Schools receive both state tax dollars and local property tax revenue but must use them for different things. (Getty Images)
As a teacher, I can explain how to balance a chemical equation or calculate the speed of a satellite in orbit, but school finance is far less straightforward. What I do know is that Indiana schools rely on two main funds, the education fund and the operations fund. How those funds work, and how state policy shapes them, has a direct impact on our classrooms, our communities and the future of our state.
The education fund pays teachers. It comes from the state on a per-student basis. More students equals more money. If your district is growing, then you can hire more teachers, add courses, and create more programs. You can afford to retain your best educators and recruit new ones. You can keep class sizes small. Families notice, they send their kids to your school, the district grows, more money comes in, and you spiral up. Everyone wins…