Baltimore City Public Schools spend the same amount per pupil as nearby Montgomery County Public Schools — the latter having one of the best reputations of any school district in America.

The death of Freddie Gray and the resulting riots have shone a spotlight on poverty in Baltimore. Among the seemingly-endless list of causes given by pundits for that poverty is the lack of funding for education in Baltimore. “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart, the Maryland State Education Association and other liberals have called for more education funding in Baltimore.