After the release of NCRP’s comprehensive Philamplify assessment of the Walton Family Foundation in May, NCRP asked Facebook users, “From 2010-2014, Walton Family Foundation granted nearly $23M to improve education in Louisiana. If you had that money how would you spend it?” The answers varied, but the main points that came up repeatedly among the comments included putting children first and hiring teachers who are passionate about teaching – and giving them the ability to teach with adequate training and proper pay.
Walton Family Foundation spends virtually all of its education grants on charter schools. While charter schools can address the concerns identified in our Facebook question for their students, can they contribute to large-scale change that addresses these issues for all students in our nation? In fact, one of the key findings from the Walton Family Foundation assessment states, “The expansion of high-quality charter schools and related advocacy have created meaningful benefits for individual students and families, but have not achieved far-reaching, sustainable and equitable system-wide improvements.”
What really stands out to me about these comments is that, while our Facebook users gave some great advice and suggestions on where money should be spent in their schools, no one stated a preference for what types of schools would best achieve these suggestions. For example, no one singled out “charters,” “school privatization” or “school choice” as spending priorities. As one of the largest charter school funders in the nation, Walton Family Foundation asserts that charters can create a better opportunity for students, and spent $23 million on charter school education in Louisiana between 2010 and 2014. Maybe if that money was spent to create the education environment that community members are asking for – regardless of the type of school – then all students could benefit and the entire education system could be improved.
After reviewing these responses, I had to ask myself the same question: What would I do with that amount of money? I would prioritize making sure the basic needs of schools and students are met. This includes but is not limited to: teachers who can and want to teach, teachers who are attuned to community needs, administrations that actively encourage parental engagement, clean and safe facilities, sufficient school supplies, healthy lunch and snack options, etc. We cannot begin to demand other resources and class subjects, advanced technology and more, without providing schools with their basic needs. Unfortunately not all schools get anywhere near the funding they need to meet these basic needs. In October 2014, The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found that “At least 30 states are providing less funding per student for the 2014-15 school year than they did before the recession hit.” Almost a decade after the recession began, these appalling numbers begin to explain why our public school systems are not meeting everyone’s standards.
Is it more efficient, effective and fair to fix our current public school system by bringing it up to our expectations, or is creating a whole new education system the best way to achieve high-quality education for all? Visit our Facebook page to comment on this blog post and visit Philamplify to comment and vote on NCRP’s recommendations for the Walton Family Foundation!
Jocelyn O’Rourke is a philanthropy fellow at the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP), where she has provided research support for recent and forthcoming Philamplify assessments, including on the Walton Family Foundation. Follow @NCRP on Twitter and join the #Philamplify conversation.
Leave a Reply