their
life times. The crime affects Texans of all ages and backgrounds. Even
more stunning than the scope of the crime is the challenge of confront-
ing it. Fewer than 20% of all rape victims ever report their assault to
the police.
Sexual assault victims are reluctant to seek help from the police,
their doctors, pastors or other community sources. All of us have an
obligation to increase awareness of sexual assault and the help avail-
able to victims of violence in our community. Many times, victims of
sexual assault do not seek help due to feelings of shame, guilt or fear
of not being believed. We have the power to alleviate these: feelings.
We must begin by believing.
April is Sexual Assault and Awareness and Prevention Month.
The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault theme for 2006 is "Be-
gin by Believing." During the month of April, sexual assault service
providers across the state, along with survivors of sexual violence and
their friends and families, will mark this occasion by speaking out
about sexual violence.
Together, we can put an end to sexual violence. It won't be easy,
but we can do it together. You, your neighbors, your church, all have a
role to play. You can volunteer for our hotline, for office work or crisis
intervention. You can even donate to our program. Sexual assault is a
problem twelve months ayear.
ANN HAMILTON, Legal Advocate
IE IN?
I ATION
To learn more about the sendees Tralee Crisis Center offers, or to find out
how you can help, call 1 (800)658-2796.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Job well done, YMCA!
I WANT TO EXTEND my thanks to Lael Kirkland, her husband
Gary, and her staff at the YMCA for making this year's Y basketball
a huge success. The basketball program was organized as well as fun,
competitive and educational for the kids. They benefited a great deal
from this year's program, and if the kids benefitted, the community as
a whole does, too.
Many thanks on a job well done!
SAM SCHAFER
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thanks from Project Grad
THE FIRST THING I would like to say is thank you to all who have
donated to this worthy cause. Your great generosity is so very much
appreciated. Project Graduation is always such a funaetivity to partic-
ipate in. I think the best part is knowing we are keeping our children
safe during graduation and giving them one last hurrah before they
look toward their future. As part of the Donations and Prizes commit-
tee, we are still looking for those who are considering a contribution
to this worthy cause. Send your cheek to: Hemphill County Extension
Office, Main Street, Canadian, Texas, 79014. Again, thank you and
don't forget your contribution is tax deductible.
JANICE MOORE
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Brown, Laurie Ezzell. The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 116, No. 15, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 13, 2006, newspaper, April 13, 2006; Canadian, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth220727/m1/2/: accessed May 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hemphill County Library.