Taxes
States
5 Ways You Didn't Know the Election Will Affect K-12 Schools
Voters will weigh ballot items that affect funding for electric school buses, tax revenue for state education budgets, and more.
School Choice & Charters
Explainer
How States Use Tax Credits to Fund Private School Choice: An Explainer
Twenty-one states have programs that give tax credits for donations to organizations that grant private-school scholarships.
Budget & Finance
The Future of Property Taxes Is on Ballots This Fall. Why It Matters for Schools
Several states are considering reforms that would lower property taxes—or ask voters to approve eliminating them altogether.
Education Funding
A Funding Lifeline for Rural Schools Is at Risk, and Not for the First Time
Rural schools near national forests rely on dedicated federal funds. But so far, lawmakers haven't renewed them.
Education Funding
A State Considers a Future in Which Schools Can't Rely on Property Taxes
How would school districts fill the gap if a governor gets his wishes?
Budget & Finance
How to Build Voter Support for School Bonds: 5 Tips
A ‘steady drumbeat of communication’ with lots of detailed information go a long way, district leaders say.
Budget & Finance
Passing School Bonds Is Hard. Advice From 3 Superintendents Who Did It
‘Educating instead of campaigning’ in an era when district leaders are under a political microscope.
Education Funding
When There's More Money for Schools, Is There an 'Objective' Way to Hand It Out?
A fight over the school funding formula in Mississippi is kicking up old debates over how to best target aid.
Teaching Profession
Teachers: Calculate Your Tax-Deductible Expenses
The IRS caps its annual educator expense deduction at $300. This calculator allows teachers to see how out-of-pocket spending compares.
Teaching Profession
It’s Tax Season, Teachers. See How to Save More Money
Experts share multiple ways that educators may be able to incur savings at tax time.
School & District Management
Schools Can Use These Little-Known, Unlimited Funds to Make Their Buildings Greener
Districts can reclaim a substantial portion of the cost of green building improvements through a little-known federal provision.
Education Funding
10 Education Priorities America Could Afford If Everyone Paid All Their Taxes
Universal school meals, school building upgrades, and closing learning gaps each cost less than the annual amount of unpaid federal taxes.
Teaching Profession
Interactive
The Teacher Tax Deduction Got Bigger. But How Far Does It Go?
Use this interactive to tally up classroom expenses.
Law & Courts
After 50 Years, a U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Educational Equity Is Still Debated
In a school finance case from Texas, the justices held that the wealth of districts was not subject to extra constitutional scrutiny.