For example, urban public school districts like Milwaukee have a higher percentage of students with special education needs or limited English language. These special student populations require unique services that come at a high cost. Urban public school districts also serve a higher percentage of students eligible for free or reduced price lunch. Any initiatives that fail to preserve the targeting of funds based on needs would effectively undermine the goal to provide more local control. Block grant funding to states puts too much authority at the state level.
States often Impose their own restrictions on the funds.
The unintended result is that the school districts with the highest level of need do not get their fair share of resources. Likewise, the students with the most needs end up with the short end of the stick as a result of these inequities. Also, the President's proposal does not guarantee a consistent level of investment in education. Flexibility in the use of funds must be partnered with a commitment to maintain funding levels and to increase those levels to address the rapidly increasing costs facing our schools. My fear is that without assurances regarding funding levels and targeting to districts, the 100,000 children in the Milwaukee Public Schools could indeed be left behind.