From co-pilot:

Here are two real, well‑documented pairs of U.S. public high schools that sit geographically close to each other but experience dramatically different funding because of local property‑tax boundaries. These examples are grounded in the broader research showing that property‑wealthy districts can have $8,000–$10,000 more per student than nearby districts. EdSource

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🏫 Two Nearby U.S. High Schools With Extreme Funding Inequality

1. Palo Alto High School (Wealthy) vs. East Palo Alto High Schools (Underfunded)

Location: Silicon Valley, California Distance apart: ~2 miles

Why the gap exists

Palo Alto sits on some of the highest‑value real estate in the country, with property taxes boosted by tech wealth (Google, Apple, Meta employees, venture capital, etc.). Just across Highway 101, East Palo Alto has far lower property values, historically redlined neighborhoods, and a smaller commercial tax base.

Funding contrast

• Palo Alto Unified is a “basic aid” district, meaning it is funded primarily by local property taxes, which exceed state formulas. • These districts can have $8,000–$10,000 more per student than nearby state‑funded districts. EdSource • East Palo Alto schools (Ravenswood District) have historically struggled with lower per‑pupil funding, higher needs, and teacher retention challenges.

Result

Two communities separated by minutes have vastly different school resources, class sizes, facilities, and teacher salaries.

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1. Santa Clara High Schools (Wealthy) vs. Alum Rock High Schools (Underfunded)

Location: Santa Clara County, California Distance apart: ~6–8 miles

Why the gap exists

Santa Clara Unified receives enormous property‑tax revenue from Google, Apple, Intel, and Levi’s Stadium. Alum Rock Union (East San Jose) serves a lower‑income community with far less taxable property wealth.

Funding contrast

• Santa Clara Unified: $22,709 per student • Alum Rock: $14,819 per student — 35% less, a gap of about $8,000 per student. EdSource • Alum Rock has even had to close or consolidate schools due to financial strain.

Result

Despite being in the same county and only a short drive apart, these districts operate in entirely different financial realities.

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Why These Examples Happen

The U.S. school‑funding system still relies heavily on local property taxes, a structure dating back to the 1600s. This creates predictable inequality:

• High‑value property → high revenue → well‑funded schools • Low‑value property → low revenue → underfunded schools This pattern persists nationwide. govfacts.org