Source: Forbes
As perplexing as this spring has been, the next school year could be the toughest ever. It looks complicated and challenging. Here’s the problem: costs will be higher and revenues will be lower. What makes this the perfect storm is that it happened suddenly and dramatically increased the level of challenge and cost for school districts. There are at least six reasons school will cost more next year including addressing remediation needs, addressing trauma, taking preventative measures, dual programming, additional hygiene, and new expectations. Dr. Marguerite Roza, who for 18 months has been warning districts to get ready for a downtown, anticipates “anywhere between 5-20% impacts on state budgets which could bring 1- 8% impacts on districts.” She adds, “The financial implications depend on how long states constrain their economies and whether/how much stimulus states will get.”