As fall fast approaches and political campaigns across the country kick it into overdrive, partisans from both sides of the aisle seem to be in a race to promise the biggest public-school spending increase they can. Politicians focus on public-school spending largely because the message is popular with voters. Indeed, in my own state, Wisconsin, a recent poll showed that the public would choose more spending on public schools over decreased property taxes.

But despite public support, it’s important to determine whether, and what type of, additional spending on schools will actually improve performance.

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