ERS 2014 Guide to Implementing Student-Based Budgeting

David Rosenberg, Jeff Gordon, Betty Hsu Chang, January 2014

Student-Based Budgeting (sometimes called Weighted Student Funding, Fair Student Funding, or student-centered funding, depending on the district) differs fundamentally from the traditional funding model, which distributes resources to schools in the form of staff and dollars designated for specific purposes.

Student-Based Budgeting (SBB) allocates dollars to schools based on the number of enrolled students, where each student receives a funding “weight” based on need. This model can allow districts to increase equity, transparency, and flexibility in their funding system. In this guide, you will find information to consider whether SBB is right for your school system, including stories of how districts such as Boston, Denver, Baltimore, and Cleveland implemented SBB.