ABSTRACT
As we draw closer to the end of our study of how public schools are funded, we also must devote time to examining the area of auxiliary or support services. Our goal is twofold. First, there is a tendency in society to see the work of schools as almost entirely instructional, which can lead to other areas of school district operations being undervalued when, in fact, they should be highly prized for their role in providing equal educational opportunity. Our second goal follows closely, in that a book examining the many aspects of schools and money would be incomplete if it failed to address transportation and food services because schools would be negatively impacted absent these essential operations. In sum, every child has a right to equal educational opportunity, and so should be able to get to and from school without hardship, and attend classes free of hunger through the provision of healthy, nutritious meals. Equal opportunity is mocked when schools are physically inaccessible or when children are malnourished.
