School funding and operations
Follow budgets, staffing decisions, school closures and changes to services.
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Cincinnati Public Schools begins furlough days as other Ohio urban districts opt for different cuts
The first of five unpaid days for all employees took place September 21 as part of a plan to close a $58.6 million deficit. Columbus and Cleveland have used position eliminations and school closures instead.
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Blaine County imposes teacher contract as enrollment drops and deficit looms
The Blaine County School District in Idaho faces a 6.6 percent enrollment decline and a projected $3.5 million deficit, leading the board to impose a $1.2 million compensation package after the union rejected a tentative agreement.
Miami-Dade enrollment falls nearly 16,000, budget pressures mount as vouchers expand
Miami-Dade County Public Schools' official October count shows a drop of nearly 16,000 students, with traditional schools bearing most losses. The decline deepens budget shortfalls as Florida's universal voucher program redirects state dollars to private schools.
Operation Metro Surge linked to enrollment drops and budget shortfalls across Minnesota districts
Enrollment declines in schools with high English learner populations translate to millions in lost funding and proposed teacher layoffs, as similar patterns emerge in Florida and California.
Cincinnati Public Schools under state fiscal caution; recovery plan due Nov. 30 without levy revenue
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce projected a $44.5M deficit by FY2029 and placed CPS in fiscal caution. The board must approve a recovery plan by Nov. 23 that cannot assume the $66.3M levy on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Tulsa Public Schools board votes 6-1 to close 17 schools amid $12 million shortfall, effective 2027-28
The board approved the superintendent's recommendation to close and consolidate 17 school sites beginning in the 2027-28 school year, addressing a $12 million budget shortfall driven by declining enrollment.
Cincinnati Public Schools faces Nov. 3 levy vote and state-mandated fiscal recovery plan due Nov. 30
The district must simultaneously campaign for a $66.3M annual property tax levy while preparing a state-ordered deficit reduction plan that cannot rely on that revenue, putting it at a crossroads.
Columbus City Schools proposes 10 more school closures as it targets $30 million in 2028 budget savings
Ohio's largest district, already cutting $67.5 million over three years, eyes a third round of closures to close a projected $30 million shortfall for fiscal year 2028.
New Jersey extends temporary aid caps as permanent school funding rewrite advances
The Murphy administration's one-year budget provisions limiting aid volatility enter their second year in FY2027, while the NJDOE and Senate propose permanent statutory changes to the School Funding Reform Act.
Missouri's $190M education funding shortfall forces Kansas City-area districts to cut programs and staff
Flat state funding for the first time since 2017 leaves North Kansas City Schools with a $16 million deficit and other metro districts trimming services, as the state board declines to request full formula funding for FY2028.
Salem-Keizer Public Schools Recommends Closing Six Elementary Schools Amid Enrollment Drop and $46M Deficit
The Oregon district's proposal, driven by a decline from 42,000 to 36,000 students and a projected budget shortfall, would affect six campuses and 250 staff. The school board will decide in December.
Missouri State Board requests flat foundation-formula funding for FY2028, leaving formula ~$270M short of full funding
The board requested $4.28 billion for FY2028. Its decision leaves a projected funding gap while districts, including North Kansas City, prepare recurring budget reductions.
Ohio places Cincinnati Public Schools in fiscal caution, requiring deficit plan by Nov. 30
The state directive restricts Cincinnati Public Schools from counting pending levy revenue in its recovery plan, forcing the district to plot cuts to balance a projected $44.5 million shortfall. Failure could escalate to a state-appointed commission with power over the elected school board.
CSBA Sues California Over $3.9 Billion Proposition 98 Withholding in 2026-27 Budget
The California School Boards Association and the California Teachers Association filed separate lawsuits challenging the state's decision to withhold $3.9 billion from the constitutionally guaranteed school funding formula.
Maryland's Blueprint oversight board weighs legislative changes as $3B budget gap looms
The AIB has recommended tweaks to the Blueprint each year since 2022. Now the state faces its largest budget gap in two decades, with Blueprint costs outpacing revenues.
Pinellas County proposes closing 7 schools, citing 35,000 empty seats and declining birth rate
The district, built for 115,000 students, now serves roughly 70,000. Officials expect $25 million in annual savings from closures and conversions, with no teacher layoffs. A final vote is set for October 13.
NC budget eliminates Praxis Core for teacher prep, adds EVAAS pathway, eases out-of-state reciprocity
Provisions folded into $34.4 billion state budget signed by Gov. Josh Stein take effect July 1, 2026, amid teacher shortages and declining enrollment in preparation programs.
Tulsa Public Schools board sets Oct. 19 deadline for $12 million reduction plan
The board unanimously passed a resolution requiring the superintendent to present recommendations for at least $12 million in operating budget reductions. Options include school closures, a salary freeze, and program cuts.
Little Rock School District proposes closing 3-4 schools to close $4-7M budget gap
The LRSD Forward plan, released September 4, offers four options. The district has lost 21% of K-12 students since 2013 while reducing its number of schools by only 16%.
Fresno Unified cuts 384 positions, $2.2M in field trips while superintendent's total pay reaches $513,725
Despite a $55 million deficit halved by improved state funding, the district eliminated hundreds of staff positions and elementary field trips, while Superintendent Misty Her received $513,725 in total compensation and a 5% raise.
Iowa City schools oversight committee finds systematic breakdown ahead of state hearing
A seven-member financial oversight committee identified fiscal year 2023 as a breaking point for Iowa City Community School District, which has cut 23 teaching positions and faces an October 7 hearing before the state School Budget Review Committee.
Public School Forum report models weighted student funding scenarios for North Carolina
A two-year study finds that a revenue-neutral weighted formula would cause most districts and charters to lose money, while the 2026 state budget creates a work group to study the transition.
California’s CalSHAPE school HVAC program closes with $191 million unspent, lawmakers fail to extend applications
Nearly $1 billion in utility ratepayer funds intended for school air conditioning and plumbing upgrades will largely revert to utilities by December 2026 after a last-minute budget deal extended deadlines for existing projects but did not reopen the program for new applications.
Austin ISD deficit swells to $105 million, $205 million in cuts approved for next year
The district's 2025-26 shortfall grew more than five times the adopted $19 million deficit, driven by enrollment decline, falling property values, and a failed property sale. The board approved $205 million in cuts and plans to borrow $140 million in October.
Barre schools open without approved budget; third vote set as city-town tax split persists
Barre Unified Union School District began the 2026-27 school year without a voter-approved budget after two rejections, operating under Vermont's 87% borrowing authority while a third vote approaches.
Montana settles Indian Education for All lawsuit, tying mandate to accreditation and tribal consultation
A 2021 class action over Montana's unique constitutional promise of Native American education ends in twin settlements that add audits, tribal consultation requirements, and potential funding cuts.
Barberton City Schools seeks Ohio fiscal emergency declaration after $7M in cuts fail to close projected $2M deficit
The district cut 80 jobs and froze pay, but its forecast shows a $2 million shortfall. If the state declares fiscal emergency, a commission could assume board powers.
Portland Public Schools considers closing up to 20 schools by 2027 as enrollment slides and deficit widens
The district could close between a tenth and a quarter of its 81 buildings. A board vote is set for December 2026 with closures taking effect the following fall.
Seattle teachers to vote on strike authorization as 2026-27 budget deficit looms
The Seattle Education Association will hold a membership vote Aug. 26 on whether to authorize a strike over pay, special education staffing, and class sizes, as the school board votes the same evening on a $1.34 billion budget drawn against a projected $87–100 million structural deficit.
Montgomery County cuts 415 support staff despite record $3.72 billion budget, citing benefit costs
Maryland's largest school district eliminated psychologists, counselors, tutors, and English-language assistants in a budget that is the largest ever, amid rising health insurance and pension costs and a funding shortfall from the county.
New Hampshire asks Supreme Court to overturn Claremont school funding precedents
In a 125-page brief, the state argues the 1993 and 1997 rulings are incompatible with the constitution and that education funding should be a political question, not a judicial matter.
Districts in seven states cut staff, services as ESSER funds expire and costs rise
Cincinnati, Fresno, LAUSD and others adopt furloughs, layoffs, and attrition strategies to close budget gaps driven by expiring federal aid, falling enrollment, and rising special education and insurance costs.
Louisiana task force begins $4 billion school funding formula review with January deadline
A 15-member legislative panel must recommend a revised or replacement Minimum Foundation Program by January 1, 2026, after voters rejected a trust fund proposal for teacher pay.
North Carolina budget provision expands book challenges to all residents, mandates districtwide panels
A budget provision changes North Carolina's school library challenge process from a local, optional system to a mandatory districtwide model, widening who can object and standardizing reviews across each district.
North Carolina law creates High School Redesign Commission, excludes State Board of Education
The 15-member panel, established in the 2026 budget technical corrections bill, will study flexible diplomas and competency-based learning. Its first report is due April 2027. The State Board of Education has no appointment.
Iowa ESA Hits Universal Eligibility as Rural Districts Cut Programs, Staff, and Budgets
Participation in Iowa's education savings account program exceeds projections, while rural public districts report enrollment declines and budget cuts to electives and teaching positions.
Sacramento City Unified approves $158.6M solvency plan, $95 parcel tax, and union deal to stave off insolvency
The board unanimously adopted a package combining a state grant, retiree health fund relief, and $78 million in cuts. The state fiscal watchdog warns the structural deficit remains and the union deal may only delay a crisis.
CPS Board Vote on $9.96 Billion Budget Cuts Teaching Positions; Latino High Schools Face Steepest Losses
The Chicago Board of Education is set to vote July 30 on a budget that eliminates nearly 1,000 teaching positions, with WBEZ analysis showing predominantly Latino high schools losing 7% of classroom teachers.
California now requires schools to give 14 weeks paid pregnancy leave, starting 2027
The state's 2026-27 budget makes paid pregnancy disability leave mandatory for all TK-14 public education employees, closing a gap with private-sector workers. The $218 million annual cost is funded through an enhanced discretionary cost-of-living adjustment.
St. Louis Public Schools proposes closing up to 22 schools by 2028 to address $41 million deficit
The district released three restructuring models on June 29, with community meetings in July and a final board vote expected August 25. Parents have petitioned for more time and community input.
Midland ISD sues Texas over recapture system, calling it an unconstitutional state property tax
The West Texas district's lawsuit is the first major legal challenge to school finance since 2016, targeting a 2019 law that shifted tax rate authority to the state.
Los Angeles County warns LAUSD of insolvency, giving board 45 days to revise budget
The county projects a $231 million cash shortfall by November 2027 for the nation's second-largest school district, which educates about 390,000 students. The board faces escalated oversight if it does not comply.
Federal judge allows $18.5M community schools grant cuts to proceed; layoffs hit 32 Illinois schools
Judge Martha Pacold denied an injunction and dismissed most claims in a challenge to canceled Full-Service Community Schools grants, as 230 staff are already out of work and a second lawsuit continues.
Pennsylvania's $50.8B Budget Channels Over $900M to Education, Using Special Fund Transfers to Guard Rainy Day Balance
The FY2026-27 state budget boosts the Ready to Learn Block Grant by 41 percent and adds to basic, special, and early childhood education. To protect an $8 billion reserve, lawmakers pulled over $500 million from off-budget funds and delayed Medicaid payments.