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Costing out: key facts

• The purpose of “costing out” is to objectively determine what level of education funding is needed so that all students have a genuine opportunity to meet state learning standards.
• Costing-out studies determine the base cost of educating a student to meet state requirements under ordinary circumstances.
• Costing-out studies also assess the variations on this base cost caused by particular factors such as school district size and location and student characteristics such as special education, poverty, and limited English proficiency.
• Costing out studies have been performed or are underway in 38 states.
• Results of Pennsylvania’s costing-out study, which is supervised by the State Board of Education, are expected in November 2007.
• Results could help the state legislature develop a sound school funding formula.

-Janis Risch

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