New Per Pupil Expenditure Requirements
A new public-reporting requirement included in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that directly impacts principals is now taking effect across the country.
A new public-reporting requirement included in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that directly impacts principals is now taking effect across the country.
The new requirement means states will have to calculate spending of local, state, and federal dollars by school and to make public a “per pupil expenditure” (PPE). Previously, states have been required to report at the district level but not down to the school level.
This is significant because communities can compare spending from school to school, as opposed to getting an aggregate number for the district, with student outcomes. The PPE calculation must include the actual costs including salaries and benefits of teachers, administrators and other school staff, instructional expenses, and transportation, among other expenses.
This change will mean that principals will be on the front lines of this discussion with community members, district leaders, and the media. NAESP has partnered with the Collaborative for Student Success to develop resources to help prepare principals for these critical conversations around resource allocation in their community. These documents will help principals drive an equity agenda for their school and help ensure more thoughtful decisions about what dollars are spent and how those dollars best serve students.
