Notable Quotable:
“Indianapolis Public Schools has been working for two years toward greater flexibility in school funding for our school principals. We took a giant step toward that this year by adopting and applying [a weighted formula]. We see this federal pilot as another way for us to walk the talk and provide even greater flexibility to our school leaders, while also helping to educate the DOE about the benefits of weighted student funding in pushing greater student outcomes.” – Carrie Cline Black, Indianapolis Public Schools
Student Based Budgeting in the News:
Districts Using Federal Pilot to Increase Equity, Flexibility
Weighted-student funding makes it easier to implement school choice programs, but districts are using the pilot to ensure disadvantaged students are funded fairly.
Weighted Student Funding Pilot Presents an Opportunity for Districts
Marguerite Roza of Georgetown’s Edunomics Lab writes, “What if a pilot district came up with a groundbreaking way to deploy federal Title I dollars to radically improve outcomes for some of our most vulnerable students? That’s an opportunity to seize, not shrink from.”
Los Angeles Unified School District Can No Longer Hide the Full Extent of its Debt
A forthcoming report on the district’s retirement costs show nearly $15 billion in unfunded health care liabilities.
North Carolina Committee Studying Weighted-student Funding
The state’s joint legislative committee on Education Finance Reform is looking to replace its antiquated formula with a student-centered approach.
Striking Teachers Are Right to be Outraged, Wrong on the Solutions
Spending priorities that divert limited education resources away from the classroom such as administrative bloat and pension debt need to be addressed.
Research & Resources Spotlight:
Video: What is Student-based Budgeting and why is Shelby County Schools Considering it?
An analysis of the district’s financials shows that some schools get twice as much as others.
Follow School Finance Groups and Experts on Twitter:
Education Research Strategies @ERStrategies
Center for Reinventing Public Education @CRPE_UW
Afton Partners @aftonpartners
Edunomics Lab @EdunomicsLab
Public Impact @publicimpact
EdBuild @EdBuild
Reason Foundation @LisSnell
Reason Foundation @AaronGarthSmith
Reason Foundation @TKoteskey76
Allovue @AllovueBalance
Allovue @jessgartner