The mean index is a single summary statistic calculated for each state by taking the average of the four indices 4 . As the table indicates, the rankings are relatively consistent, with most states achieving similar rankings on all measures. Table 1 shows that the horizontal equity of Georgia's revenue distribution ranks well below the national average. Using the unadjusted data and the mean index, Georgia ranks 40th of the 49 states, while inclusion of the cost-adjustments improves its position to 33rd. Summary and Conclusion Several caveats to the conclusions above must be noted.
More recent data indicate that equity has improved somewhat since that time.
Second, the data are from 1992 and a number of states have changed their education funding systems since that time. No more recent finance data for the population of U.S. school districts are available to conduct more timely analyses, however. Third, while these analyses adjust for cost of education differences across districts, they do not account for differences in student characteristics and needs. Since Georgia's QBE funding system includes student weights that provide additional funding to students in lower grades and to those in special education and gifted programs, some resource disparities may be due to policy decisions to target extra funding to districts serving these students. Despite these shortcomings of the data, a number of conclusions can be drawn about the equity of public education funding in Georgia.