The education world is fixated on the fate of the U.S. Department of Education, but federal funding is a small portion of school budgets. Dr. Marguerite Roza, director of Georgetown University’s Edunomics Lab, joins the podcast to break down the financial realities currently facing U.S. school districts. Financial mismanagement by school districts across the country is leading to tough budget decisions about staffing and school closures. The problems are exacerbated by the end of Covid-era temporary ESSER funding and smaller student enrollments. Roza addresses the demographic cliff affecting K-12 education, how districts spent ESSER funding, and the importance of state leadership in driving educational outcomes.

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