Abstract
The goal of this review is to synthesize recent, methodologically and conceptually diverse bodies of literature addressing the and equal educational opportunity in pursuit of enhancing school funding research practices. The three bodies of relevant literature include: 1) empirical validations of the presence of racial disparities, and insights regarding empirical associations with economic, demographic, governance, and structural conditions of schooling; 2) historical origins and contemporary relevance of these influential economic, demographic, governance, and structural conditions; and 3) political and economic theories for why these systems have evolved over time and why substantive change to the underlying systems and policies that reinforce racial disparities in school funding is difficult. The studies reviewed herein demonstrate that race-avoidant policies will not sufficiently remedy racial disparities in school funding because of structurally and individually racist causes. Racism caused the disparities throughout the school funding system.