I examine whether the impact of the Great Recession on school district spending, the allocation of resources, and student achievement varied depending on the strength of state's teachers' unions. Employing a diff-in-diff-in-diff identification strategy, I find that school districts in states with strong teachers' unions experienced significantly…

School districts in the United States often borrow on the municipal bond market to pay for capital projects. Districts serving economically disadvantaged communities tend to receive lower credit ratings and pay higher interest rates. To remedy this problem, twenty-four states have established credit enhancement programs that promise to repay…

This report estimates training needs in three Kalamazoo "core neighborhoods": the Northside, Edison, and the Eastside. Using Census data, the analysis estimates the number of people potentially needing training in these neighborhoods as between 1,254 and 2,098 individuals. This report also estimates this training population's…

In an effort to reduce state spending on special education in public schools, New Jersey moved to census-based funding as part of the new school funding formula, the School Funding Reform Act (SFRA), adopted in 2008. The census approach funds all districts using the statewide average classification rate and a statewide average "excess…

Do education choice programs take money from public school districts, leaving fewer resources for students who remain? The issue at the heart of this question is one of the most powerful arguments offered by skeptics and opponents of such programs. A district's total budget might expand or contract as its student population expands or contracts.…

On April 2, the Milwaukee Public Schools will ask Milwaukee voters to allow the district to exceed state revenue limits by up to $252 million over four years to support its schools and programs. Here, we give our impartial take on the referendum, based on more than a decade of annual reviews of MPS' budget and finances. Our intent is to frame for…

For too long, Ohio underfunded its public charter schools. That policy was unfair to charter school students--many economically disadvantaged--whose educations received less taxpayer support simply by virtue of their choice of schools. It was also unfair to charter schools, which were required to serve children on fewer dollars than the districts…

Each year, the Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB) pulls the school district expenditure data from the Kansas State Department of Education's (KSDE) Data Central site and compiles it in an online tool for members to access. This shows how money is being spent and allows for the comparison of current and past trends to better prepare for…

The data presented in this report provide facts about the extent to which local, state, and national governments commit resources to public education. The level of commitment to education varies on a state-by-state basis. National Education Association (NEA) Research offers this report to its state and local affiliates as well as to researchers,…

Pennsylvania has "the highest cyber charter school enrollment in the country" with student enrollment soaring in 2020-21 due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. School districts paid over $1 billion in tuition for students enrolled in Pennsylvania's 14 cyber charter schools in 2020-21, a $335 million increase over the prior…

Understanding how urban school districts allocate their education funds can help school leaders create more effective budgeting strategies and provide a basis for advocating for additional funding when necessary. This report provides an overview of how urban districts distribute their financial resources, highlights key areas of spending, and…

District expenditures and efficiency can be influenced by the entry of charter schools. Loss of economies due to reduced enrollments and a rising share of high-cost students are some of the key mechanisms that could potentially increase the costs of providing education in district schools. The competitive pressure from charter schools could also…

School funding in Michigan is inadequate and inequitable. Michigan does not provide a sufficient base per-pupil amount, nor does the state properly address the cost of educating students with additional needs, especially students with disabilities, English learners, and low-income students. It would cost $4.5 billion to bring districts to funding…

Rural schools make up 28% of all schools in the United States, serving over 9 million students (NCES, 2018; Thomas, 2023). Addressing the unique cost drivers, service gaps, and funding disparities between rural and nonrural districts is crucial to ensuring equitable learning opportunities for all students. Rural school districts in the U.S. face…

This Annual Statistical Report of the Public Schools of Arkansas, Open Enrollment Public Charter Schools, and Education Service Cooperatives, 2023-2024 Actual and 2024-2025 Budgeted (ASR) is submitted in compliance with the provisions of A.C.A. § 6-20-2201 et seq. The information contained in the report was obtained from the Annual Financial…