How much would it cost to get all students up to average?
“Yet most low-income school districts across the country aren’t spending enough to reach even this timid target, never mind closing the achievement gap between rich and poor, according to these researchers’ calculations. Spending shortfalls are particularly large and common across the South and Southwest (see all the red districts in the accompanying map illustration). High-poverty districts in California, Arizona and Mississippi would need to spend an additional $15,000 above what they are already spending just to become average, the authors estimate.”