Education Investment Unveiled: Which State Leads the Nation in Public School Funding?

Most kids approach summer vacation with gusto, filled with plans to enjoy the summer months without giving school a second thought. However, some parents and educators worry about what children won't be doing over the summer – such as math and reading activities that keep their minds sharp and ready to hit the ground running when school arrives again.

Summer learning loss is a very real phenomenon that has been documented by many reputable education and health care organizations. Fortunately, parents have options to prevent summer learning loss, ensuring their children are ready to hit the books again in the fall.

This video offers some ways to prevent summer learning loss.

What is Summer Learning Loss?

Summer learning loss is a phenomenon that occurs when children are out of the school environment for a significant period of time. During that absence, children can lose some of the skills they gained during the previous school year, particularly in the areas of math and reading.

According to an article on Reading is Fundamental, facts about learning loss, as studied by Johns Hopkins University's Center for Summer Learning, include:

• Students suffer from learning loss when they do not participate in educational activities during the summer.
• Students lose an average of about 2.6 months of grade-level equivalency in math computation skills over the summer.
• Low-income students suffer from greater learning loss than those students in higher-income

Most parents would agree that breakfast is essential to a successful school day. The majority have applauded schools' efforts to supply breakfast to children who wouldn't get a morning meal otherwise. However, questions have been raised about the quality of the meals offered, leading some districts to change their breakfast menus.

Going Healthy in D.C.

According to the Washington Post, D.C. schools will be among the first to stop offering sugar-laden cereals and flavored milk in their cafeterias. The milk will change during the summer term, and the schools hope to open their new school year, offering healthier cereal choices to students. DCPS spokeswoman Jennifer Calloway told the Post that the system's "goal for this upcoming school year is to serve cereals with six grams of sugar or less."

Calloway added that the district would be taste-testing a variety of low-sugar alternatives to determine the selections that would be healthy and tantalizing to students' taste buds. According to Better D.C. School Food, the district was notorious for offering sugary selections like Apple Jacks, Raisin Bran, and Pop-Tarts, in addition to flavored milk that contains nearly as much sugar as a can of soda. When kids combine the flavored milk with other sugar-packed selections, they might start their day with as much as 60 grams or 15 teaspoons of sugar – before school begins!

The school district recently hired former restaurateur Jeffrey Mills as Director of Food Services for D.C. Public Schools

When it comes times for public school graduates to march up the aisle to the tune of "Pomp and Circumstance," the venue for the ceremony becomes an issue. Many high schools do not boast a large enough gymnasium or auditorium to house a significant number of graduates and family members, and outdoor stadiums are always vulnerable to stormy weather. Public venues, like professional arenas, can be quite costly to rent, leading some schools to look for affordable alternatives within the community.

In some cities, the apparent solution has been to hold graduation ceremonies in large church buildings, and pastors have been more than happy to offer their spaces to neighboring schools. However, public school graduations in churches have raised questions across the country about the separation of church and state. In fact, some schools have actually found themselves in the midst of court proceedings as a result of inadvertently combining religion with public education.

This video looks at the issue of separation of church and state in our public schools.

A Fight at First Cathedral

First Cathedral, a non-denominational megachurch in Connecticut had opened its doors to no less than five high school graduations in previous years, according to an article in USA Today. The expansive church was chosen by the schools both for comfort and affordability.

However, not all the students and parents were comfortable holding a graduation ceremony in

With schools across the country facing severe budget cuts due to the current economic slowdown, some are getting creative in their money-raising efforts. As home values plummet and residents are forced to relocate, many school districts are forced to cut their budgets by as much as 10% or more. This means that many schools must choose between cutting funding for much needed supplies and programs and reducing staff.

However, by finding new ways to raise money, from partnering with local churches to selling advertising on school buses, districts are finding ways to get the money they need to provide supplies and staffing to their students.

The Church Connection

Churches have a mission to help people in need. Schools have become quite needy, with severe budget cuts that prohibit them from providing even the basics to their students. It appears that at least one public school in Florida has recognized the connection between the two.

Combee Elementary School in Lakeland, Florida, has been "adopted" by the First Baptist Church at the Mall, according to a recent report on the Wall Street Journal. The local church has stocked a resource room with $5,000 worth of supplies for the school and continues to meet with the school principal to identify additional needs and try to meet them.

In exchange for its financial assistance, the church gains access to families in the community, according to church pastors. Pastor Dave McClamma told the WSJ, "We have inroads