Business Groups Detail Elements of School Funding Reform Bill
June 12, 2019
School-level funding analysis and searchable database
June 20, 2019
Analysis also finds that funding within some districts is not distributed equitably
MBAE releases tool that allows the public to compare and analyze never-before available school spending data
June 19, 2019 – The Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education (MBAE) today released an analysis of newly-available school-level funding data that shows schools that serve similar student populations and spend the same amount per student can achieve dramatically different results with the respect to student performance, and although the state allocates more money for high-need students, within some districts, schools serving higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students are spending less per student than schools within the same district serving far fewer disadvantaged students.
The analysis was conducted using a tool MBAE created that allows users to compare newly-available school-level spending information. MBAE created this tool to enable comparisons of school-level spending, allowing users to identify inequities that may exist within districts. Users can examine the relationship between school spending and school outcomes and compare schools based on the demographics of the students they serve.
This tool and subsequent analysis comes out as state policymakers debate a school funding reform bill that could add up to $1.5 billion in spending on education. The MBAE, as well as our business partners and affiliates around the state have been calling on legislators to couple new spending for education with measures to ensure the money is used efficiently and effectively to serve our highest need students.
Read the full press release on the analysis here.
Explore the MBAE school funding data tool here.