By Manuel Ledesma
With Chicago Public School's new way to fund students, per pupil funding, schools are now seeing problems with the budget cuts that come with this new way of funding. At some schools the budget cuts have affected everything from extracurricular activities to simple materials such as toilet paper. The budget cuts have affected the schools so greatly that, "many teachers, including Christopher Hennessy of Haines Elementary School, are now seeking alternative routes to get funding for sports, arts and music through sites like DonorsChoose.org, a digital donation platform for classroom projects around the country" (West 2). This affects schools greatly because raising money in an urban, low-income school is easier said than done. If these faculty members fail at funding, these students may not be able to participate in these extra curricular activities. Another CPS faculty member who personally funds for his chess club is, "Joseph Ocol, who teaches math at Marshall High School on the west side and coaches the chess teams at Marshall and at Faraday Elementary School across the street. The student population at both schools is 99% low income and African-American" (Neugarten 1). He believes that " A primary goal was to keep students indoors between 3 and 6 p.m. when street violence is worst. He was also committed to making a difference in his kids' lives, and he says he knew chess could improve their academic performance, analytic thinking, and strategic planning" (Neugarten 1). The new per pupil funding system does not address the problem with low income students and how to deal with the inefficiency with the lack of funding for classroom materials and equipment for extra curricular activities. Since every Chicago Public School is now using this new way of funding many fear that "we will no longer have the best schools. We also won't be able to improve our worst schools" (Stanciel 1).
The main problem with this new per pupil funding is that schools are not receiving enough funding for materials and extra curricular activities. The best solution to this problem would be to supply schools with more money just for materials and extra curricular activities. This would allow principals to open more curriculums, giving students more opportunities to take sports and art classes.
Sources:
Stanciel, Tracy. "Good and Bad Parents."CPS is cheaping out on our kids with the new per pupil funding. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://www.chicagonow.com/good-bad-parents/2013/06/cps-cheap-pupil-spending/>.
West, Cassandra. "catalyst-chicago.org."In the News: CPS teachers, coaches work around budget cuts. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/notebook/2013/11/01/64079/in-news-cps-teachers-coaches-work-around-budget-cuts>.
Neugarten, Jerry. "Youth Chess News."CPS Coaches, Struggling, Describe Their Frustration. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://il-chess.org/index.php/youthnews/616-cps-coaches-struggling-describe-their-frustration>.
With Chicago Public School's new way to fund students, per pupil funding, schools are now seeing problems with the budget cuts that come with this new way of funding. At some schools the budget cuts have affected everything from extracurricular activities to simple materials such as toilet paper. The budget cuts have affected the schools so greatly that, "many teachers, including Christopher Hennessy of Haines Elementary School, are now seeking alternative routes to get funding for sports, arts and music through sites like DonorsChoose.org, a digital donation platform for classroom projects around the country" (West 2). This affects schools greatly because raising money in an urban, low-income school is easier said than done. If these faculty members fail at funding, these students may not be able to participate in these extra curricular activities. Another CPS faculty member who personally funds for his chess club is, "Joseph Ocol, who teaches math at Marshall High School on the west side and coaches the chess teams at Marshall and at Faraday Elementary School across the street. The student population at both schools is 99% low income and African-American" (Neugarten 1). He believes that " A primary goal was to keep students indoors between 3 and 6 p.m. when street violence is worst. He was also committed to making a difference in his kids' lives, and he says he knew chess could improve their academic performance, analytic thinking, and strategic planning" (Neugarten 1). The new per pupil funding system does not address the problem with low income students and how to deal with the inefficiency with the lack of funding for classroom materials and equipment for extra curricular activities. Since every Chicago Public School is now using this new way of funding many fear that "we will no longer have the best schools. We also won't be able to improve our worst schools" (Stanciel 1).
The main problem with this new per pupil funding is that schools are not receiving enough funding for materials and extra curricular activities. The best solution to this problem would be to supply schools with more money just for materials and extra curricular activities. This would allow principals to open more curriculums, giving students more opportunities to take sports and art classes.
Sources:
Stanciel, Tracy. "Good and Bad Parents."CPS is cheaping out on our kids with the new per pupil funding. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://www.chicagonow.com/good-bad-parents/2013/06/cps-cheap-pupil-spending/>.
West, Cassandra. "catalyst-chicago.org."In the News: CPS teachers, coaches work around budget cuts. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/notebook/2013/11/01/64079/in-news-cps-teachers-coaches-work-around-budget-cuts>.
Neugarten, Jerry. "Youth Chess News."CPS Coaches, Struggling, Describe Their Frustration. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. <http://il-chess.org/index.php/youthnews/616-cps-coaches-struggling-describe-their-frustration>.