Making Education Dollars Work: Understanding Resource Allocation (Insights on Education Policy, Practice, and Research, Number 14)

The purpose of this policy brief is to introduce state policymakers to information about current practice and research on education resource allocation and to heighten awareness of the issues and concerns regarding this topic. This issue of Insights on Education Policy, Practice, and Research begins with a general description of patterns in education resource allocation over time, followed by a brief review of research about the relationship between resources and student performance. The next section provides an overview of tools to examine resource allocation that can shed new light on how resources can be allocated and used more effectively. This issue concludes by exploring topics state policymakers will face as they seek ways to allocate resources to support high standards and improved student performance.