Funding of Schools Is Unfair

* Steven Frates is to be commended for his Sept. 3 column, “School Budgets Get Caught in Political Mire,” wherein he effectively addressed California’s grossly inequitable system for funding school districts.

We in Capistrano Unified truly can relate to the problem Frates exposes. The teachers and parents of our own school district have had to endure observing our neighboring district, Laguna Beach Unified, receive revenue that is $1,100 per pupil higher than our own.

With our district having a universe of nearly 45,000 students, if we were fortunate enough to be on par with our neighboring district, Capistrano Unified would be receiving $49 million more revenue annually--and that on an operating budget of $261 million.

How our state can continue to maintain such an unfair, inequitable and possibly even unconstitutional system for financing state schools simply defies logic. The fact that someone of Frates’ caliber recognizes the problem and is willing to speak openly about it should give teachers and parents in California’s low-wealth districts a renewed cause for hope that our state Legislature will, at some point, address it.

JAMES A. FLEMING

Superintendent

Capistrano Unified School District