With Fiscal Cliff Looming, School Districts Across The Country Begin To Prepare

While federal funding generally represents about 10 percent of public school budgets, schools have already lost millions of dollars in state money. According to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal-leaning research and advocacy group, 26 states cut funding this school year, and two-thirds of states are providing less money for public education than they did five years ago. It may be several years before state coffers recover enough to restore funding to previous levels.

At the same time, schools have been hobbled as another important source of financing — property tax collections — has plunged after the housing crisis.

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