Funding PowerPoint Project

Educational Funding Streams Project

The Assignment

Students will conduct a landscape analysis of all major education funding streams (federal, state, and local). For each funding stream, students should prepare a brief overview of the name, source, general use of funds, and general restriction of funds. Students should also identify whether their school district currently uses the funding stream. Utilize the district budget you acquired from your Module One assignment for this. The assignment should be submitted in presentation form, as if the candidate has to teach someone else about education finance. See rubric for Assignment 1 on Moodle.

Notes and Key Resources

Federal funding

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The previous version of the law is known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Federal law typically sets expectations for elementary and secondary education and provides funding for educational services.  However, despite that many (most?) people hold the federal level accountable and responsible for education policy and finance, the federal government contributes only 10% - 15% of total education funding, on average.  Federal funding is targeted typically to help ensure that the most disadvantaged and at-risk students receive equitable educational services.

A typical ratio of funding is 50:40:10 (State:Local:Federal).  The Louisiana average is near 45:40:15.  

Your first assignment requires you to have a firm grasp of all major funding streams - federal, state and local - and to prepare a presentation where you teach someone else about educational funding.  Review the links below (keep track of the citations because you should cite them in your presentation) to learn more about federal funding.  In particular, focus on:

· Title I, II, III, IV, VI, and X

· IDEA Part B and C

· Carl D. Perkins

· Rural Education Achievement Program

· Head Start and Early Head Start

· Child Care Development Fund – particularly Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

· Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Key Resources

· LouisianaBelieves Links for Federal, State, and Local Funding: https://www.louisianabelieves.com/funding

· ESSA: https://www.ed.gov/esea

· LDE: Federal Grants: https://www.louisianabelieves.com/funding/grants-management/federal-grants

· New America Foundation: Education in the Federal Budget: http://febp.newamerica.net/background-analysis Look through all relevant pages.  This is a great site.

· Institute of Education Sciences: Fast Facts.  http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=158

· New America Foundation – IDEA:  https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/policy-explainers/early-ed-prek-12/students-disabilities/

· US ED – Title 1 Part A: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/index.html Can get to other funding links at this site too.

· US ED – Carl D. Perkins:  https://www2.ed.gov/policy/sectech/leg/perkins/index.html

· US ED – Rural Education Achievement Program:   http://www2.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/reap.html

· Office of Head Start:  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ohs/

· Office of Child Care:  http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/occ/about/what-we-do

· USDA – Child And Adult Care Food Program: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care/

State Funding

Federal funding provides a significant share of total education spending and the majority of the regulations and expectations.  However, state funding provides the largest level of support for education.  In Louisiana, the primary source of funding is provided through the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP).  MFP has provided more than $3 billion a year for the past seven years, and only recently has started to receive annual increases.  The MFP provides a per pupil allocation to each school district and charter, which is adjusted based on enrollment counts from October 1 and February 1 each year (More detailed look at MFP in later weeks).

Aside from the MFP, state funding is provided through two other main sources.  The second most well-known source of funding is the Louisiana Quality Education Support Fund, commonly known as 8(g) funding.  Districts receive block grants from 8(g) each year as well as the option to apply for competitive funding.  

The final main source of state support comes through the Cecil J. Picard PreK program, also known as LA 4.  LA 4 provides full day PreK for at-risk four-year-olds across the state.  In FY16, over 16,250 children were enrolled in LA 4.  

Again, your first assignment, requires you to have a firm grasp of all major funding streams - federal, state and local - and to prepare a presentation where you teach someone else about educational funding.  Review the links below (keep track of the citations because you should cite them in your presentation) to learn more about state funding.  In particular, focus on:

· MFP

· 8(g)

· Cecil J. Picard LA 4

Key Resources

· LouisianaBelieves Links for Federal, State, and Local Funding: https://www.louisianabelieves.com/funding

· Overview of the Minimum Foundation Program: https://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/default-source/minimum-foundation-program/2016-2017-overview-of-mfp-formula.pdf?sfvrsn=3

· MFP website: https://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/library/minimum-foundation-program

· BESE – 8(g): http://bese.louisiana.gov/8%28g%29-grants/8%28g%29-history Look through all pages.

· LDE – Early Childhood Programs:  http://www.louisianabelieves.com/early-childhood/early-childhood-programs

· Charter School Funding: https://www.louisianabelieves.com/funding/charter-per-pupil-funding

· Cecil J. Picard LA 4: http://www.agendaforchildren.org/uploads/documents/funding/resources/CFR%20Available%20Funding%20Streams.pdf

· Cecil J. Picard LA 4:

https://www.louisianabelieves.com/early-childhood/early-childhood-programs

Local Funding

Though stated already, it is important to reiterate that approximately 40% of what is spent on education each year comes from local sources. Property taxes are the primary source of local education funding.  In fiscal year 2015, Louisiana used more than $3.7 billion in local funding for education, roughly half of which came from property taxes (see Public Education Finances: 2015, pg. 13 below).  

In most cases, each homeowner and business property owner has to pay property taxes each year, which are assessed as a percent of the assessed property value (see EBR web explanation below).  Voters determine the percentages when voting to accept millages.  These taxes fund public education in addition to other public services - police, fire, libraries, economic development, etc.  In 2016, property owners in East Baton Rouge Parish contributed approximately 4.3% of their assessed property value for East Baton Rouge Parish Schools.  

Later in the course we will talk about the political implications of seeking tax issues for education and you will have to prepare a convincing argument for why your community should pay more taxes for education.  Review the links below (keep track of the citations because you should cite them in your presentation) to learn more about local funding.  In particular, focus on:

· Property Taxes

Key Resources

· LouisianaBelieves Links for Federal, State, and Local Funding: https://www.louisianabelieves.com/funding

· US Census: Public Education Finances: 2015

https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2017/econ/g15-aspef.pdf

· East Baton Rouge Assessor: Assessments & Millages:  http://www.ebrpa.org/assessments-millages

· East Baton Rouge Assessor:  2016 Millage Rates:  http://www.ebrpa.org/PageDisplay.asp?p1=4660

· New America Foundation – School Finance (see local section): https://www.newamerica.org/education-policy/policy-explainers/early-ed-prek-12/school-funding/