School finance is one of the most complex issues in state government. Because of that complexity, much confusion exists regarding the effect on both state and local school district budgets from various forms of educational choice. This paper is intended to help illuminate this issue and explain the ‘how and why’ of fiscal effects on the state and local public schools.
K-12 Education
Study: K-12 Grade Inflation Making American Kids Dumber, Costing Them Millions
When teachers inflate grades — giving higher marks than students’ actual performance warrants — the effects ripple far beyond the classroom. Increasingly widespread high school grade inflation can cost students more than $200,000 in lost earning potential per teacher per year, finds a groundbreaking new study. Authored by Jeffrey T. Denning, Rachel Nesbit, Nolan Pope,...
March 23, 2026