RE: Question 2: District Level

The issue of local discretion vs. statewide equity in education finance is a tough one.  Some communities will certainly be able to and want to raise more money than others, and that's going to create inequities across the state.  The problem is that money is easier to raise at the local level.  In my experience, parents will do whatever they need to in order to provide for their children, especially something as important as education.  The success of educational foundations and PTAs in raising school funds shows this.  We need to take advantage of this reality and allow more local fundraising options, as the Master Plan suggests.  Of course, we also have to work to make sure that we do this in a fair way.  So the real issue here is how to maintain equity in the face of increased local flexibility.  What mechanisms will work best?