Schools are our society’s largest and most established investment in social mobility.

Total US annual investment in public K-12 education – about half a trillion dollars including federal, state and local spending – rivals the defense budget. This investment is far from evenly distributed. Who makes the decisions? Is there enough funding? Is it well-spent?

This chapter of Ed100 explores the role of money in education, particularly in California.

What's in this Chapter?

We convinced Jeff to narrate a short video preview of each lesson. We hope you get a kick out of the awkward expressions we captured him in...

8.1 Spending: Does California Spend Enough on Education?

California has skimped on schools for years. These charts bring it home.

8.2 Education Spending: What can education dollars buy?

California classrooms overflow with students. The student-teacher ratio in this state is 2/3 higher than in the rest of the US. There's a simple reason...

8.3 Who Pays for Schools?: Where California's Public School Funds Come From

In most states, schools run / on local property tax / but California schools' funds / boom and bust with NASDAQ | Most Californians are surprised by these charts.

8.4 Prop 13 and Prop 98: Initiatives that shaped California's education system

Proposition 13 / centralized the budgets / and left the schools searching / for stray budget nuggets | Here's what you need to know about Proposition 13.

8.5 LCFF: The formula that controls most school funding

How should districts / spend their dough / now that their budget's / in local control? | LCFF is a big change in education finance in California. Here's a simple explanation with links to the mind-blowing details...

8.6 Categorical funds: Special education and other exceptions

Money for this / but not for that / the rules exist / and that's that | California's new LCFF (local funding formula) includes some exceptions.

8.7 School Funding: How Money Reaches the Classroom

Districts get money for kids who are poor / or speak only limited English. / But does that money carry through / after the budget is finished?

8.8 Effectiveness: Is Education Money Well Spent?

Make the most of what you've got / We count on you for thrift / every student needs a shot / to give their life a lift

8.9 More Money for Education: What Are the Options?

Limerick for California school bake sales: We all want our children to blossom / in schools that are totally awesome / if we had the dough / we'd make it so / but money's a bit of a problem.

8.10 Parcel Taxes: Only in California...

So you want to pass a parcel tax. Here's how they work, and when and where they tend to pass. Brace yourself.

8.11 Volunteers: Hidden Treasure Trove for Schools

Your budget doesn't count the hours / that parents help for free / Stealth wealth from parent power / to get from A to Z. | Care to guess if this helps low-income communities or not?