Hard Times Mean Schools Must Make Tough Cuts

[CShine]

The tab for the federal No Child Left Behind Act is soaring at the same time that state revenues are plunging, forcing some school districts to choose between beginner's band and remedial reading.

Those choices won't get any easier as systems race to meet the law's goal of 100 percent of students reaching "proficiency" by 2014. Though No Child Left Behind pours millions of new dollars into U.S. schools, states contend that it's not enough to satisfy all the mandates in the law.

Historically, sweeping federal initiatives always dig deep into the wallets of the states. In 1975, the U.S. Congress passed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and pledged to fund 40 percent of the cost to educate students with disabilities. Almost 30 years later, Congress only picks up 19 percent of the price tag.

Some critics charge that for every federal dollar tendered by No Child Left Behind, the states could end up forking over between $3 and $7. That's a financial stretch even in the best of times, but it's especially so now that states are laboring under the worst fiscal crisis in decades.

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0903/15schools.html

[Lefty48197]

1. 'Bama Governor: God says we need to raise taxes

'Bama voters: Fuk God.