State funding for public higher education institutions is crucial in supporting college access and completion, particularly among students from historically under-represented groups, yet little is known about the mechanisms that states use to allocate funds and how they are affected by financial challenges. This article provides the first detailed…

At their best, K-12 public school systems can be engines of social and economic mobility. Unfortunately, schools in lower-income districts -- whose students have the greatest academic needs -- often receive less funding than their counterparts in more affluent districts. Discussions about closing these funding gaps usually zoom all the way out to…

School finance debates frequently turn on two crucial questions: (1) How much do state and local governments spend on K-12 education?; and (2) How are education dollars distributed across jurisdictions? This focus makes sense because the answers to these questions determine how well states are able to provide an adequate, equal education for all…

Adequacy of funding for public institutions of higher education in the United States is significantly important to an array of stakeholders, including, state legislative bodies, decision-makers in the arena of higher education, and notably, consumers of higher education. State allocation of resources for higher education demonstrates variability,…

Public colleges and universities are a key driver of social and economic mobility, yet they also face increasingly challenging financial and political environments. In this essay, I discuss four key areas in which state higher education policy can influence student success and equity: the amount of funding provided, funding allocation mechanisms,…

New research finds that increased spending on public education improves student achievement, thereby debunking the notion that "money doesn't matter" and making the case for greater investment in preschool-12 public education. How money is spent matters, but funding must also be adequate, equitable, and stable from year to year so that…

The COVID-19 crisis has disrupted education for all students, but has hit students from vulnerable and systemically neglected populations hardest. Beyond interruptions to instruction, many of these students face food insecurity, unreliable access to remote learning technology, reduced access to student supports and education services, and housing…

Across all 50 states, there are different ways in which states allocate K-12 funding to districts. This document provides information on what type of funding mechanism is used by state. To classify funding mechanisms that appear in state statute or in regulations, Education Commission of the States created definitions for the terms used on this…

This article examines how three relatively recent decisions enacted and upheld by Pennsylvania lawmakers have increased racial disparities in education funding and are helping to explode what Ladson-Billings has termed the educational debt. We find that districts with the highest concentrations of Black and Latinx students are profoundly…

This dissertation examines performance-based funding policies in higher education. Performance-based funding policies allocate state funding via student outcomes instead of by student enrollments. The first paper in this dissertation provides an in-depth analysis of Ohio's performance-based funding policy for two-year institutions. Then, the…

Policy and funding influence equitable education for students who are gifted. The concept of equity is examined through variations in policy and in funding at the state, district, and local levels. Challenges and barriers to equity in policy and funding include policy structures, where policy provides guidance without accountability measures, or…

Across all 50 states, there are different ways in which states allocate K-12 funding to districts. This document provides information on special education funding by state, including funding mechanism and special education citation. To classify funding mechanisms that appear in state statute or in regulations, Education Commission of the States…

Across all 50 states, there are different ways in which states allocate K-12 funding to districts. This document provides information on gifted and talented funding by state, including funding mechanism and gifted and talented citation. To classify funding mechanisms that appear in state statute or in regulations, Education Commission of the…

The State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) report is produced annually by the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) to broaden understanding of the context and consequences of public policy decisions in each state that contribute to public higher education funding levels and funding distributions across states and…

Across all 50 states, there are different ways in which states allocate K-12 funding to districts. This document provides information on small size or isolated funding adjustments, including funding mechanism, small size/isolated identifier, and small size/isolated citation. To classify funding mechanisms that appear in state statute or in…