What States Can Do to Support Schools in Tough Times.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011

New report shows how state laws prevent resources from being used most effectively--costing billions of dollars annually

Contact: Allison Daskal Hausman:  617-600-4619, ahausman@erstrategies.org

Billions of education dollars are trapped each year. At this time of continued budget shortfalls when every dollar spent on education must yield maximum returns in student outcomes-states are frequently tying the hands of districts. A new report from Education Resource Strategies (ERS) highlights areas where state law is preventing resources from being used most effectively, and reveals opportunities to improve education by re-thinking the best ways to meet student needs. With most states unlikely to increase education spending any time soon, now is the time for states to update their policies in ways that allow existing dollars to have their greatest impact.

"Most districts and states are struggling with huge spending cuts and now is the time to break out of the old structures that are tying up resources and often not delivering the quality education our students deserve," says ERS Executive Director, Karen Hawley Miles. ERS, a nonprofit organization, works closely with school districts around the country on resource allocation and improving instruction. "States have the choice to make this kind of transformation possible or impossible. This paper gives guidance to help them make the right choice."

Examples of hidden opportunities discussed in the paper include:

1. Funds tied up in one size fits all class size models: increasing student-teacher ratios by an average of only 1 student per teacher could free up to $6 billion across the nation.

2. Funds in special education: implementing new approaches to serving struggling learners could free as much as $3 billion dollars nationally and improve results.

3. Funds trapped in states' categorical funding streams: fragmented programs that each come with their own strings attached limit education leaders' creativity and flexibility to meet student needs better or for less.

Download the paper.

Education Resource Strategies (ERS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping urban school systems organize talent, time and money to create great schools at scale.