Since 1989, 27 states have passed one or multiple school finance reforms (SFRs), which are typically defined in the literature as court orders or legislative statutes that mandate major redesigns of a state's school funding formula. In most cases, SFRs increase the overall level of state spending on public schools, as well as target larger…

The Federal Pell Grant program is the largest program providing need-based grant aid to postsecondary students. In FY2023, the program made $31 billion in grant aid available to approximately 6.5 million low-income undergraduate students. Congress has considered several legislative proposals concerning Pell Grants in recent years, and it may…

In 1923, Los Angeles teachers protested the state's biennial budget, a controversial document from newly elected governor Friend Richardson that significantly cut funding to government agencies. The budget was the culmination of more than a decade of fiscal policy reform that reflected a significant shift in anti-tax sentiment. The expansion of…

The House has passed a budget reconciliation bill that supporters are referring to as a "one big, beautiful bill." However, the authors of this Issue Brief believe that this budget bill threatens the health and nutrition of millions of children and pushes millions of children into poverty in order to provide tax credits for corporations,…

Researchers from across the country have published at least 188 empirical studies on the effectiveness of private school choice programs. The "EdChoice Study Guide" is an annually updated guide to the available research on private school choice programs in America. In this guide, one can learn what the body of rigorous research says…

When Coloradans get their ballots in the mail this fall, they could potentially vote on two measures that would have disastrous consequences for Colorado kids and families if passed. Initiatives 108 and 50 would dramatically limit the resources available for critical services and programs that support children and their families at the state and…

The "Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2025" contains the Budget Message of the President, information on the President's priorities, and summary tables. This volume includes economic and accounting analyses, information on Federal receipts and collections, analyses of Federal spending, information on Federal borrowing…

School finance reforms are not well defined and are likely more prevalent than the current literature has documented. Using a Bayesian changepoint estimator, we quantitatively identify the years when state education revenues abruptly increased for each state between 1960 and 2008 and then document the state-specific events that gave rise to these…

The "Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2024" contains the Budget Message of the President, information on the President's priorities, and summary tables. The 2024 Budget is a blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America in a fiscally responsible way that leaves no one behind. The Budget continues lowering costs for…

Medicaid is the fourth largest federal funding source for K-12 schools, supporting over $7.5 billion of school-based health services every year. If Congress cuts Medicaid, states -- and school districts -- will receive less funding. This will force states and local communities to increase taxes and reduce or eliminate various programs and…

This brief explains why concerns over an impending "fiscal cliff" for public school districts as federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds near their expiration are misplaced. Due in part to federal pandemic aid, most state budgets are flush with cash, with record-high rainy-day funds, positioning them to absorb any…

The Indiana Choice Scholarship Program (ICSP), which began in fall 2011, is a state taxpayer-funded financial aid program that helps low and lower-middle income Hoosiers to send their children to the private K-12 school of their choice. This voucher program has been extremely popular among families, as the number of students receiving scholarships…

The "Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2023" contains the Budget Message of the President, information on the President's priorities, and summary tables. The Budget lays out detailed investments to build on a record-breaking year of broad-based, inclusive growth--and meet the challenges of the 21st Century. It is a call…

Between 1965 and 2010, most federal student loans were issued by private lending institutions and guaranteed by the government, and most student loan borrowers made fixed monthly payments over a set period--typically 10 years. Since 2010, however, all federal student loans have been issued directly by the federal government, and borrowers have…

This statistical report details tax and spending changes proposed by New York State districts. A figure shows budgeted change in per-pupil spending by region for the 2018-19 school year. Statistics in the following categories are provided for all reporting New York districts: (1) Projected Enrollment, 2018-19; (2) Budgeted 2018-19 Spending (totals…