Going Beyond ESSA Compliance: A 50-State Scan of School Spending Reports

Thanks to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states have added per-student school spending information to school report cards — putting that information in the hands of parents, advocates, and other community members. Compliance with ESSA is a solid starting point. And yet, to ensure resource allocation discussions can be useful for all stakeholders — from educators and policymakers to families and other advocates — states should approach ESSA reporting requirements as a baseline to build upon, not the end goal. Equity-oriented school spending data reporting is key to advancing resource equity in local schools.

The Education Trust, in partnership with Education Resource Strategies, developed a set of five equity-oriented reporting principles, that if followed, would provide insight into school spending equity. Check out the full digital report and see how your state stacks up against these equity-oriented principles.