ABSTRACT
The exclusion principle is the basis for arguing against broad social services by claiming that high spending for schools is inefficient. The impact of education can be seen at smaller levels by assessing the relative value of schooling at elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels. Inasmuch as most government spending goes to domestic and international programs, including schools, the scope of public finance in the United States is very large. Elementary schooling costs the least, mostly because facility costs are lower than for specialized programs in high schools. There are additional social, political, and economic issues that complicate and drive how school leaders should act and react in today’s political climate. The benefits and costs of public education are never as easy as looking only at growth in revenue and spending—society must also examine the broader scope of funding schools from a policy perspective.
