OPINION: States Are Burying Damning Data About School Funding

Any debate about fairness in school funding has to start with clear data, but it turns out that data can be very hard to find. Most people understand the inequity of school districts in wealthier areas having more money than those in less affluent communities. Addressing these disparities — across school districts — is important; but just as important, and less understood, is the unfair distribution of resources within school districts.

Part of the difficulty in tackling these in-district disparities is that — outside of a few spare calculations from nonprofits and the federal Education Department — parents, local advocates and even school board members are often in the dark about how spending breaks down across their local schools.