Understanding the Cost of Providing Adequate Educational Opportunity in Oregon

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

Abstract

This study investigates the cost of providing an adequate education for all K-12 public school students in Oregon. Using data from the Oregon Department of Education and publicly available sources, we analyze the relationship between student outcomes, per-pupil spending, and various student, school, and district characteristics. Using a cost modeling approach, we estimated that schools with greater incidences of students with disabilities, who are economically disadvantaged, or are English learners require greater funding to achieve a common outcome target. These results informed our development of an alternative weighted student funding model, which provides Oregon policymakers with a foundation for developing an empirical cost-based funding formula for improving statewide educational outcomes and ensuring equitable educational opportunities for all students.

Authors

• Jesse D. Levin, American Institutes for Research

• Bruce D. Baker, University of Miami

• Christopher Brooks, American Institutes for Research

• Brad Salvato, American Institutes for Research