Last month, the Future of Education Finance Summit was held for a second year in Baltimore. At this event, education finance researchers, policymakers, K-12 board members and school district leadership from over 20 states came together to learn from each other and network.
Benjamin Jealous, a partner with Kapor Capital and a gubernatorial candidate in the state of Maryland, kicked off the summit with a keynote address. As one attendee stated: “Ben left me inspired to action, with tangible examples of this unintended class and race-based discrimination. Throughout the remainder of the summit, we all focused on how we can deliver meaningful data and derive insights that help our districts finally put an end to this systemic problem. It was a wonderful weekend of education, collaboration, and brainstorming ways to better serve all American kids.”
The Summit featured 15 breakout sessions focused on hot topics in education finance, such as fiscal equity, building capacity for budget autonomy, and tying spending to strategic goals and student outcomes. Superintendents, finance and technology directors, academic officers, and board members representing districts from across the country will discuss best practices and lessons learned from education finance innovation and analysis. Researchers, policy-makers, and school finance advocates will share findings and case-studies relevant to state initiatives and new federal regulations.
“These education leaders are paving the way to demonstrate the impact of resource equity and fiscal strategy on student achievement,” said Jess Gartner, CEO of Allovue. “We are thrilled that our Summit brought together an all-star roster of education finance visionaries.”