Schools Benefit From States’ Strong Budgets

But with most legislative sessions over, funding increases aren’t universal.

During a 2007 legislative season that opened amid a generally strong fiscal climate, state policymakers continued to make public schools a top priority by showering them with record increases in funding and by expanding early-education programs.

Flush with cash, Oregon and Nevada approved major increases in school aid of 18 percent. Utah topped that—granting schools a whopping 20 percent more in funding for fiscal 2008 than in the previous budget.

And in a policy area that leaders in a number of states have made a priority, Arkansas invested heavily in prekindergarten programs, adding another $40 million to its program and bringing its prekindergarten spending to $111 million. Tennessee boosted its prekindergarten funding by $25 million, to $80 million for...