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States Scramble to Contain Ed. Shortfalls

In Virginia, the board of education will accept a freeze on funding for state-mandated minimum standards for public schools. In Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland says the economy could make it difficult to provide an overall increase in funding for schools under his upcoming education plan. And in Alabama, efforts are on to prevent drastic cuts in school budget funding.

Budget woes continued to affect education funding around the nation, as states struggled to ward off major shortfalls under a teetering economy.

The Virginia board of education will not ask for more funding for the Standards of Quality, state-mandated minimum goals for public schools, because, its members say in their recommendations to the governor and legislature, they acknowledge the current economic challenges...