Piloting School Funding Equity: How the New Nevada Education Funding Pilot Impacted Student Outcomes

This study examines the impact of a weighted-student funding pilot program in Nevada, the New Nevada Funding Plan Pilot Program (NNFP), on school expenditures and student academic achievement. The NNFP allocated additional funding to Nevada schools through a weighted-student funding formula that provided an additional $1,200 per pupil above and beyond the basic state funding guarantee for English learner and free or reduced-price lunch–eligible students who scored below the 25th percentile on the state standardized test (i.e., qualifying students). Using event study and difference-in-differences strategies and panel data on expenditures and academic outcomes, the study compares outcomes for students in 103 treated schools to students in nonfunded comparison schools. Results show that NNFP funding led to increased expenditures at treated schools of nearly $700 per pupil and modest increases in achievement of 0.07 standard deviation (SD) in English language arts and 0.056 SD in math. We also uncovered evidence that nonqualifying students outgained qualifying students, particularly in English language arts, leading to some concerns about the appropriate targeting of resources.