Abstract:
California public schools receive 2-5% of their annual budget from education support organizations (ESOs), such as parent groups, booster clubs, and education foundations. Anecdotal evidence suggests voluntary contributions are in high demand due to shrinking budgets and because California’s highly centralized education funding system is insufficient to meet the demands of the state and parents. There is also concern, however, that voluntary contributions are primarily directed toward students with less need because many of the districts raising large per pupil averages of voluntary contributions are located in communities with high levels of income. This research examines the growth, distribution, and equity implications of the ESOs in 512 districts in California to update and expand what is known about ESOs in California. I find that the number of and revenue generated by ESOs have grown steadily over time, that, in general, high wealth, low diversity districts receive the higher per pupil revenues, and that these contributions slightly contribute to inequity in the system.
