Fund the Child: Tackling Inequity & Antiquity in School Finance
Thomas B. Fordham Foundation
June 2006

Abstract:


This report aims to prove why reforming archaic public school funding methods must occur for equal opportunity in education to be realized. It proposes flexible “real dollar” funding for schools, funding amounts that vary according to a child’s needs, and money that follows students to whatever public school they attend. The report also examines how this could be accomplished given the design challenges inherent in weighted funding plans that must consider different local tax funding schemes, teacher seniority rules, and other variants.