How much more does a disadvantaged student cost?

Abstract

This paper provides a guide to statistically based methods for estimating the extra costs of educating disadvantaged students, shows how these methods are related, and compares state aid programs that account for these costs in different ways. We show how pupil weights, which are included in many state aid programs, can be estimated from an education cost equation, which many scholars use to obtain an education cost index. We also devise a method to estimate pupil weights directly. Using data from New York State, we show that the distribution of state aid is similar with either statistically based pupil weights or an educational cost index. Finally, weshow that large, urban school districts with a high concentration of disadvantaged students would receive far more aid (and rich suburban districts would receive far less aid) if statistically based pupil weights were used instead of the ad hoc weights in existing state aid programs.

Defining an Adequate Education for English Learners

“…Some studies find that the relative costs for educating these two student populations vary by grade level (e.g., Sonstelie, 2007, p. 92), while other studies find they depend on the nature of the EL population (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2005). Different estimates may also result from how the economically disadvantaged population is defined-a broader definition that includes both poor and low-income students may yield a higher relative weight for this larger population of students and fewer additional resources needed for English Learners, since a majority of English Learners are economically disadvantaged (Baker, 2006;Duncombe & Yinger, 2005). 8 But even when a broader and more inclusive definition of economically disadvantaged is used, a lack of consensus remains.…”

Education spending: more resources without management?

“…Ajustando uma fronteira estocástica para função custo na forma translog, Gronberg et al (2012) mostraram que as escolas charters geram os mesmos resultados a custos inferiores. Duncombe & Yinger (2005) estimaram o custo adicional que os distritos escolares têm com alunos em desvantagem (baixa renda, baixo rendimento, etc.). Uma análise de metarregressão com base em estudos que estimam função custo é feita por Colegrave & Giles (2008).…”

The Road Toward K-12 Excellence in Michigan: How an Upgraded Financing System Can Better Support Enhanced Student Achievement

“…This research literature frequently implies that the required extra spending is at least doubling spending per student (Golebiewski 2011;Duncombe and Yinger 2005). The gaps between school districts consisting almost entirely of low-income students, versus districts with almost no low-income students, imply that we would need to spend perhaps four times the current level per pupil in the former districts to eliminate the gap.…”