| dc.description |
In Oregon, property tax revolts and school equalization measures have led to increasingly
unstable and more non-discretionary public funding for schools. As a result, public
schools are turning to private donations to provide both basic and supplemental
educational opportunities. Some schools and districts are raising hundreds of thousands
of dollars, while others are raising significantly less. This study uses qualitative
interviews and the financial data of nonprofit school foundations to analyze how parent
roles, district differences, and local policies contribute to efforts to supplement public
education with private dollars. Has the increased reliance on private assistance recreated
funding inequality that circumvents state efforts to equalize per pupil funding? This study
provides a crucial examination of the potential impacts of private donations on funding
equality as a result of and through the reproduction of cultural capital. This study not only
contributes to the sociological discussion surrounding community differences in
fundraising capacity, but also offers districts and foundations a set of issues to consider
when making their fundraising decisions. |
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