Resource Allocation Review (RAR)

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires that state education agencies (SEAs) conduct periodic resource allocation reviews (RARs) in public school units that serve federally identified schools. Resource allocation refers to how public school units distribute money and other school inputs that influence student performance outcomes. A Resource Allocation Review (RAR) is a collaborative process that examines how a school or district distributes resources to meet the needs of each student. RARs should consider the following dimensions of resource equity that impact student outcomes:

Teaching quality
Rigorous content
Instructional time and attention
Early intervention
Early learning
A whole-child approach
Family academic engagement

RARs should serve as a method to identify resource inequities and answer questions such as: Are high-need districts, schools, and students getting more or less critical educational resources compared to their peers?

In North Carolina, PSUs with a "significant number" of federally identified schools are identified to participate in the RAR process at the start of each federal identification cycle. The identification criteria are as follows:

Districts with 15% or greater schools that are identified as Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI)
Districts with 66% or greater schools that are identified as Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI)
Charter/LAB Schools identified as CSI at the Tier II level
Charter/LAB Schools identified as ATSI with two or more identified subgroups

For more information about North Carolina’s Resource Allocation Review process, please contact Dr. Pauletta Thompson at Pauletta.Thompson@dpi.nc.gov

Identified PSUs must meet compliance in the following three areas throughout the identification cycle.

Compliance Area #1: Annual Resource Allocation Review Self - Assessment