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K-12 Dive
Prior to COVID-19, states cut $600B in ed funding since Great Recession
Roger Riddell
Jan. 15, 2021
Dive Brief:
A pair of reports released Thursday by the Education Law Center —
"Making the Grade 2020" and "$600 Billion Lost: State Disinvestment in
Education Following the Great Recession" — add deeper context to the
financial turmoil facing the nation's public schools and further
highlight the adverse impact states' education funding cuts were
already having prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to "$600 Billion Lost," public schools lost a total of $598
billion in state and local revenue in the years following the Great
Recession, with PK-12 funding in all but four states in 2018
representing a smaller portion of economic activity than before the
crisis. The report graded how equitably states funded public schools
based on three metrics: funding level, funding distribution and funding
effort.
Meanwhile, "Making the Grade" shows dramatic variations in school
funding levels from state to state, with those in the Northeast and
Midwest generally trending toward higher funding levels than the South
and West. In the top states, funding provided as much as 50% more than
the national average of $14,548 per pupil, while the bottom states were
as low as 30% less.
Dive Insight:
The dual reports highlight the perilous financial situation schools
across the U.S. faced prior to the onset of the novel coronavirus
pandemic in spring 2020. According to "Making the Grade," for example,
15 states also have "regressive" systems for K-12 funding that allocate
less funding to high-poverty districts than those with lower poverty
rates — an issue that can cause even more strife if, for example, the
same formulas are used to disburse emergency COVID-19 relief funds to
schools.
“As states confront the COVID-19 public health crisis, these reports
are a stark reminder of the long-lasting implications of shortsighted
economic policy,” said Jennifer Doeren, director of the Partnership for
Equity & Education Rights, in a press release. “Going forward, it’s
critical that threats to school funding are met with a strong and
sustained demand that governors and legislators not reduce but increase
their state’s investment in its public schools.”
ELC Executive Director David Sciarra added, “We’ve already seen New
York, Texas and other states make devastating budget cuts in response
to the economic downturn brought on by the pandemic. Our students,
especially in schools segregated by poverty and race, simply cannot
afford to lose teachers, counselors, nurses and other supports at a
time when they need more not less.”
On top of pandemic-related cuts that have been made or are expected in
the coming years, school districts have also incurred significant new
expenses as they transitioned to online learning models and added
safety measures that mitigate transmission of the virus in school
buildings. In May, the Association of School Business Officials
International and AASA, The School Superintendents Association,
estimated the average district would have to spend approximately
$194,045 for personal protective equipment, $1.23 million to hire
additional staff such as custodians and nurses, and $116,950 for health
and disinfecting equipment.
Under December's relief package and last spring's Coronavirus Aid,
Relief and Economic Security Act, K-12 schools were provided $54.3
billion and $13.5 billion, respectively.
Compounding the issue, The New York Times reports wealthy private
schools were able to gain access to emergency Paycheck Protection
Program funds made available to help small businesses weather the
pandemic.
Sierra Canyon High School, an elite Los Angeles private school serving
the children of stars including LeBron James, was cited as an example,
having received $3.14 million under the program while the city's
traditional public schools received around $716,000 in relief funds.
Similarly, the Sidwell Friends School, a District of Columbia private
school once attended by Sasha and Malia Obama, reportedly received
$5.22 million in PPP funds while D.C. Public Schools got an average of
$189,000 in relief funds.
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