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Why Efforts to Equalize School Funding Have Failed: Towards a Positive Theory

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT STONY BROOK

With the growth of the suburbs and the strengthening relationship between income and household location, large differences have emerged in the values of the local property tax bases that fund public schools. Since the 1970s, court rulings have led states to attempt to equalize school funding by increasing state support. But large funding differences remain. While these differences and the impact of equalization efforts have been analyzed at length, the question of why equalization has failed has largely been ignored. This paper addresses that gap. By considering the incentives of legislators, taxpayers, and parents of school students, I explore the political economy of school funding, using evidence from New Jersey. My analysis suggests that equalization efforts will generally be opposed or undermined by various local-level actors. It also suggests that advocates of other funding reforms may face significant challenges from those preferring the status quo.

Political Research Quarterly, Vol. 46, No. 4, 847-862 (1993)
DOI: 10.1177/106591299304600409


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