What are the consequences of making schools heavily dependent on local financing?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

About 40% of the funds for public schools in the United States come from local school district taxes. Because most of this money is derived from property taxes, school districts with numerous expensive homes have much more revenue for their schools. Mooney, Knox, and Schacht note that making schools heavily dependent on local financing has several consequences:
Low-socioeconomic-status school districts are poorer because less valuable housing means lower property values; in the inner city, houses are older and more dilapidated; and less desirable neighborhoods are hurt by "White flight," with the result that the tax base for local schools is lower in deprived areas.
Low-socioeconomic-status school districts are less likely to have businesses or retail outlets where revenues are generated; such businesses have closed or moved away.
Because of their proximity to the downtown area, low-socioeconomic-status school districts are more likely to include hospitals, museums, and art galleries, all of which are tax-free facilities. These properties do not generate revenues.
Low-socioeconomic-status neighborhoods are often in need of the greatest share of city services; fire and police protection, sanitation, and public housing consume the bulk of the available revenues. Precious little is left over for education in these districts.
In low-socioeconomic-status school districts, a disproportionate amount of the money has to be spent on maintaining the school facilities, which are old and in need of repair, so less is available for the children themselves.