Equity Audits and School Resource Allocation: Applying Critical Resource Theory to Increase Equal Opportunity in Schools

By: William A. Owings and Leslie S. Kaplan

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Synopsis: Equity Audits and School Resource Allocation explores how to apply Critical Resource Theory (CReT) to conduct school equity audits, ultimately preparing educational leaders to find equity disparities, engage in more equitable resource allocation in their schools, and improve equal educational opportunity for every student. With case study scenarios woven throughout the book, the authors explore key equity factors, including per-pupil expenditures, poverty, teacher and principal quality, program equity, and achievement equity. They also walk through the process of implementing the 5-step CReT equity audit within a school district or school at any level. Owings and Kaplan also describe the communication and interpersonal factors that equity advocates will need to leverage to gain community support for equity process, considering the data, and rethinking their policies and practices. In today’s education context, the problems of equitably funding public schools and allocating learning resources to generate more equal opportunities and higher outcomes for traditionally underserved children are particularly relevant. This important book is designed for course use in leadership preparation programs, for practicing principals and superintendents, and for educational leadership scholars.