More Money In Schools Helps Low-Income Kids

By Dr. Marciene Mattleman

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - In districts that have substantially increased school spending as a result of court ordered changes in school finance, low-income students were more likely to graduate from high school, earn livable wages and avoid poverty in adulthood.

These data were concluded from a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, as cited in Education Week, based on an analysis of 15,000 children born between 1955 and 1985.

For low-income students who spent all 12 years in districts that increased spending by 20%, graduation rates rose by 23 percentage points. They also attained nearly a full year of post-graduate education.

Between the ages of 25 and 45, these same students were 20 percentage points less likely to fall into poverty with wages 25% higher than they would have been without the changes.

Also, It was found that finance revisions reduced the ratio of students to teachers and counselors.

Money may not be everything that increases learning, but it clearly helps.