Christian Barnard is assistant director of education reform at Reason Foundation.
Barnard's work includes research and analysis of state education and school district finance systems, with the goal of making them more equitable and innovative.
Barnard's writing has been featured in outlets including USA Today, Los Angeles Daily News, Washington Times, and The Hill, among others.
Barnard previously worked with the Foundation for Government Accountability, where he conducted research on labor policy and criminal justice. He also worked for the Pioneer Institute.
He holds a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and economics from Messiah College.
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How Should States Count Students to Calculate School Funding?
School finance systems should base education funding on current enrollment figures to best serve students and promote equity.
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A Better Way to Fund Students and Schools in Mississippi
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the need to update Mississippi’s K-12 education funding model, in particular the way that the state's school finance formula counts students.
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Examining Legislation to Expand Open Enrollment in Arizona
Arizona lawmakers are looking to remove barriers preventing public school students from attending a school outside of their residentially assigned school district as well as more easily find transportation to their school of choice.
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A Vision For Better School Funding in Arkansas
Arkansas should streamline education dollars into a weighted student formula and ensure that school operational decisions are left in the hands of local leaders.
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How to Improve Special Education Funding in Arkansas
Arkansas' education funding model creates disparities between the resources school districts receive and the actual needs of special education students.
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The Problem with Arizona’s School Finance System
The state's education funds often favor school districts with more property wealth and less poverty.
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Arizona School Finance Data Shows Large Funding Disparities Between School Districts
A new interactive data dashboard gives users the ability to compare Arizona school districts' per-pupil revenue against student demographics and property wealth.
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Arizona School Finance Dashboard
This interactive data portal displays how Arizona's K-12 school district student demographics compare to school district revenues.
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Modernizing School Finance in Idaho
This policy brief provides a brief overview of Idaho’s school finance system, highlights its primary shortcomings, and makes several recommendations for reform.