Leading Thoughtful Conversations on Resource Allocation and School Improvement Using School-by-School Spending Data

Oct 15, 2026

A toolkit supporting district leaders in using school-by-school per-pupil spending data released under ESSA to enable meaningful, evidence-informed conversations about school finance. It explains how to present and interpret visual data displays with context, comparison points, and clear talking points for multiple audiences. The guide addresses common interpretation pitfalls, emphasizes engaging discussions across constituents, and connects spending patterns to outcomes and investment decisions for improved student success.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction: Data Visualizations of School-by-School Spending Data

Using This Guide

Using Data to Frame Resource Allocation Discussions: Talking Pointsfor Interpreting the Data Displays

Spending by School

# Leading Thoughtful Conversations onResource Allocation and School Improvement Using School-by-SchoolSpending Data The National Comprehensive Center At the National Comprehensive Center(National Center or NCC),students are our biggest priority.We workwith states,jurisdictions,districts,national organizations,and the other members of the federal technicalassistance network to deliver evidence-informed solutions based on educational needs and patterns acrossthe country.Whether we're helping teachers and schools serve their students better,supporting strategicplanning and improved financial decisionmaking in states and districts,or enhancing communication withinand across agencies,we put student success at the center of our work.The National Center's interdisciplinaryteam includes educators,researchers,and technical assistance providers who help education leaders andpractitioners apply evidence,strengthen systems,and improve outcomes for alllearners. This publication is in the public domain.Although permission to reprintis notnecessary,reproductions should be cited as:Anderson,L,&Roza,M.(2026).Leading thoughtful conversations on resource allocation andschoolimprovementusing school-by-schoolspending data.National Comprehensive Center. The contents ofthis toolkit were developed under a grant from the U.S.Department ofEducation (Department).The Departmentdoes not mandate or prescribe the practices,models,or other activities described or discussed in this document.The contents ofthis presentation may contain examples of,adaptations of,and links to resources created and maintained by other public orprivate organizations All external links cited in this resource were reviewed for compliance with all federal regulations ineffect atthe time ofpublication;however,the National Comprehensive Center is not responsiblefor subsequent changes to those externalsites orfor any content beyond the specific material referenced.External links are provided solely to support the research,examples,analysis,and conclusions presented in this resource and do not constitute endorsement of any broader site content.Thecontent of this publication does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department.Thispublication is not intended torepresent the views or policies of,or be an endorsement of,any views expressed or materials provided by any federal agency2026 Westat A copy of this publication can be downloaded from https://compcenternetwork.org/resources/ssos. 2〉 ## Introduction:Data Visualizations of School-by-School Spending Data The federal Every Student Succeeds Act(ESSA)required the release of school-by-school per-pupilspending data starting in 2020.These data can inform questions like,"How fairly does our districtdistribute dollars across schools?"and “How do schools'outcomes compare with spending,andhow can this knowledge inform educational policy and management?"But making data public isinsufficient to foster meaningful conversations about school finance;the data must be presented informats that are engaging and easily understood and that provide context and comparison points. This guide is meant to be used alongside the School Spending and Outcomes Snapshot (SSOS)datavisualization tool developed by the National Center to support better financial decisionmaking inschools and districts across the country.1 As districts work to improve budgeting decisions and make tradeoffs thatimprove student outcomesmany may be unfamiliar with using school-by-school spending data and,therefore,may 》Miss overall patterns in district resource allocation,instead focusing on allocations to individualschools 》Focus on nonlabor costs,federal funding,or smaller program allocations and ignore the fact thatmost school funding is generally allocated for teachers and staff 》Frame conversations about disparate student outcomes by school by focusing on factors suchas student demographics instead oflooking at school funding allocations 》 Avoid discus

FAQs

What purpose does this guide serve for school districts?

It helps district leaders use data visualizations of school-by-school spending to foster thoughtful conversations about financial strategy and how resources are applied in schools.

What question does ESSA’s school-by-school spending data help districts explore?

It supports questions about how fairly a district distributes dollars across schools and how schools’ outcomes compare with spending.

What does the guide emphasize when interpreting the data displays?

It stresses presenting the data in engaging formats with context and comparison points, and it warns against focusing on misleading subsets such as only nonlabor costs or ignoring how most funding is allocated for teachers and staff.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Quinn Holloway