When I was a student in LAUSD the major fund raising effort was a newspaper drive. We’d collect them at the school and they were picked up.
Today, most public schools have booster clubs run by active parents. The fund raising activities include donations, gift wrap sales, candy sales, auctions, restaurant outings, and many other things.
The money raised goes to supplement the money provided by the District/State and to enrichment activities. The funds buy computers, books, aides, music instruction, photocopiers, office clerks, librarians, and so much more.
Why? Other than enrichment activities, so many of the above including librarians and clerical help are an integral part of the schools and their programs.
Why do the booster organizations have to pay for so much? What if your school is not located in a community that can financially support the school? What if your school does not have low test scores and therefore is not entitled to federal funds?
Remember the old bumper sticker which read if the schools had all they needed and the Air Force had to have a bake sale to buy bombers.
It is all about priorities in society.
Children will be educated regardless of the each schools financial status.
Children will be educated regardless of the neighborhood, the class size, the home life or home language of the child.
Children will be educated regardless of everything that could hamper their learning.
Children deserve everything positive—an education, enrichment, a hope filled learning environment—and everything should be covered by the District.
Yet, the district wastes millions of our tax dollars every school year on tests and on test preparation materials.