School Capital Expenditure Rules and Distribution
AEA Papers and Proceedings
vol. 111,
May 2021
(pp. 450-54)
Abstract
We provide descriptive evidence on the level and within-state distribution of school capital expenditures over the past two decades. We relate these to the fiscal institutions governing capital funding across states. Within-state differences in capital expenditures between the highest- and lowest-income school districts fell considerably following the Great Recession. Spending declined in the highest-income districts, while state support for low-income districts remained stable. Suggestive evidence points to the importance of constraints on districts' ability to raise local funding and the structure of state support in explaining these differences and trends over time.Citation
Biasi, Barbara, Julien Lafortune, and David Schönholzer. 2021. "School Capital Expenditure Rules and Distribution." AEA Papers and Proceedings, 111: 450-54. DOI: 10.1257/pandp.20211040Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- H75 State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions
- R51 Finance in Urban and Rural Economies
- R53 Public Facility Location Analysis; Public Investment and Capital Stock
- H72 State and Local Budget and Expenditures
- I28 Education: Government Policy