Edbuild Review

About Edbuild

EdBuild: Bringing Common Sense and Fairness to School Funding

EdBuild was a non-profit organization that aimed to bring common sense and fairness to school funding. The organization was founded in 2014 by Rebecca Sibilia, who had previously worked as the Chief Operating Officer of StudentsFirst, an education reform advocacy group. EdBuild's mission was to provide policymakers with the tools they needed to create more equitable school funding systems.

The Problem with School Funding

One of the biggest challenges facing American schools is how they are funded. In most states, schools are funded through a combination of state and local taxes. This means that schools in wealthy areas have more resources than those in poorer areas. As a result, students from low-income families often attend underfunded schools that lack basic resources like textbooks, technology, and qualified teachers.

This inequity has been exacerbated by the rise of charter schools and voucher programs. These programs divert public funds away from traditional public schools and into privately run institutions that are often less accountable to taxpayers.

EdBuild's Solutions

EdBuild believed that there were better ways to fund our nation's schools. The organization advocated for policies like weighted student funding, which allocates resources based on student need rather than zip code or district boundaries.

Under this system, students who require additional support – such as English language learners or those with disabilities – would receive more funding than their peers without these needs. This approach ensures that every student receives the resources they need to succeed regardless of where they live or what their background is.

Another solution proposed by EdBuild was "district consolidation." This involves merging smaller school districts into larger ones in order to reduce administrative costs and increase efficiency. By consolidating districts, more money can be directed towards classroom instruction rather than bureaucracy.

Impact on Education Policy

Despite its relatively short lifespan (six years), EdBuild had a significant impact on education policy at both the state and national levels. The organization provided research-based recommendations for policymakers looking for ways to improve their state's school funding system.

In 2018 alone, EdBuild worked with lawmakers in six states (Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Mississippi Tennessee,and Wyoming)to pass legislation aimed at making school funding more equitable.In addition,the organization published numerous reports highlighting disparities in school funding across different regions of the country.These reports helped raise awareness about this issue among policymakers,journalists,and members of the general public alike.


Conclusion

Although Edbuild closed its doors in June 2020 due largely because it could not secure enough long-term financial support,it left behind an impressive legacy.The work done by Rebecca Sibiliaand her team will continue influencing education policy for years if not decades,to come.Edbuild showed us all what is possible when we put our minds together toward solving one problem.Its innovative solutions will continue inspiring educators,policymakers,and advocates alike as we strive towards creating a fairer,future-oriented educational system for all Americans regardless of race,socioeconomic status or geographic location.Edbuild may be gone,but its spirit lives on through those who believe passionately about equity,equality,and justice within our educational systems!