State Education Budget Crisis Update at Educator®

State Education Budget Crisis Update

4 Comments Published September 8th, 2009 in Educational News

During the current economic crisis, states across the nation are feeling the pinch of the budget crisis. City by city, block by block – Americans are struggling to earn enough money to afford basic necessities. Nowhere is this more apparent than our education system where hundreds and thousands of students are being affected by the economy. While it’s true that stimulus funds are slowly trickling in, nearly every state has made the tough decision to slash funds for students and teachers.

Already in 2009, 42% of states have cut both higher education and K-12 funding. In addition, 30% of states have cut one or the other. Do that simple math and you’ve got a startling figure before you: nearly three out of every four states has cut some form of education funding at a time many would argue we need it the most. Not surprisingly, an increasing number of people are flocking to online education and really wonder if college is really necessary?

The following graphic shows the states that are (pardon the pun) getting schooled when it comes to budgeting enough money for the next generation of American students. It also gives a tip of the cap to the 14 states that (as of now) haven’t cut funds for the next fiscal year.

[Click on the image below to enlarge]

4 Responses to “State Education Budget Crisis Update”

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1 Jason Sep 9th, 2009 at 2:45 pm

Makes me proud to live in Illinois. Cool graphic.
2 RC Smith Sep 9th, 2009 at 8:05 pm

This would make me proud to live in NH – if we deserved to be on the list. NH funds schools very differently than other places I’ve lived. Towns/Cities pay for their own educational needs with only very economically challenged cities getting any money from the state. While the area in which I live did not cut K-12 funds many areas did. Whenever I see NH on a list such as this, it makes me wonder how suspect the other numbers are as well.
3 marktully Sep 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pm

“While it’s true that stimulus funds are slowly trickling in…”

The stimulus allocates $108 Billion to education.(http://www.scoop44.com/2009/02/17/cuts-to-education-spending-in-stimulus-package-raise-questions-for-some/) That’s Billion with a B. That’s more than $2 Billion per state, and they’re not even all making cuts. Looking at the article’s little infographic, the only state that looks to be still in trouble in California, and they’re so screwed I don’t think they have much of a choice.

Now, in light of trillions for Iraq and 750 billion for the banksters, there are certainly no good conservative arguments for cutting spending on education. (Or health care, or any other liberal project.)

That said, it should be noted that we certainly DO spend more than enough (http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/014091.html) on education, so in general, I can’t see how lack of money could be a legitimate reason for lack of education performance.

These are different types of arguments, and care should be taken to make sure they’re not conflated.