school bus

An inewsource/KPBS investigation found that some of California’s public school districts have received thousands more dollars in per pupil funding than other publicly funded schools in less affluent neighborhoods.

Read the report.

And the increases come mostly from local property tax dollars.

The districts, more than a third of which are located in the bay area, received between $4.85 and $13,094 in additional revenue for each of their students in the 2009-2010 academic year for districts with at least 500 students average daily attendance. Eight of the districts are located in San Diego County.

These “basic aid” or “excess tax” tax districts can spend more per pupil than other public school districts which rely on state funding to meet revenue limits.

To search the maps, click on a district to view revenue and per student funding information about that district. The darker the color, the more per-pupil funding the district raised through local revenues.

Elementary and Unified Basic Aid Districts in California

High School and Unified Basic Aid Districts in California

Joanne Faryon is a freelance reporter and former inewsource and KPBS reporter.