An exceptionally well researched and written piece/series of articles! Very timely and important in my opinion. As to what should be done, well, perhaps what is happening right now is the best medicine: a healthy dialogue among concerned parties (none of whom seem to be the "bad guy" by the way.) As someone who used to work in a school with 98% free-lunch and a caring PTA that had a difficult time raising very little money, and now works in a school with 70% free-lunch and a caring PTA which raises much more - - I can tell you in both cases the parents have been asked to give till it hurts. Of course, I spend way too much money each year - - usually between $500 and $1000 of my own money. Yes, of course this is my own choice - - but I believe that the DOE counts on teachers making this choice - - especially since the Teacher's Choice stipend was eliminated. So we have amazing parents everywhere, amazing teachers, and a government that funds our schools. I guess if I were pushed to answer the prompt I'd say that more does have to be done to fund the schools like the one I started in because even Title I is not doing enough to provide for their needs - - but WOW that has got to be a painful cut when you take it from the people who raise it selling cupcakes in more affluent areas of the city...

It would be great if someone would look into the high prices that the schools have to pay for ... EVERYTHING.
At the end of this school year I was missing about 10 text books that I needed to reorder for next year. From the "DOE approved" vendor the book sells for about $100, on Amazon a slightly used copy can be had for $30.

Bureaucracy is expensive.

And a note to parents: You wouldn't believe the amount of school supplies and clothing that your child throws away each year because s/he can't be bothered to carry it home. Maybe if you all stopped buying so much stuff and helped your child to realize the value of money you wouldn't spend so much out of your own pocket.