education budget cuts

Every state is asking two critical questions right now; how do we increase our chances at Race to the Top funding and how do we find new ways to cut education budgets? The guidelines from the US DOE and a new study show that having non-university based alternative teacher certification is the answer to both questions.

A while back I noted that school districts love the irate parent ploy when budgets are being discussed. They start letting parents know that sports will be cut, class sizes will be huge, activities cuts and music/art programs eliminated. Obviously, the parents get mad, attend budget meetings and let the county commissioners know they may find themselves electorally challenged in the next election.

Just over a year ago, I predicted extreme belt-tightening ahead in state budgets. After looking at my retirement savings, I wish that I wasn’t so right. Now we read that 29 states face a total shortfall of $48 billion. And the states that were immune last year to the real estate crumble because they had oil and natural gas revenues are going to be hit hard with oil down under $80.