From the ECS State Policy Database: Finance--State Budgets/Expenditures - This policy database—updated weekly—is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States....

What Governors Need to Know: Highlights of State Education Systems PDF - This multistate compilation includes states' number of operating districts, average students per district, per-student spending, free or reduced-price lunch eligible students, percent of K-12 revenue from state sources, state and local school revenue, full-day kindergarten requirements, compulsory school ages and more. (Kyle Zinth and Melodye Bush, Education Commission of the States, updated December 2010)...

Light at the End of the Tunnel PDF - It appears that the nation’s economy is on the mend. For example, a recent report from the United States Federal Reserve points out several signs of a recovery. However, the speed of the recovery is still in question and it is hard to predict how quickly education spending, in particular, will recover. This ECS Policy Alert examines the economic flow-chart for education spending. (Mike Griffith, Education Commission of the States, October 2009)...

State Budget Shortfalls: Examples of State Responses MS Word PDF - Due to significant projected budget shortfalls for 2009 and 2010, many states are proposing short-term cuts in P-12 education spending. This ECS StateNote provides examples of potential budget cuts in five areas, including: (1) capital and building expenditures; (2) textbooks, supplies and equipment; (3) salaries and benefits; (4) staffing of non-teaching positions (at the local and state level); and (5) instructional and support programs and services. The report also indicates where funds are being added or reallocated, and where states are considering creative approaches to preserve or expand P-12 education programs and services. (Jennifer Dounay, Education Commission of the States, February 2009)...

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)...

Comprehensive State Facility Programs MS Word PDF - In the 2005-06 school year $54.3 billion was spent on public school facilities in the United States and an additional $16.3 billion was spent on interest on the debt from previous school facilities projects. In most states the majority of funding for school facilities comes from the individual school districts – usually through local property tax levies. Fiscal studies have shown that funding systems that rely too greatly on local school district funding can result in a vast disparity in the quantity and quality of school facilities between high- and low-wealth school districts. This ECS StateNote examines comprehensive state facility programs, those which have increased funding levels and attempted to direct more funding toward low-income/low-property-wealth school districts. (Michael Griffith and Stephanie Fonda, Education Commission of the States, January 2007)...

State Links for School Finance MS Word PDF - This document provides a link to every state's education finance Web site. Each site provides information on state budgets, funding formulas, salaries, frequently asked questions and more. (Molly Burke, Education Commission of the States, 2005)...

Changes in Per-pupil Education Spending (1981-2001) MS Word PDF - The StateNote compares per-student expeditures in 1981, 1991 and 2001, both in unadjusted and adjusted dollars. Graphics displaying changes in per-pupil spending may be viewed here, here and here. (Michael Griffith, Education Commission of the States, August 2004) ...

Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2008-09 (Fiscal Year 2009)--First Look - This First Look report presents state-level data on revenues by source and expenditures by function for public elementary and secondary education for the 2008-9 school year. (National Center for Education Statistics, June 2011)...

Governors' Legislative and Budget Proposals - This report includes governors' education proposals in Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, Virginia and West Virginia. (Southern Regional Education Board, January 2011) ...

Public Education Finances: 2008 - Education finance data include revenues, expenditures, debt, and assets (cash and security holdings) of elementary and secondary public school systems. Statistics cover school systems in all states, and include the District of Columbia. Data are available in viewable tables and files which can be downloaded. (U.S. Census Bureau, June 2010)...

Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2007-08 (Fiscal Year 2008)--List of Tables - ...

Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education: School Year 2007-08 - Approximately $584.7 billion was collected in revenues for public elementary and secondary education in the 50 states and the District of Columbia in fiscal year 2008. The greatest percentage of revenues (92%) came from state and local government. This report presents data for public elementary and secondary schools on: (1) revenues; (2) current expenditures; (3) salaries and benefits for teachers, classroom supplies and extracurricular activities; (4) current expenditures for instruction and other indicators. (Lei Zhou and Frank Johnson, National Center for Education Statistics, May 2010)...

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)...