Alabama school board recommends educators pay more for retirement, health insurance benefits

Ala. board suggests teachers pay more for benefits

Financial reports show cost-cutting measures helped cut Detroit Schools’ deficit by about $87M

Detroit Schools’ budget deficit cut by about $87M

Students, Gov. Granholm keep pressure on Michigan lawmakers to raise more money for schools

Students, others rally for Michigan school funding

Federal judge refuses to halt Hawaii teacher furloughs, calls on both sides to settle dispute

Judge refuses to halt Hawaii teacher furloughs

Stimulus patches part of Oregon schools’ budget gap; districts face more uncertainty

Stimulus patches part of Ore. schools’ budget gap

Michigan House votes to tap federal stimulus money set aside for next year to pay schools now

Mich. House taps 2010 stimulus funding for schools

Kansas forecasting group slashes 2010 revenue estimate $235M as recession lingers

Kan. group cuts revenue forecast $235M

TOPEKA, Kan. — A group of economists and policy-makers slashed Kansas tax collection estimates Thursday by $235 million, reflecting signs of continued weakness in the state economy.

Michigan Gov. Granholm finishes signing budget bills before deadline, but doesn’t like result

Mich. gov. finishes signing budget before deadline

Mass. governor announces job cuts to close $600M budget gap, spares local aid and education

Mass. gov: Cut jobs, spare local aid and education

Colo. Gov. Ritter lays out plan to cut $286M from state budget, including Medicaid, education

Colo. governor cutting another $286M from budget

Michigan governor, GOP Senate leader still far apart on need for more public school revenue

Mich. gov, GOP leader still far apart on revenue

Arizona schools chief warns that ‘massive layoffs’ of teachers possible due to budget troubles

Ariz. official warns of ‘massive’ teacher layoffs

Michigan school board urges governor, state Legislature to reduce cuts to education

Mich. board asks gov, lawmakers to reduce ed cuts

APNewsBreak: More students, lower property values create new school aid costs, perhaps $70M

TOPEKA, Kan. — New students in Kansas’ public schools and declining property values have punched what could become a $70 million hole in the state’s already shaky budget, a top education official confirmed Friday.

Morton: Ala. teachers should pay more for health insurance, retirement to offset budget cuts

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama schools Superintendent Joe Morton unveiled a plan to deal with budget cuts for fiscal year 2011 partly by making teachers pay more for health insurance and retirement benefits.

Michigan governor meets with school officials on funding cuts, asks again for more money

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm said Wednesday she hasn’t decided where she’ll make cuts in the six remaining budget bills on her desk.

Michigan Senate leader sends 6 budget bills to Gov. Granholm; she says more revenue needed

LANSING, Mich. — Republican Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop sent the final six budget bills Tuesday to Gov. Jennifer Granholm, but he warned her not to expect any additional money for programs she wants to restore.

Hawaii reducing school year and closing classrooms on Fridays amid recession

HONOLULU — At a time when President Barack Obama is pushing for more time in the classroom, his home state has created the nation’s shortest school year under a new union contract that closes schools on most Fridays for the remainder of the academic calendar.

Michigan negotiators approve K-12 schools budget with $165 cut per student

LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Legislature voted late Thursday to cut public school funding by the equivalent of $165 per student in the current academic year.

Rebound in taxes will take years, forcing states to make deeper cuts to jobs and services

The recession is probably over, which means states’ financial troubles have only begun.

Economically battered Mich. avoids long gov’t shutdown, begins fiscal year with interim budget

LANSING, Mich. — One of the nation’s most economically battered states is heading into more fiscal fights after surviving a short-lived government shutdown that ended with an interim budget and lingering uncertainty about more permanent spending cuts.

Sports save schools: Colleges are adding sports to boost revenue and increase enrollment

FOREST GROVE, Ore. — Money killed Pacific University’s football program and money is bringing it back.

School districts across the country furlough teachers to reduce spending amid budget cuts

ATLANTA — High school librarian Melissa Payne is starting her new school year with $1,000 less in her paycheck and three days that she’ll be forced to stay home from her job.

California budget crisis weakens world-renowned higher ed system, threatens economic recovery

SAN FRANCISCO — When California college students return to campus this fall, they’ll find crowded classrooms, less access to faculty and counselors, fewer campus services and more difficulty getting classes they need to graduate — all while paying higher fees.

HARD TIMES: Falling state budgets, rising class sizes at crowded schools when students return

WASHINGTON — Like a seesaw on the school playground, falling state budgets are pushing class sizes higher.

In these tough times, moms and dads are passing the hat to make up for school budget cuts

SEATTLE — Rachael Bouma calculated the cost of keeping rambunctious kindergartners under control at her son’s school at exactly $227.

California lawmakers say budget deal is close, ‘huge progress’ made in solving $26B deficit

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A deal to solve California’s $26.3 billion budget deficit could come as early as this weekend after legislators and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made “huge progress” during hours of closed-door negotiations, state lawmakers said.

Efforts to close Calif. budget deficit resume amid differences over education funding

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Negotiations over closing California’s $26.3 billion budget deficit resumed Friday, as government offices closed for the second time this month and a health program for low-income children stopped accepting new applicants.

Calif budget talks at standstill as state offices close and health program halts enrollment

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Negotiations over closing California’s $26.3 billion budget deficit appeared stuck Friday, as government offices closed for the second time this month and a health program for low-income children stopped accepting new applicants.

Calif treasurer warns: Budget stalemate threatens ability to build schools, roads

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and top lawmakers found themselves back at an impasse Thursday after they appeared to be edging toward a deal to close California’s $26.3 billion budget deficit.