Paper Example: Analyzing Education Reform Options

Greetings, the purpose of this memo is to analyze Education Reform Options based on the proposed increase of public funding for education by 30% over last year's budget.

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Introduction

The implicit need of this report is to provide a thematic comparison of the review of policies that can assist the government through the mayor to achieve educational policy objectives. The achievement of educational policy is made possible through the utilization of efficient and equitable distribution of educational and financial resources. While reviewing the imperativeness of school funding policies, it is essential to consider the following thematic contexts:

How the responsibility for soliciting school funds and its expenditure be aligned in the current complex educational programs?

How to design the process flow of school funding to ensure efficiency and maximum support to student learning while ensuring equity and adherence to policy priorities?

Policy Options and Pointers

Using an across-the-board increase that ensures that at least 90% of this increase goes directly to every school--regardless of need or performance

The effectiveness of these policy options lies in the fact that many of the local or sub-central governments have complement school funding emanating from their revenue collection. At the same time, the sub-central government also acts as a link that distributes the central government. The above policy has issues that may exacerbate inequality when it comes to opportunities for students. It is imperative to consider the different spending capacities of schools since some are richer compared to others.

Devising a formula that allocates these new funds based on an objective measure of students' needs-hence, more money could flow to the schools serving students with the highest poverty or having special educational needs such as language barriers.

The utilization of formulas is viable and feasible only when dealing with the school's financial system of the current expenditure. The primary aim of the formula is to augment equity, calculated through horizontal and vertical equity. The first way of dealing with funds distribution is through horizontal equity, which allows the distribution of the same amounts to different school provisions. Vertical equity ensures that distribution is located based on the assessment and degree of the student's needs. The second formula is the derivative function and aims to promote specific behaviors, policies, or actions of the recipients. The use of the formula is effective since the coefficients may be utilized to reflect student's costs against need. Moreover, when presented in a transparent and scrutinized way, it may be accepted upon public debate. It should be noted that inadequate formula may cause inequalities and inefficiencies.

Allocating all new funds to charter schools (which are public schools run by non-profit organizations that often raise additional private funds)

Utilizing this policy may cause inefficacies and may not have political feasibility because they do not propose an evaluation mechanism. Inequalities and inefficiencies in funding characterize where there is no adequate evaluation of school funding. Some charter schools are richer than public schools. Moreover, this system of school funding policy may disorient the important role played by both sub-central and school-level actors who may challenge the move. For effective school funding mechanisms, it is vital in improving ways of school system evaluation, learning standards, and national educational goals. The above policy option implores, giving autonomy of funds to the charter schools. However, it is imperative first to consider school evaluation. The function of school evaluation is to ensure that the schools' pedagogical and financial elements can be achieved with the sourced funding.

Spending half on schools with the greatest needs and half on early childhood education programs teaching young mothers about nutrition, and providing remedial education, and enrichment for children and their parents.

Many administrations have adopted the policy of funding schools and other critical social programs as those mentioned in the above policy. Considerably, this type of funding must consult with stakeholders such as parental choice systems. The advantages of utilizing this type of funding are that it is possible to encourage the diversification of education in that particular area or setting. However, there are many issues of the inefficiency inherent with this move, such as the risk of equity.

Policy Recommendation

Policy option 2: Devising a formula that allocates these new funds based on an objective measure of students' needs--hence, more money could flow to the schools serving students with the greatest poverty or having special educational needs such as language barriers.

Policy Recommendation Matrix

Efficiency/effectiveness

Most of the policies discussed in the above have inconsistencies when it comes to the important aspect of equitable distribution of resources. The most viable policy ineffectiveness is policy number two, which includes devising a formula that warrants equitable distribution of funds to schools depending on the students' neediness.

Equity

Policy number two has a prevalence of equity matters since this specific option of funding is delineated to the students' individual needs. However, an adequate consultation of the stakeholders is necessary to validate the school funds allocation processes' perceived fairness.

Administrative capacity

The targeted policy options appeal to particular administrative groups' needs. It curtails the issues of time laps, excessive bureaucracy, and seeks to promote education in sync with the central government's educational goals and objectives. Moreover, having a formula makes decision making more accountable since it depends on reliable data and information management.

Political feasibility

The second option is more likely to be approved by the council since it has a formula that makes use of reliable data and information from schools. Moreover, it connotes school evaluation aspects, an essential insight into establishing the pedagogical and financial needs of individuals' students in school systems.

The policy pointers represented above all have something of interest to offers. However, the report must reconsider some of the pertinent issues discussed, such as efficiency, equity, acceptability, and political feasibility. Many schools have limited funding for their budget; therefore, a school funding design must touch where a significant difference may be achieved. Moreover, school funding is a process that involves a set of actors; therefore, the school funding model should be one that adheres to systems governance and promotes the effective, equitable use of resources.