Is bigger better in new state ratings of efficient school districts?

A new state rating system of the financial efficiency of Georgia school districts rates Gwinnett and Forsyth very efficient, while giving low grades to Atlanta Public Schools and City Schools of Decatur Schools.

But is the rating system skewed to favor larger districts that benefit from economies of scale? And does the system pay enough attention to the challenges of urban systems like Atlanta that deal with large numbers of students in poverty who cost more to educate? Does it recognize the historic willingness of taxpayers in Decatur to pay more in property taxes to maintain their neighborhood schools?

In this age of data worship, state education agencies seem to devote more time to rating schools than helping them. Many state legislatures have embraced a “damned by data” strategy to force change in public education. As a result, school districts are neck-deep in data collection mandates.