An Update on: Estimating the Impact of the EduJobs Proposal on States MS Word PDF - This ECS StateNote updates information on the proposal in the U.S. House of Representatives would create an "education jobs fund" which many are calling the EduJobs program. This program would provide $22.47 billion to states to create or save education positions in K-12 public schools. (Mike Griffith, Education Commission of the States, July 2010)...

Estimating the Number of Jobs Created or Saved MS Word PDF - http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/85/25/8525.pdf (Mike Griffith, Education Commission of the States, April 2010)...

On A Razor’s Edge: The National Economy and School Budgets MS Word PDF - Bad economic news is coming in waves these days. While news about the state of our nation’s economy can be disheartening, it is important to remember that a national economic slowdown does not usually translate into immediate budget cuts for school districts. There is a progression from a national economic slowdown to reductions in school budgets, the stages of which are identified in this new ECS Policy Alert. (Mike Griffith, Education Commission of the States, April 2008)...

Cost Per-Day for Extended School Year MS Word PDF - Extending the school year has become a topic of interest to many state and federal policymakers. Prior to deciding to extend the school year it is important for policymakers to understand the associated costs. This ECS StateNote gives a rough estimate of the total cost and the instructional cost of school operation in each state. (Michael Griffith, Education Commission of the States, February 2008)...

After the Stimulus Money Ends: The Status of State K-12 Education Funding and Reforms - This report, which is based on a fall 2011 survey of state education agency officials, finds that state spending cuts for K-12 education seemed to have bottomed out in many states, although some states are still strapped for funds. The report also examines states’ efforts to implement the four school reforms they promised to address in their applications for federal stimulus funds. (Center on Education Policy, 2012) ...

State Government Redesign Efforts 2009 and 2010 - The NGA Center for Best Practices has been tracking states' efforts to downsize and redesign government. In 2009 and 2010 a broad range of budget cuts and programmatic changes were enacted. Some of the changes were temporary but must reflect a "new normal" for state government in the long term. This Issue Brief examines these actions and others that governors have been taking to deal with the austere budget reality in the following policy areas: corrections; K-12 education; higher education; employee costs, shared services; privatization and asset sales; and tax expenditures. (NGA Center for Best Practices, October 2010)...

One in 100: Behind Bars in America 2008 - For the first time in history more than one in every 100 American adults are in jail or prison--a fact that significantly impacts state budgets without delivering a clear return on public safety. This report points out the need of locking up violent and repeat offenders but notes that prison growth does not represent an increase in crime but is reflective of state policy choices that send more lawbreakers to prison and impose longer prison stays. (Pew Center on the States, March 2009)...

One in 31: The Long Reach of American Corrections - In 2009, states face fiscal crisis and corrections is a prime target for cuts. Yet the number of people under some form of correctional control has skyrocketed to one in every 31 adults. Our ability to keep communities safe depends on managing the five million offenders in the correction system. Policy leaders must retool their sentencing and corrections systems, redirect a portion of the funds to provide incentives for stronger community corrections systems with more resources and authority. (Pew Center on the States, March 2009)...