Do Poor and Minority Schools Get Less Money from Districts?
A new analysis of school finance data from Stanford University researchers finds that on average, schools with high numbers of poor or minority students receive slightly more money per pupil, but that inequality in spending varies widely among school districts. Pulling Back the Curtain: Intra-District School Spending Inequality and its Correlates finds that in districts that are wealthier and have higher levels of income or racial segregation, poor and minority schools actually receive more resources relative to their peers. But in the most unequal districts, low-income and minority schools receive up to $500 less per pupil, according to the study.