Education Law

Glum and glummer

As states grapple with budget shortfalls across the country, the looming impact on schools -- which can account for a majority of state funding -- is not pretty.

New York schools may be fortunate to see level funding from the state, which is facing a $1.5 billion shortfall. The New York State School Boards Association is advising school boards to begin explaining to their communities the impact of potential cuts. "You're in the middle of the school year, you've set the tax rate _ tax bills have already gone out," David Albert of the NYSSBA said. "You've planned your spending ... Midyear school cuts would be devastating."

In Alabama, the state informed school districts this week that it is short 25 percent on the state allocations that help districts meet end-of-month payroll, forcing districts to tap into reserve accounts or take out loans to pay employees, reports the Birmingham News.

In California, schools and other agencies are in the crosshairs of a multi-billion dollar state shortfall, writes the Sacramento Bee.

Education Week (registration needed) recently summarized the impact of the economic crisis on school districts.

Full post as published by BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog on October 30, 2008 (boomark / email).