Centering Equity for English Language Learners: A Multi-Measure School Finance Analysis in Wisconsin

• In Event: Costing Education: Evidence-Based Approaches to Equity and Adequacy in School Finance

Abstract

This study examines the equity of Wisconsin’s funding system for English Language Learners (ELLs), focusing on whether districts with higher ELL concentrations receive greater educational resources. Using panel data from 2013–2023, I analyze three measures: state and local revenue per pupil, current operating expenditures, and teachers per 100 students. Findings show no significant relationship between ELL concentration and state-local revenue, modest increases in spending, and strong staffing responses. Subgroup analyses by poverty, locale, and district size reveal variation in resource allocation patterns. The results highlight systemic shortcomings in Wisconsin’s threshold-based, reimbursement-driven funding model and underscore the need for more equitable, needs-responsive policies that better support linguistically diverse student populations.

Author

• Xinyu Guan, University of Wisconsin - Madison