District weighs division of funds, school test scores

The question underlies a growing debate in Seattle Public Schools on whether to overhaul the way the state's largest school district allocates money to its 100 schools.

A Student Funding Committee has recommended making only one change next year to the district's so-called "weighted-student formula," which gives schools more money for needier students. But the School Board has the final word and could hear public testimony on it today.

Fueling the debate are new state rules that may require the Class of 2008 to pass the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) to graduate and a new board president who has made reducing inequities one of her top priorities.

An analysis of 2003-04 budget data raises doubts about the perception that the district gives low-performing South End schools less money per student than higher-performing schools to the north.

For example, among high schools, Rainier Beach High School gets the most money per pupil — $5,014 — while Garfield High School gets the least — $3,499. Yet black students who took the WASL reading test at both schools performed roughly the same as a group (about one-fourth passed it).

"To make a broad (statement) that the weighted-student formula has increased student achievement wouldn't be accurate based on our current data," Colleen Oliver, middle-schools director, said at a budget workshop yesterday.

The weighted-student formula, launched in 1997, gives more money to schools that have more students who qualify for free- and reduced-price lunches, who speak English as a second language or who are in special education.

During a workshop last month, Superintendent Raj Manhas said that a $9 million budget shortfall for the 2004-05 school year was forcing the district to "question everything on weighted-student (formula)."

At the same meeting, board members wondered about the impact the formula has on large schools or on closing the gap in achievement among students of different races.

The formula has two parts: The foundation allocation pays for core administration at each school based on a minimum enrollment.

The weighted-student allocation aims to create equity by funding schools differently based on their students' characteristics, officials said.

Some Garfield High parents contend the foundation allocation penalizes large schools because it is a flat amount, regardless of enrollment.

For example, the minimum enrollment for high schools is 1,000 students. Garfield High has 1,688 students and Rainier Beach has about 700, but they receive the same amount of foundation money.

Linda Sebring, the district's budget manager, last month said the district had to pour an extra $500,000 into Rainier Beach this year because it has had trouble meeting the formula's minimum enrollment.

Twelve elementary schools also failed to reach the minimum elementary enrollment of 250 students, yet they also received the same amount of foundation money as schools with higher enrollments.

The inequity could become more pronounced as the district moves toward creating smaller learning environments.

The district must hold schools more accountable for how they spend their weighted-student formula money, board member Dick Lilly said yesterday.

"If the resources aren't used to increase academic learning, to develop a good curriculum that challenges these kids, then one has to conclude that the primary factor that is preventing schools from increasing test scores is not money," said Phyllis Beaumonte, chairwoman of Washington state's NAACP education committee.

For next year, the only change the Student Funding Committee urged is giving more money to schools with high proportions of low-income students. This year, all elementary schools received state Learning Assistance Program grants.

Under the committee's proposal, only elementary schools with 25 percent or more low-income kids would get Learning Assistance funds next year. The $600,000 left over would go to sixth-graders at middle schools with large numbers of low-income students.

Sanjay Bhatt: 206-464-3103 or sbhatt@seattletimes.com