The State of Funding Equity Data Tool 

School districts and schools that serve large populations of students from low-income backgrounds, students of color, and English learners continue to receive less funding than other districts. This is despite clear evidence that sustained and significant school funding increases can have a lasting impact on achievement and other outcomes – especially for students from low-income backgrounds.

School funding systems that provide more funding – not equal, and certainly not less – to meet the needs of underserved students will allow each student to have the resources and supports they need to thrive.

Use this tool to understand whether your state provides fair funding to its highest-need districts. After that, dig in to newly available data on spending for individual schools to explore differences in spending between schools in the same district.

Students of Color
0 %
less per student

Districts with the most students of color receive 16% less state and local revenue than districts with the fewest students of color.

Districts serving the most students of color get at least 40% more funding than districts serving the least students of color

Districts serving the most students of color receive at least 10% less state and local funding than districts serving the least students of color

Districts serving the most students of color receive between 0 and 10% more state and local funding than districts serving the least students of color

Districts serving the most students of color receive between 10 and 40% more state and local funding than districts serving the least students of color

Districts serving the most students of color receive between 0 and 10% less state and local funding than districts serving the least students of color

Excluded from analysis.
See theTechnical Appendix for more information

Explore All State Data

Students in Poverty
0 %
less per student

High poverty districts receive 5% less state and local revenue than low poverty districts.

Districts serving the most students from low-income backgrounds receive at least 40% more funding than districts serving the least students from low-income backgrounds

Districts serving the most students from low-income backgrounds receive at least 10% less funding than districts serving the least students from low-income backgrounds​

Districts serving the most students from low-income backgrounds receive between 0 and 10% more funding than districts serving the least students from low-income backgrounds​

Districts serving the most students from low-income backgrounds receive between 10 and 40% more funding than districts serving the least students from low-income backgrounds​

Districts serving the most students from low-income backgrounds receive between 0 and 10% less funding than districts serving the least students from low-income backgrounds​

Excluded from analysis.
See theTechnical Appendix for more information

Explore All State Data

English Learners
0 %
less per student

Districts with the most English learners receive 14% less state and local revenue, compared with districts with the fewest English learners.

Districts serving the most English learners get at least 40% more funding than districts serving the least English learners

Districts serving the most English learners get at least 10% less funding than districts serving the least English learners​

Districts serving the most English learners get between 0 and 10% more funding than districts serving the least English learners​

Districts serving the most English learners get between 10 and 40% more funding than districts serving the least English learner

Districts serving the most English learners get between 0 and 10% less funding than districts serving the least English learners​

Excluded from analysis.
See theTechnical Appendix for more information

Explore All State Data

About this Analysis

This tool presents a comprehensive look at school funding equity between districts in states, and between schools in districts.

  • It includes state-by-state information on inequities in state and local funding between districts based on percentages of students from low-income backgrounds, students of color, and English learners. For an overview of national findings, please see the Equal Is Not Good Enough brief.
  • It shares newly available school-by-school spending data with the contextual information and across-school comparisons needed to make meaning of the data and better gauge whether funding is being allocated equitably across schools in a district. For an overview of national findings, please see the Access Granted brief.
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