Expenses on Schooling

I was reading The American Dream and the Public School today and I couldn't help but want to share this quote. "About 47 million children are in public k-12 schools, almost 90% of the school age children in the United States. In 2001, it cost about $390 billion a year from all sources to educate them- more than defense and not too much less than social security." When I thought about that it changed my perceptive on the school system. For the longest time I thought that the no child left behind law was unfair, that their school won't get money from the government if their students can't pass a test. I though how unfair to give the already smart students more money. How could the government turn their back on the most needy students? After reading that quote however, I thought differently. It seems that the government is trying their hardest, they DO understand how important school and education is, they just need a different system. So now I'm wondering, does anyone have any ideas of how all this money $390 Billion could be spent more wisely, on more students? All students deserve a fair and equal education, so why should some get more funding then others? Is there any way to have all schools equal, that is without an uproar?