(WP 2017-02) The Great Recession and Public Education

Authors

William N. Evans, University of Notre Dame
Robert M. Schwab, University of Maryland at College Park
Kathryn L. Wagner, Marquette UniversityFollow

Document Type

Working Paper

Publication Date

1-2017

Abstract

We examine the impact of the Great Recession on K-12 education finance and employment and generate five key results. First, nearly 300,000 school employees lost their jobs. Second, schools that were heavily dependent financially on state governments were particularly vulnerable to the recession. Third local revenues from the property tax actually increased during the recession, primarily because millage rates rose in response to declining property values. Fourth, inequality in school spending rose sharply during the Great Recession. Fifth, the federal government’s efforts to shield education from some of the worst effects of the recession achieved their major goal.

Comments

This version has since been updated, published version available here:

https://epublications.marquette.edu/econ_fac/574/

Recommended Citation

Evans, William N.; Schwab, Robert M.; and Wagner, Kathryn L., "(WP 2017-02) The Great Recession and Public Education" (2017). Economics Working Papers. 58.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/econ_workingpapers/58