The governance of equity funding schemes for disadvantaged schools: lessons from national case studies

Equity funding (also called needs-based funding, educational priority funding or compensation funding) refers to additional funding (per student) provided to schools with an above-average representation of students from disadvantaged (mainly low-SES and immigrant) backgrounds. More than half of EU countries currently provide some type of equity funding to schools that serve target groups such as children with a migration background, low-SES children or children in vulnerable family situations.

This report examines to what extent the improved governance of equity funding schemes could contribute to better results. It is based on case studies of equity funding in seven selected member states (or regions) of the EU: Flanders, the Netherlands, France, England, Ireland, Finland and Slovakia.