Resource Center

Strong, recent research shows that increased funding has contributed to both improved student performance and lifetime outcomes, especially for underserved students (Jackson 2016; Lafortune 2016). Students succeed when given appropriate opportunities, such as robust coursework, good teachers, smaller class sizes, quality pre-K and strong tutoring. Many of these, including the recruitment of good teachers, cost money — especially for schools with high numbers of poor students. The data show that no matter how smartly schools stretch their budgets, oftentimes many children are left without these opportunities because the state underfunded their education. April 2019