Release of School Spending Data Sparks Heated Debates on Funding, Accessibility, and More
February 11, 2020
A key goal of ESSA is to “spark a richer dialogue between parents, administrators and school board members.” Now, as more states continue to release school spending data, concerns are being raised in communities across the country about the “accessibility and accuracy of the data, states’ limited publicity about the data’s release, and whether states will meet a looming deadline to have the data published before the end of this school year.” In Kansas, Alabama, and Wisconsin the release of such data has sparked debate about the use of funds, high per-student spending, and funding inequities between suburban and rural districts, respectively. To date, 26 states have published school spending data.