One effect of the federal stimulus funding for K-12 has been to create an impression that schools are suffering today because of the economic downturn. This is true. But the downturn is not the sole reason for their financial pains.
For decades government has increased spending to match education expenditures that regularly outpaced economic growth. In recent years this has become less possible, compelled by the Great Recession and by growing claims from other public services such as health care and social security.
With school costs rising faster than revenue, a balanced budget one year becomes a deficit the next. The perennial practice of raising spending and cutting school services is not a function of being under resourced, but instead a symptom of cost inflation that the system must evolve to respond to.
EE argues it is necessary to improve the cost and effectiveness of K-12 by redesigning school, and through a systemic strategy of fostering innovation.