Using ESEA Reauthorization to Address Inequities in School Funding

Congressional reauthorization of the ESEA should include measures to reduce the funding inequities between the public schools that serve affluent versus low-income students.

Part of a Series

Idea of the Day

Idea of the Day

Historically, public education has played a key role in growing the middle class and ensuring that all children, regardless of their backgrounds, have an opportunity to achieve at high levels. Unfortunately, the nation’s current school finance system—primarily based on local property taxes in many places—exacerbates rather than ameliorates resource disparities between high- and low-income communities. With income inequality continuing to rise and wealth becoming increasingly concentrated at the top of the income distribution, it is more critical than ever for districts, states, and the federal government to take seriously their responsibility to provide an excellent education for all students.

For more on this idea, please see:

A Fresh Look at School Funding: 5 New Ideas for ESEA Reauthorization by the CAP Education Policy Team

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