Border Town Education

Education tends to vary greatly north and south of the border. The education that students receive in the United States is significantly different than in Mexico, and this trend appears to be relevant in border towns as well. 

According to a report published by WestEd, "surveys returned from 206 school districts within 100 miles of the border indicate that this is a diverse and historically impoverished region with a growing population of primarily Latinos and Whites."

WestEd is an agency that focuses on the education and development of families, schools, and communities. In the document, "Voices from La Frontera: Study of School Districts along the United States/Mexico Border" published in August of 2002 border town communities were surveyed to find that "common concerns included inadequate education funding; a shortage of qualified teachers; and significant fluctuations in student enrollment and attendance that make it difficult to predict revenue streams and plan budgets, predict staffing needs, and maintain continuity in instruction."

These are understandable concerns for border towns to have about their educational facilities. If schools do not have enough teachers, staff, and the materials that are needed to properly function, how can these facilities be expected to run smoothy, or run at all for that matter?