Reallocating Funds to Education: A Better Chance for Youth

Carly Domicolo is a research assistant at the Federal Reserve Board and an alumna of the Writing Persuasive Public Policy Credential Program at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy.

Calls to defund the police are louder than ever since the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis more than one year ago. People fall on both sides of the argument, but either way, it is time to start moving toward a society that invests more in our future generations and less in an institution that continues to perpetuate violence and fear.

In February, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education passed a plan that cuts one-third of the Los Angeles School Police Department officers at the school, bans the use of pepper spray, and will reallocate the department’s funding to the education of Black students. The district plans to use the $25 million to hire school “climate coaches” to improve the school culture and address implicit bias in schools.

These policy changes have been long called for by Los Angeles residents. Students and community members had raised concerns for years, claiming that students, specifically Black and Latino students, felt unsafe and targeted by the school police force. A district-wide survey showed that only 35% of Black students believed the school police force made the school safe and would prefer and trust counselors in school more than police officers.

A Gallup poll confirms these sentiments are held by many Americans. During the pandemic alone, confidence in the public school system rose by 12 points, while confidence in police fell by 5 points to an all-time low of 48%. Another Gallup poll indicates that 58% of people say policing needs major changes, and only 6% of people believe no changes are needed. In contrast, a 2018 PDK poll found that 61% of people trust and have confidence in public school teachers and 66% of people say teachers are not paid enough.

The 2018 PDK poll also details that, while a majority of parents support armed police in school, 71% would prefer funding be spent on mental health services rather than armed guards. This signals that parents care for their child’s safety by any means but have an overall preference for preventative measures in schools that have less of a chance of violence, intended or unintended.

So, why are we still overfunding police forces, an institution many do not trust and believe needs major changes? Why are we not instead funding institutions that many have growing confidence in and benefits the future of our communities?

Many people oppose defunding the police because they believe violent crime will increase and there will be no force to protect communities. Others argue that changes to school budgets could be difficult because the systems have been in place for so long. What people don’t realize is that diverting funds to education would be relatively seamless and could help prevent crime, lessening the need for a police force that also tends to exacerbate situations rather than deescalate them.

Only about 25% of police budget funding comes from the federal government; the rest of the funding comes from local fundraising. Conveniently, local funds are also used for schools, so budget reallocations would not be too hard to implement. Budgets are not created in funnels and can be reworked to meet communities’ priorities.

If funding was taken from police budgets and reallocated to schools, students, particularly those in communities with lower wealth and incomes, would have access to previously unobtainable achievement and performance opportunities. Funding boosts to increase per-pupil spending in lower income school districts are associated with increases in high school completion rates and adult earnings, and a decrease in incidence of poverty in adulthood. A main reason for these improved outcomes is the decrease in student-to-teacher ratios and school size. With more funding, districts can hire more employees and students are able to receive a more focused education with more teachers, administrators, and counselors available to assist them.

Additionally, increased access to education leads to a decreased propensity to commit crime, meaning there could be less of a need for police if educational opportunities were more prolific. Studies in psychology show that individuals with access to education are less likely to engage in criminal activity because they have less of a preference for present, short-term solutions and activities, instead placing heavier weight on future consequences. This, combined with higher graduation rates and more investment in higher education, creates safer communities.

Students are already starting to feel better about changes that have been made. LA Unified School District student Emmanuel Karunwi said, “I am proud to see a door opening toward a bright future for me and my peers. I am glad to say that this win is a step toward a reality where the death of Black folks isn’t inevitable.”

Students, and all community members, should be allowed to exist in a place where they do not feel unsafe, especially because of a presence that is supposed to make people feel comfortable. Funds must be allocated to institutions the public trust and want in their communities. There are viable ways to protect and improve a community that do not involve the presence of an intimidating police force. Investing in education and student services to improve student outcomes is a good start.