September 25, 2012

Great Recession Hasn’t Cut Connecticut’s Education Spending

Connecticut has avoided the major cuts in state education spending that have occurred in other states, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). A new CBPP report paints a bleak picture of steep drops in state inflation-adjusted, per-student education spending since the start of the Great Recession. Among the reductions:

  • -21.8% in Arizona
  • -17.3% in California
  • -13.7% in Wisconsin,
  • -8.8% in both Maine and Michigan
  • -1.3% in Vermont  
CBPP also reports that 26 states are giving schools less funding for FY 13 than for FY 12 while current education funding remains below FY 08 levels in 35 states.

Only 13 states have increased inflation-adjusted per-student spending since 2008, while 19 did so from FY 12 to FY 13. Connecticut is in both groups. Between FY 08 and FY 13, Connecticut’s state education spending rose by 6.1%, or $210 dollars, per student, with most of the increase occurring since last year.  From FY 12 to FY 13, Connecticut boosted education spending by 5.5% or $192 per student, according to CBPP.