Policy: Allocation of Financial and Other Resources through Policy and Governance
The distribution of resources and governance issues are often seen as the most efficient ways to effect change in education. Policy that dictates how finances flow, how human capital is assigned, and how rewards are given remains at the center of education reform at the federal and state level.
Education policy has been reframed and challenged by the new role that the federal government has taken in holding schools accountable. No Child Left Behind has changed the reform landscape by defining accountability in constrained ways that both highlight and exacerbate issues of equity and excellence.
Resource allocation and distribution continue to be prominent strategies for achieving equity and excellence. On the local level, there are widespread inequalities in resources available to students and schools, as evidenced by lawsuits challenging funding formulas in urban districts across the country. The remedy of equal funding for all public school students remains a compelling argument, yet years of local property-tax base funding continues to challenge legislators and policy-makers on how to level the playing field. While the amount of funding available is certainly at issue, there are also questions about the most effective use of funds and the best policies for supporting excellence in learning. The age-old question, "Does equal mean the same?" plagues the debates within education systems serving diverse students with varied needs.
