Strategic Resource Allocation for the 21st Century: How State Leaders Can Address the Silent Recession (Executive Summary)

With education systems across the country facing an increasingly challenging fiscal environment, state departments of education and local school districts are being forced to make difficult decisions about how to leverage limited dollars to best meet the needs of students. During these difficult budget periods, state leaders are uniquely positioned to support school districts.

Following up on two previous “Silent Recession” reports, this executive summary briefly describes state-level strategies for helping districts address rising education costs and deploy resources strategically to improve student outcomes, as detailed in the full report, Strategic Resource Allocation for the 21st Century: How State Leaders Can Address the Silent Recession.

The strategies described in this summary focus on three key areas: special education, educator compensation and benefits, and revenue generation.

Download the Full Report and Other “Silent Recession” Papers:

• Strategic Resource Allocation for the 21st Century: How State Leaders Can Address the Silent Recession
• Silent Recession: Why California School Districts Are Underwater Despite Increases in Funding
• Education Budget Strategies for Challenging Times: How California School Districts Are Addressing the Silent Recession