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Massachusetts2020-03-12T16:36:44+00:00

MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts published FY17 and FY18 school-by-school spending data on the school and district report cards found on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) website. In addition, DESE developed a policy brief in collaboration with the Urban Institute to better understand variations in school-by-school spending across the state and to accompany the expenditure data published on the district and school report cards. DESE also published a detailed school-level expenditure report that includes enrollment, staffing, outcomes, and spending data. Explore Massachusetts’s spending data below or jump over to the state report card here.

WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM THE REPORT CARD ABOUT PER SCHOOL SPENDING

How much does my school spend per student?
Graph of how much MA spends in a school
How does my schools spending compare to state and district averages?
Graph of how much MA spends in a school
Is my school spending more or less per student compared to other schools with similar demographics?
School Spend Sim Demographics
Is spending equitable across the district?
School Spend Sim Demographics
How does my schools spending on services compare to schools with similar demographics?
MA Service and demographics

OTHER QUESTIONS TO ASK & HOW TO FIND THE ANSWERS

How does my school's spending on services compare to district and state averages?

Massachusetts published a more detailed school-level expenditure report that includes staffing and spending on services for every school. While this tool does not provide state and district averages, you can use this data set to calculate the average for the state and the comparison district(s).

How do my school’s outcomes compare with other schools with similar demographics? And how does the spending per student compare at those schools?

While the report card does not provide online interactive comparisons, Massachusetts published a more detailed school-level expenditure report that includes staffing, proficiency on English and math, as well as demographic data. This tool does not provide demographics by race or ethnicity for each school. Other outcomes data, such as graduation rate or growth data, can be found by accessing each individual school’s report cards.

I know which school(s) I want to compare.

To compare demographic and proficiency data, view and/or download the school-level expenditure report and search by comparison school(s).  However, this tool does not provide demographics by race or ethnicity. To view other demographic or outcomes data, such as graduation rate or growth data, access each individual school’s report cards.

I do not know which schools I want to compare.

Outcomes and demographic data can be found on the school-level expenditure report. Use this tool to determine demographically similar schools, or schools with similar outcomes to create your own analysis.

MORE ABOUT MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts is continuing to work on improving their report card system and the school-level data that is included. If you have any questions about the data reported by Massachusetts or feedback on its report card please email the Education Data Services Department HERE.

Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education team has been analyzing school spending data across the state and created an interactive tool where users can explore school spending related to student need and student outcomes in Massachusetts elementary schools. Access this tool HERE. Additionally, MBAE has a blog series on education funding and spending in Massachusetts detailing total spending, revenue sources and enrollment trends. Read this blog series HERE.

In addition, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released a policy brief developed in collaboration with the Urban Institute to better understand variations in school level spending across the state. The Department commissioned the brief to accompany the school level expenditure data on the district and school report cards.

View Massachusetts Report Card