The Silent Recession: Why California School Districts Are Underwater Despite Increases in Funding
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“[I]t’s exactly this silent recession scenario. . . . Though we are receiving more dollars each year per student, the costs that we’re being saddled with are greater than those revenues. So, we end up in a perpetual cutting mode.”
— District Budget Officer
Despite projected increases in state and local education funding, California school districts face fiscal pressures that threaten to destabilize school district budgets and force reductions in student services.
This paper, written by Kelsey Krausen and Jason Willis of the Comprehensive School Assistance Program at WestEd, details the rising financial demands and explores the implications for districts and the community at large.
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