Hidden Money: School-Supporting Non-Profit Funds and Rising Inequality
The achievement gap between high- and low-income students has grown since 1970. One possible factor could be the growth of funds provided by school-supporting non-profits (SSNPs), including parent-teacher associations/organizations (PTA/PTOs) and booster clubs. More common in high-income areas, SSNPs may improve student outcomes by augmenting activities funded by school districts or by funding opportunities they do not provide. Sociologist Emily Rauscher will use annual Internal Revenue Service (IRS) non-profit tax data to create the National Longitudinal Database of School-Supporting Non-Profits 1995-2020. She will then examine how SSNP funds are correlated with district spending and student extra/curricular option and participation.