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Newsletters
Apr 23, 2026

BREAKING: Federal “first look” financials are out

The latest federal financial data shows that K-12 spending has hit the $1 trillion milestone. From state revenue jumps to the growth of the "middle layer," see how spending varies and why ROI matters more than ever.

Newsletters
Apr 07, 2026

School district layoffs: It’s happening

School districts across the country are grappling with the aftermath of a massive hiring surge paired with a steady decline in student enrollment. While federal relief funds provided a temporary cushion, the "Big Shrink" is forcing a long-overdue conversation about which roles truly drive student success. To survive this transition, leaders must look past broad cuts and identify exactly where...

Newsletters
Feb 12, 2026

A reckoning on school staffing. WANDA has your district’s numbers.

You know the story: many districts added staff with temporary federal relief funds just as enrollments began to fall. But who are all the new hires? And what roles grew the most? WANDA (our handy data tool) shows what staffing patterns look like in states and districts. District leaders can use WANDA to examine their staffing and inform efforts to...

Newsletters
Jan 21, 2026

Can financially strapped districts afford tutoring? YES

How budget-strapped districts can afford tutoring by redeploying existing staff from non-teaching specialist, administrator and support staff roles.

Newsletters
Jan 08, 2026

Fraud, waste, and abuse: Here’s what we see in K-12

Learn how fraud, abuse, and waste drain K-12 education budgets. From gift card theft to ineffective programs, discover why districts need zero-tolerance policies and data-driven budgeting to protect taxpayer funds and restore public trust in schools.

Newsletters
Oct 28, 2025

Schools need Title I. Kids need it to work better.

Each year the federal Title 1 program delivers $18B to districts, and in return districts are supposed to close achievement gaps between students from low-income households and their peers. With missed results and proposed cuts now might be a good time to recommit to the deal and make measurable progress for low-income students.

Newsletters
Sep 25, 2025

Breaking News: Your district’s enrollment figures

Districts are experiencing enrollment declines that signal long-term financial challenges — what we call The Big Shrink. Drops in particular grade levels or reveal different underlying causes, from falling birthrates to family out-migration. Leaders who analyze their data early can plan thoughtfully — rethinking staffing, evaluating programs, and even closing schools — to build smaller, stronger, and more sustainable systems...

Newsletters
Aug 12, 2025

Will districts cut or protect PD?

While PD can deliver strong returns—such as boosting reading instruction or supporting lower-achieving students—it often falls short, and many districts continue funding the same approaches without measuring results. With tighter budgets, leaders should set measurable goals, track results, and redirect funds from ineffective PD to strategies that deliver meaningful improvements.

Newsletters
Jul 15, 2025

An ed finance gamechanger has arrived: It’s not what you think

There's a lot of attention on the July 1 federal withholding of some Title funds however the real ed finance game changer is OBBBA's tax credit scholarship provision.There are still a lot of details to be hammered out but It’s the type of money that changes the education landscape over time.

Newsletters
May 15, 2025

New forms of teacher pay take hold

Research has long documented that a strong teacher can have profound effects on student math and reading scores. And yet, school systems have tended to focus on quantity over quality. But prioritizing teacher quality is possible. And it doesn't mean throwing out the traditional pay scale or resorting to unpopular merit bonuses. A few school systems are paving the way.

Newsletters
Apr 08, 2025

How to cure an ESSER hangover

While the ESSER tap was flowing, districts promoted many of their best teachers into non-teaching roles of administrators, coordinators, interventionists, coaches, and student support staff. With those funds gone how districts pivot-- focus on quality over quantity--matters for students.

Newsletters
Mar 13, 2025

Layoffs happening in schools. Yes, SCHOOLS.

News of federal layoffs is everywhere. Meanwhile, districts are making their own massively consequential decisions right now, including layoffs of school personnel.

Newsletters
Jan 29, 2025

NAEP truth bomb: Some states see academic progress. Many do not.

The 10-year trends for each state suggest a reset is needed in many to ensure that investments are delivering more for students.

Newsletters
Dec 19, 2024

Looking to avoid closures? Districts have options

Small schools can be financially feasible - but there are tradeoffs.

Newsletters
Nov 14, 2024

Should schools brace for big cuts in federal funds?

How will the election impact school finance? Here's what we think is on the ed finance horizon and what’s worrying us.

Newsletters
Oct 24, 2024

Is it true? ESSER boosted spending more in wealthier schools?

Larger higher-poverty districts got more ESSER per pupil than their peers. But, many of those districts then deployed relief funds in ways that disproportionately boosted spending in their wealthier schools. How did that happen?

Newsletters
Oct 18, 2024

Our special ed analysis has people talking

Special Ed is consuming a growing share of public school dollars. Is it helping? We owe it to students to regularly scrutinize these dollars to see if we can do more to maximize the outcomes for them.