Budget & Finance
Education news, analysis, and opinion about district and school finances and budgets.
Quality Counts
Special Report
Quality Counts 2021: School Finance
This Quality Counts 2021 installment grades the nation and states on school finance and surveys educators' fiscal pressures and priorities.
Special Report
Managing the Money
Money fuels the daily operations of every school and district, but funding fights often take place far from the classroom. This special report focuses on what those on the hot seat are doing to make sure the taxpayer’s dollar gets spent in a way that advances learning.
Budget & Finance Ozempic and Other Pricey Drugs Cause Headaches for SchoolsDistricts are struggling to find cheap and accessible alternatives to expensive medications for staff as insurance and drug costs rise.
Budget & Finance Why Schools—and Teachers—May Need to Brace for Higher Health Insurance CostsDistricts are seeing higher health insurance costs and more challenges in providing affordable care to staff and their families.
Budget & Finance 4 Financial Headaches Schools May Not Be Able to Avoid This YearHiring challenges, new and potentially expensive state laws, and intensive audits are on the horizon.
Budget & Finance Most Districts Say They Don't Need More Time to Spend ESSER DollarsOnly 13 percent of districts surveyed by ASBO International said they plan to seek approval to spend the federal aid past the deadline.
Budget & Finance 2023 in School Finance: Legal Fights, School Choice Debates, Persistent InequitiesHighlights of the year in school finance coverage include school funding lawsuits, private school choice legislation, and the looming financial storms brewing.
Budget & Finance Bus Contracts: The Pros and Cons for School Districts Outsourcing TransportationDistricts see more predictable costs and get valuable expertise, but high costs send some back to an in-house model.
Budget & Finance From Our Research Center When ESSER Funds Are Gone, Here's Where Districts May Turn to Fill GapsDistricts will look to a range of funding sources to cover the services they've paid for in recent years with a surge of federal money.
Budget & Finance Need More Time to Spend ESSER Funds? Contact Your State Now, Ed. Dept. SaysMany school officials have been seeking more time to spend the billions in one-time funds they received from federal COVID-relief packages.
Budget & Finance How School Districts Can Avoid Costly Mistakes That Make Auditors GrumbleAs ESSER funds expire, districts are looking to prevent costly mistakes that have ripple effects for years.
Budget & Finance From Our Research Center Do You Know How Much U.S. Schools Spend Per Student? (Most Educators Don't)The gap between perception and reality could pose some potential problems for schools.
Budget & Finance Tutoring Can Be Costly. Here's How to Make It Cost-EffectiveAs a federal funding cutoff looms, some districts are finding ways to make intensive tutoring sustainable.
Budget & Finance District Leaders Want More Time to Spend ESSER Funds—and More Money, TooOn Capitol Hill, superintendents pointed to big wins fueled by federal relief aid, from extended learning time to mental health support.
Budget & Finance Q&A Why Are K-12 Funding Inequities So Pervasive? A French Scholar of U.S. Education Weighs InEsther Cyna brings a unique perspective as a French scholar studying school finance in the United States.Budget & Finance Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About Strategies for Closing the Funding Gap?Answer 7 questions about school funding after ESSER.
Budget & Finance Every Student Needs School Supplies. But Who Pays for Them?Some districts cover the costs of classroom materials, while others expect parents or teachers to pay.
