Dive Brief:

• Seven states—Oklahoma, Alabama, Arizona, Kansas, Idaho, South Carolina and Wisconsin—slashed per-pupil spending by 15% or more since the recession began in 2008.
• Oklahoma and Alabama top the list with per-pupil funding cuts of 23% and 20% respectively, and Wisconsin was a top 10 state for education spending prior to the recession.
• Around 44% of school funding comes from states, but local and federal funding has also declined during the same time period, putting schools in a pinch.

Dive Insight:

These numbers really drive home the severity of education cuts made in the last several years. That the cuts have come at the expense of students in these states is particularly troubling, as investing in the education of those who will run things tomorrow seems like a wiser move.