As the nation’s most expensive public school opens in Los Angeles today at $578 million or more than $140,000 per student there is one ironic silver lining: the six academies at the school are part of Los Angeles Unified’s Transparent Budgeting Project which is embracing student-based budgeting and giving local schools autonomy over budget and curriculum. So while the capital costs at the school site are ridiculous, moving forward maybe the student-centered funding will help principals at the school budget for higher student achievement.