Finance+Week+3,+Part+2

Here's what I calculate:

District Comparison- Part 2

__District 1:__

Target Revenue : $28,023,530 :

Revenue/WADA @ Compressed Rate: $5,044 multiplied by WADA: x 5555.815 $28,023,530 Total Professional Personnel: 281

District 2:

Target Revenue__:__ $34,546,111 :

Revenue/WADA @ Compressed Rate: $7,206 multiplied by WADA x 4,794.076 $34,546,111 Total Professional Personnel:307

The comparison of these two districts shows a problem with the state's attempt to create equity among districts. This will be the case as long as the state doesn't set an equal target for all school districts across the state. Currently, property-rich districts are still seeing greater revenues than property poor because they are allowed to "keep" excess money beyond the minimum allocation the state has set. It's still no different than if the state gave property-rich extra money - by not taking it and spreading it out, in essence the state IS giving them extra money. We keep manifesting the "haves and have nots" among students in the state, and the gap seems to be getting larger...especially since revenues are based on 2005-06 tax rates. District 1 in this case has fewer of students enrolled, but those students make up a much larger "special needs" group (Bilingual, Sped, Low SED) than in District 2 - so much so that District 1's WADA is greater than that of Distrit 2. Yet, District 2 still gets more Revenue per WADA than District 1. In this case (as in all, I'm sure) WADA plays a critical role! Without WADA, District 1 would be at an extreme disadvantage.