Summarizes the current literature on whether money matters in education and the allocation and use of educational resources. Offers suggestions for districts seeking to focus on instructional purposes. How money is spent matters more than how much is spent. Since 80% to 90% of a district's funds are spent at the school level, most savings or…

Reviews literature on resource allocation in schools, arguing that collecting data at the student level (rather than at the school level) can be more cost-effective and more useful in improving understanding of student learning. Discusses four school finance areas that would benefit from student-level data: equity, adequacy, accountability, and…