Jonetta Rose Barras: "D.C. Public Schools Don't Need Yet More Money. How About Using The Money That They Have To Actually Educate Kids?"

Asserts the moderate columnist in Washington, D.C., in response to Mayor Vincent Gray's proposed 2-percent increase in the per-pupil allotment.: "Most troubling, half the 80,000 students enrolled in the city's public schools, including charters, are not proficient in either math or reading or both. And education expert Mary Levy found an enormous achievement gap: 29 percent in reading scores and 74 percent in math between low-income fourth-graders and other DCPS students between 2007 and 2012. Will more money alone alter those statistics? What's that adage about the definition of insanity?"

Ms. Barras continues her commentary about D.C.'s public schools: "Poor strategic planning and untargeted resource deployment are the primary causes for the District's public education afflictions. If elected officials want better results, creating undeniable quality experiences for all children, it may be time to consider revising the funding formula. If no two students are exactly alike, it's safe to assert no two schools are the same. Consequently, funds should be allocated based on need and potential positive academic outcomes — not some antiquated formula."