Policies must ensure an adequate funding level for all students that is distributed in a way that ensures equity.
Nationally, discussions and policies around funding formulas for K-12 systems are shifting from a focus on equal funding across districts to considerations of equity. The equity approach takes into account that it simply costs more to educate some students than others. For example, low-income students tend to start school academically behind, requiring additional academic supports, extra learning time, and potentially outside services related to social services or foster care.
Adequate & Equitable Funding Overview
Education Week publishes an annual assessment of state education policy, including the area of school finance. Their analysis examines both education spending patterns and the equity in the distribution of funding across the districts with each state.
Education Week. 2020. "Quality Counts 2020 - School Finance." Education Week. January. https://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/quality-counts-2020-school-finance/index.html
In 2020, Georgia received a C-, placing the state 35th in the nation for K-12 finance policies taking into account overall funding levels and equity.
Education Week. 2020. "Quality Counts 2020 - School Finance." Education Week. January. https://www.edweek.org/ew/collections/quality-counts-2020-school-finance/index.html
Center on International Education Benchmarking: Equity
This site contains policy briefs based on best practice research of the world’s top-performing education systems.
Education Week 2017 Quality Counts
Education Week conducts an annual assessment of state education policy, including the area of school finance. This analysis examines both education spending patterns and the equity in the distribution of funding across the districts within each state.
The Urban Institute Profile of Debt in America
The Education Trust – The Education Trust is a nonprofit organization that promotes closing opportunity gaps by expanding excellence and equity in education for students of color and those from low-income families from pre-kindergarten through college. Through research and advocacy, the organization builds and engages diverse communities that care about education equity, increases political and public will to act on equity issues, and increases college access and completion for historically underserved students.
Education Commission of the States: An interstate compact on education policy
Bruce Baker’s Blog: School Finance 101
Kirabo Jackson: Collection of Works
EdBuild – Nonprofit organization researching fairness in state funding policies
Excel in Ed: Education Funding Reform
Georgia Department of Education
Georgia Budget and Policy Institute
Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, Funding Resources
Georgia School Boards Association Financial Services for Districts
Protect Georgia’s relative equity in education funding allocations by maintaining categorical grants.
Advocate for a federal aid package for additional education stabilization funds, above those provided by CARES Act.
Eventually Pass Funding Reform Legislation.
Consider All Current Budget Cuts Temporary
Responsibly Raise Revenue to Offset Shortages – Support for Recommendations by Georgia Budget and Policy Institute