Milford chronicle., 1921-08-05
HOW DELAWARE SCHOOL
FUNDS WERE DISTRIBUTED

ClSLIl-
button of school funds it carried,
when the present school law was on
ly draft of a bill. "It can't be done, -
was also the verdict of a conference
of the financial specialists of the Unit
ed States Bureau of Education when
this law was submitted to them for
examination. And it must be confess
ed that, when the State Board of Ed
ucation came face to face with the
distribution of $2,200,000 upon four
very different bases, they almost said,
"It can't be done"
The law provides that apportionment
of school funds shall be based upon.
1. Total net enrolment.
2, Average daily attendance.
8. Number and qualifications of
teachers.
4. Grade and standard of school
buildings, school grounds, and school
equipment.
This is the way in which it was
done:
Before distributing any of the un-
allotted portions, the State Board set
aside for each District the amount
which was given that District in the
Legislative budget. In addition to
that, they distributed the remainder
of the money upon what appeared to
be, in each case, the most reasonable
basis to accord with the principles
laid down.
Two-thirds of the Text Book fund !
was distributed upon the basis of the |
number of pupils enrolled in each |
district, and one-third upon average
daily attendance of those pupils.
The High School apportionment was
made to allow each school $100 per
pupil in attendance during the past
year.
The S45000 supplementary fund for
teachers salaries, fuel and text books, ;
was first divided; $4,000 for high
schools, and $375,000 for elementary +
schools. The latter fund was then /
sub-divided on several different bases. +
20 per cent of the $375,000 fund for a
teachers salaries, fuel and text books, l.
was allotted the Districts on the bas- S
is Of enrolment. A second 20 per
cent was allotted upon the number of h
teachers in that District This pro-
vision prevents any District from
drawing large sum for large num-
ber of pupils, and then providing these
pupils with an insufficient number of
teachers. In order to stimulate the
payment of adequate salaries to good
teachers, another portion was distri-
buted upon basis of teachers salar- VI,
les. For each teacher who last year of
$3.50 or more, $15O was Civ sr
en-; for teachers receiving from $500 nj
to $500, $100 was given; for teachers 70
from 5000 to $500, $50 was
given. Is per cent of the $375, fund od
iOr teachers salaries was allotted up nj
IN last years average daily attend do
lnce of pupils. r.
The fund for transportation or re- Wi
opening of schools now closed, was tb,
appropriated to those districts now In
having transportation, giving each Oh
district the amount specified in it's na
budget, and the remainder to the rI ,is
State Board. Do
The reimbursement for Vocational
work, under the Smith-Hughes Act,
will be governed by provisions SINH
ar to those of last year.
The Maintenance and Upkeep, which
Includes repairs, was distributed to
he districts after consultation had
hown the true needs of each dis ]
rict.
The amount needed to pay off old
ebts of districts which had them, L
'dS Idh6u lTOm Iue pAOyOOO contingent sal
lnd. The remainder being left in cuI
ne hands of the State Board. til
The amount specified for High ligl
chool Equipment has not yet been ADD
attributed, and will be divided ac- haV
1rding to the needs of the districts rails
meeting the specifications of the rem
w, and the requirements of the a n
.ate Department. boa
So, by using a large number of diff % W"
rent bases in dividing the funds, pld' @
e State Board believes that it has sno
lquestionably arrived at the fairest llleu ~
stributiOn which could be made wen
ardly any District, if any, will re- lIcn Il
i've enough to run the schools prop !t, dDo'
ly without some local assistance, VIII
t this is due to the fact that the anu anu
gislature budget carried only ST. utes
1000, instead of $2,86O,0O0, which
2 school officials of the State said 2
Ould be spent for effective schools 2
xt year. 1t is expected, however, Il
1t most of the Special Districts will 1
glad to lay the slight additional tax 2
on themselves, considering that butte
,ir tax rates have been reduced from II
cunts reaching almost to 81 to a gar.
property tax, and added income l !
u