As it has with every aspect of society, the COVID-19 pandemic threatens K-12 finances to an unprecedented degree. Quality Counts' annual deep dive into schools' fiscal resources takes stock of the challenges district leaders face in navigating the world of tight budgets and funding uncertainty stemming from the pandemic-driven economic downturn, along with lessons from those who have weathered previous financial crises. This second installment of three Quality Counts 2020 reports also provides state-by-state school finance grades and rankings that offer context as those leaders make the tough decisions in the months ahead.
- Education Funding From Our Research Center Education Finance Takes Center Stage Amid Fiscal UncertaintyThe latest Quality Counts 2020 installment offers guidance for school leaders who need a clear picture of where they stand on school finance and what they can do to stay afloat during the economic downturn driven by the coronavirus pandemic.
Federal How Districts, States Can Survive the COVID-19 RecessionThe swift, deep collapse of revenue brought on by the coronavirus pandemic could devastate school district budgets. Here's what veteran school leaders and finance experts say can be done to prepare for a prolonged downturn and limit the damage.
Federal From Our Research Center Survey: What District Leaders Say About School Finance in the COVID-19 EraThe EdWeek Research Center surveyed more than 300 district leaders nationwide about the financial outlook for their systems, vulnerable areas of their operations, and their experiences during the last major economic downturn.
Education Funding From Our Research Center Nation Gets a 'C' on School Finance, Even as Economic Downturn Takes HoldWyoming once again takes the top spot in Quality Counts' annual ranking of the states on school finance, while 22 states receive grades between C-minus and D-minus.States From Our Research Center State and National Highlights Reports (Quality Counts 2020)These reports capture key data you need to assess your state's performance on key academic, school funding, and socioeconomic indicators.States State Grades on School Finance: 2020 Map and RankingsExamine the grades and scores that states and the nation earned on school finance, along with how they scored on a host of socioeconomic and other indicators that go into those rankings.Education Funding A User's Guide to the Grading and MethodologyHere's a quick and easy guide to the grading scale and each of the indicators that go into making up the 50-state grades for school finance.
In March 2024, Education Week announced the end of the Quality Counts report after 25 years of serving as a comprehensive K-12 education scorecard. In response to new challenges and a shifting landscape, we are refocusing our efforts on research and analysis to better serve the K-12 community. For more information, please go here for the full context or learn more about the EdWeek Research Center.