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When Money Matters Most: Unpacking the Effectiveness of School Spending

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Title: When Money Matters Most: Unpacking the Effectiveness of School Spending
Language: English
Authors: Emily Rauscher (ORCID 0000-0002-5384-4667), Greer Mellon (ORCID 0000-0002-4147-4507), Susanna Loeb, Carolyn Abott
Source: Sociology of Education. 2025 98(4):314-336.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 23
Publication Date: 2025
Sponsoring Agency: National Institutes of Health (NIH) (DHHS)
Contract Number: P2CHD041020
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Educational Finance, Expenditures, School Districts, Elections, Bond Issues, Taxes, Equal Education, Academic Achievement, Race, Ethnicity, Low Income Students, Disadvantaged Schools, African American Students, Hispanic American Students, White Students, Institutional Characteristics
Geographic Terms: Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin, Iowa, Oklahoma
DOI: 10.1177/00380407251349165
ISSN: 0038-0407
1939-8573
Abstract: Targeted school funding is a potentially valuable policy lever to increase educational equality by race, ethnicity, and income, but it remains unclear how to target funds most effectively. We use a regression discontinuity approach to compare districts that narrowly passed or failed a school funding election. We use close tax elections in nine states to identify effects of operating funds, and we use close bond elections in eight states to identify effects of capital funds. Results indicate positive achievement returns to spending, especially for math achievement. We find similar returns to spending by student race, ethnicity, and income (not statistically different), but we find significantly larger returns for students in low-spending and high-poverty districts than in more advantaged districts. Targeted spending to low-resource districts is more effective and can reduce inequality. Mediation analyses suggest spending on teacher salaries and counselors may be particularly effective mechanisms to increase achievement among Black and low-income students.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1485621
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: When Money Matters Most: Unpacking the Effectiveness of School Spending
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emily+Rauscher%22">Emily Rauscher</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5384-4667">0000-0002-5384-4667</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Greer+Mellon%22">Greer Mellon</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4147-4507">0000-0002-4147-4507</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Susanna+Loeb%22">Susanna Loeb</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Carolyn+Abott%22">Carolyn Abott</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Sociology+of+Education%22"><i>Sociology of Education</i></searchLink>. 2025 98(4):314-336.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 23
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  Label: Publication Date
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: National Institutes of Health (NIH) (DHHS)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Finance%22">Educational Finance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Expenditures%22">Expenditures</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Districts%22">School Districts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elections%22">Elections</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bond+Issues%22">Bond Issues</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Taxes%22">Taxes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Equal+Education%22">Equal Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Race%22">Race</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ethnicity%22">Ethnicity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Low+Income+Students%22">Low Income Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disadvantaged+Schools%22">Disadvantaged Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22African+American+Students%22">African American Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hispanic+American+Students%22">Hispanic American Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22White+Students%22">White Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Institutional+Characteristics%22">Institutional Characteristics</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Arkansas%22">Arkansas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22California%22">California</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Louisiana%22">Louisiana</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Michigan%22">Michigan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Missouri%22">Missouri</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ohio%22">Ohio</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pennsylvania%22">Pennsylvania</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Texas%22">Texas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wisconsin%22">Wisconsin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Iowa%22">Iowa</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Oklahoma%22">Oklahoma</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/00380407251349165
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  Data: 0038-0407<br />1939-8573
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Targeted school funding is a potentially valuable policy lever to increase educational equality by race, ethnicity, and income, but it remains unclear how to target funds most effectively. We use a regression discontinuity approach to compare districts that narrowly passed or failed a school funding election. We use close tax elections in nine states to identify effects of operating funds, and we use close bond elections in eight states to identify effects of capital funds. Results indicate positive achievement returns to spending, especially for math achievement. We find similar returns to spending by student race, ethnicity, and income (not statistically different), but we find significantly larger returns for students in low-spending and high-poverty districts than in more advantaged districts. Targeted spending to low-resource districts is more effective and can reduce inequality. Mediation analyses suggest spending on teacher salaries and counselors may be particularly effective mechanisms to increase achievement among Black and low-income students.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1485621
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1177/00380407251349165
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 23
        StartPage: 314
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Educational Finance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Expenditures
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Districts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elections
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bond Issues
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Taxes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Equal Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Race
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ethnicity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Low Income Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Disadvantaged Schools
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: African American Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hispanic American Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: White Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Institutional Characteristics
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      – SubjectFull: Arkansas
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      – SubjectFull: Ohio
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      – SubjectFull: Pennsylvania
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      – SubjectFull: Texas
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      – SubjectFull: Wisconsin
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Iowa
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      – SubjectFull: Oklahoma
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    Titles:
      – TitleFull: When Money Matters Most: Unpacking the Effectiveness of School Spending
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            NameFull: Greer Mellon
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              Value: 1939-8573
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              Value: 98
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            – TitleFull: Sociology of Education
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