Click here to read a very interesting blog about the statistics about funding for the upcoming school year. Look at these statistics:
- While 70 percent of school districts nationwide experienced funding cuts in the 2010-11 school year, that percentage is expected to rise to 84 percent in the coming 2011-12 school year — and 63 percent of these districts expect cuts to exceed 5 percent of their existing budgets.
- About 85 percent of the districts that experienced funding decreases in the 2010-11 school year said they cut jobs for teachers and other staff to help absorb lost revenues.
- Looking to next school year, approximately 61 percent of the districts that anticipate funding shortfalls plan to cut staff. That may sound like an improvement, but the percentage is likely to rise because at the time of the survey, many districts had not yet decided where to cut.
- And while federal ARRA and Education Jobs funds helped cushion some of the budget shortfalls, most districts have exhausted these funds. Last year 94 percent of school districts had those funds available. In the coming school year, only about 30 percent of school districts expect to have any ARRA funds available.
- According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, only about $16.9 billion of the total ARRA education appropriations, or roughly 17 percent of the total obligated funds, remain available for expenditure.
- School systems are experiencing a triple whammy. Federal resources are drying up at the same time that state budgets are being cut and revenues from local property taxes are shrinking due to falling housing prices and foreclosures.
WOW! Other readers want to hear what you think…leave a comment below.