Education
Basics

Education funding and education policy varies considerably across states, but the core challenges are common and familiar.  K-12 public schools rely heavily on state and local financing, usually through some combination of "baseline" state aid and local property tax revenues.   This exposes schools to stark budgetary pressures and geographical inequities--at a time when public investments in education are more important than ever.  To make matters worse, federal and state "reform" efforts have been largely animated by a shift in resources to charter or private schools, and a concerted attack on the collective bargaining rights of teachers and school staff.

Learn More

On education funding, see the work of the Committee for Education Funding, a coalition of 80 organization dedicated to sustaining adequate federal funding for education; the New America Foundation's Federal Education Budget Project; and the work of the National Education Association.

Recent Research Highlights

Education and Training Opportunities for TANF Recipients (March 2011)

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Education Pays in Iowa: The State’s Return on Investment in Workforce Education (May 2009)

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Flunking Out: New Jersey’s Support for Higher Education Falls Short (Update) (March 2010)

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Garden State Dreams: In-State Tuition for Undocumented Kids (January 2010)

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Iowa’s Challenged Commitment to Higher Education (April 2012)

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Iowa’s Investments in a Child’s First 2,000 Days (April 2012)

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Lifelong Learning Accounts (August 2011)

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Middle Skill Jobs (May 2011)

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No Accountability: Pennsylvania’s Track Record Using Taxpayer Dollars to Pay for Private and Religious School Tuition (April 2011)

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North Carolina’s Disappearing Educators (September 2011)

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