The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires state education agencies (SEAs) to conduct periodic resource allocation reviews (RARs) in districts that serve low-performing schools. This is a new opportunity for states and districts to examine the connection between resource allocation and academic outcomes.
In preparing for the RAR, we suggest SEA leaders tap School Spending and Outcomes Snapshots for readily available data, including demographic, financial, and outcomes data, so that school leaders can see how their resources compare to those of other schools in the district. The SEA should provide the data to the LEA leader with instructions to share with school leaders (and school staff, if desired) in advance of the resource allocation discussion.
SEA leaders can find full step-by-step guidance and a one-page RAR discussion protocol, plus other helpful samples and templates below. Please reach out to our team at edunomics@georgetown.edu if you have any questions or are looking for assistance.
