Many school districts are proceeding with plans to cut employees and programs, despite a massive infusion of federal money set to flow to states in the next few weeks, according to the American Association of School Administrators.
The Arlington, Va.-based organization last week released the results of an online survey of school leaders. It was conducted in February and March, soon after the approval of the stimulus package, which is providing nearly $100 billion in education money to the states, and included responses from 859 administrators in 48 states.
Many district leaders said the economic picture in their states had deteriorated so much that the stimulus money could not fully reverse planned cuts. According to the report, 72 percent of those surveyed said they had to eliminate positions in the 2009-10 budget. Seventy-five percent of respondents described their districts as “inadequately funded,” up from 67 percent who reported the same condition in a similar survey last fall. Forty-four percent said they were increasing class sizes, and 22 percent said they would cut academic programs, such as Saturday classes.
