The U.S. Department of Education released a report today that shows that state and local education resources are being inequitably distributed, leading to low-income schools subsidizing their higher-income counterparts. Senator Michael Bennet introduced a bipartisan bill earlier this year that would close a loophole in federal law that leads to funding inequities between low- and higher-income schools. Language from Bennet’s bill was included in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization that recently passed the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
Here is a quote from Bennet on the release of this report.
“We are one of only three developed countries to invest more money into affluent schools than low-income schools where the need is greatest,” said Bennet, a former superintendent of public schools. “This report is further evidence that the ‘comparability loophole’ is a critical problem that often results in low-income schools subsidizing their high-income counterparts. This is a solvable problem, and closing this loophole is a common-sense step we can take to ensure every single student has a shot at a quality education and is prepared for college and to compete in the 21st century economy. I am glad this provision was included in the ESEA reform bill that passed the Senate HELP Committee.”