School Finance Resources

What is the impact of money on student outcomes? How do state finance systems operate, and which systems are proving to be most effective in providing quality school funding for all students?

This page contains resources on school finance produced by the Learning Policy Institute and other research organizations and leading school finance researchers. Additional content will be added as it is published, including a series of reports on school finance currently being developed by the Learning Policy Institute.

Learning Policy Institute Resources

Contact: press@learningpolicyinstitute.org

Money and Freedom: The Impact of California’s School Finance Reform
Rucker Johnson and Sean Tanner
February 2018

How Money Matters for Schools
Bruce Baker
December 2017

What's the Cost of Teacher Turnover?
September 2017

School Funding: Deep Disparities Persist 50 Years After Kerner
David Sciarra
May 2018

Essential Building Blocks for State School Finance Systems and Promising State Practices
David Hinojosa
December 2018

The California Way: The Golden State’s Quest to Build an Equitable and Excellent Education System
Roberta C. Furger, Laura E. Hernández, and Linda Darling-Hammond
February 2019

Sharing the Wealth: How Regional Finance and Desegregation Plans Can Enhance Educational Equity
John Brittain, Larkin Willis, and Peter W. Cookson, Jr.
February 2019

Investing for Student Success: Lessons from State School Finance Reforms
Linda Darling-Hammond
April 2019

 

Resources from Other Organizations

What is Resource Equity?
Education Resource Strategies
Jonathan Travers
2018

A Quick Glance at School Finance: A 50 State Survey of School Finance Policies
University of Nevada
Deborah A. Verstegen
2018

A Punishing Decade for School Funding
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Michael Leachman,  Kathleen Masterson, and Eric Figueroa
November 2017

School Funding: Do Poor Kids Get Their Fair Share?
Urban Institute
Matthew Chingos and Kristin Blagg
May 2017

School Finance Reform and the Distribution of Student Achievement
National Bureau of Economic Research
Julien Lafortune, Jesse Rothstein and Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach
July 2016

50-State Review: Constitutional Obligations for Public Education
Education Commission of the States
Emily Parker
2016

Revenues for public elementary and secondary schools, by source of funds
National Center for Education Statistics
Selected years, 1919-20 through 2013-14

Featured Resources

Report

How Money Matters for Schools

Dec 13 2017
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For decades, some politicians and pundits have argued that “money does not make a difference” for school outcomes. While it is certainly possible to spend money poorly, this viewpoint is strongly contradicted by a large body of evidence from rigorous empirical research. This document presents a brief explanation of the goal of school finance reforms, followed by summaries of the main bodies of evidence that illustrate how equitable and adequate school funding improves student outcomes.
Interactive Tool

Understanding Teacher Shortages: 2018 Update

Aug 24 2018
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How states experience the teacher shortage depends on their unique mix of policies, conditions, and even cost of living. This interactive map provides a state-by-state look at key indicators of teacher supply and demand and the equitable distribution of teachers. States and the District of Columbia receive a teaching attractiveness rating, based on compensation, teacher turnover, working conditions, and qualifications, and a teacher equity rating, based on the distribution of uncertified and inexperienced teachers.
Related Research

Research Related to Equitable Resources​ and Access

Mar 01 2016
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In keeping with the Learning Policy Institute’s commitment to communicating high-quality research to inform education policy and practice, we have assembled a selection of reports by other organizations that address critical questions and issues in LPI’s core topic areas. This collection, which will be periodically updated, is part of our larger effort to provide policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders with useful information as they seek to advance equitable and empowering learning for all students.