Policy Issues

After 50 years of intense discussion of this issue, a clear consensus has emerged in both the academic literature and in the numerous court rulings on school funding that have considered the question: money does matter in education--if it is well spent.

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Historically, the amount of funding provided to public schools has been based on a politically determined amount of money available for state education aid--without an analysis of educational needs--and on local ability to raise through property taxes. As a result, school revenues are the result of political struggles over how to distribute money among a state’s school districts. In 37 states, experts in education finance have performed “costing-out studies” at the request of state legislatures or other organizations, in order to determine the amount of school funding needed to provide all students a meaningful educational opportunity.

An Introduction to Education Cost Studies

Resource accountability is one part of the broader education-accountability system needed to monitor and ensure constitutional compliance, to support the effective provision of a high-quality education for all, and to provide the data necessary to enable continuous improvement in schooling.

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SchoolFunding.Info is working to bring you the latest information on preschool funding.

SchoolFunding.Info is working to bring you the latest information on the social cost of inadequate education.