According to Emily Richmond of the Las Vegas Sun, "History suggests that Nevada’s public schools may never recover from the budget cuts being required of them by legislators after this weekend."
This is certainly the opinion of the school superintendents, some legislators and some special-interest groups. But it isn't true at all.
Not only has public education recovered financially from budget cuts, its revenues and spending have outpaced population growth and inflation combined! Take a look for yourself:
*Per-pupil spending, adjusted for inflation. 1959-2007
*Per-pupil spending, adjusted for inflation. 1997-2007
*Total K-12 education operating budget from all districts, in millions of dollars. Adjusted for inflation. 2001-2011. Note: the FY 10 and FY 11 budgets will be reduced by 6.9 percent, potentially leaving K-12 education with more money than in the last biennium.
*General Fund appropriations in millions of dollars. Adjusted for inflation. 2001-2011. Does not include the 6.9 percent reduction for the 2009-11 biennium.
*Basic support per pupil. Adjusted for inflation. 2001-2011. Does not include the 6.9 percent reduction for the 2009-11 biennium.
Don't take our word for it. Go directly to the source.
*Legislative Counsel Bureau
*National Center for Education Statistics at the U.S. Department of Education
This is certainly the opinion of the school superintendents, some legislators and some special-interest groups. But it isn't true at all.
Not only has public education recovered financially from budget cuts, its revenues and spending have outpaced population growth and inflation combined! Take a look for yourself:
Don't take our word for it. Go directly to the source.
*Legislative Counsel Bureau
*National Center for Education Statistics at the U.S. Department of Education
3 comments:
Indeed, many public administrations in recent years have made "peace" with cost cutting in the sense that they e.g. implemented modern management methods etc. Still I would feel easier if most of that were privatised since all these figures in general overlook mostly unfunded future payments such as pensions or health care. Also public workforces generally do not easily adjust to falling demand (in this case: less children eventually). Still, the rhetoric is always the same: spending is always too low, never ever too much or even "enough". Thanks for a new statistical source by the way, will include in my Statistical Reference List!
The problem with your comparisons is that they don't factor in the exploding cost of entitlements like special education and other federal mandates.
Special education is awash with cash - so much so Dr. Jay P. Green at the University of Arkansas showed that school districts might be intentionally labeling kids with learning disabilities to get more cash.
PS, Nevada isn't required to do any Federal mandate on education - we do it because we get extra money, even if it doesn't pan out cost wise.
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