Public schools across the country are facing significant challenges. Lisa Muller, assistant superintendent for Baldrige Award recipient Jenks Public Schools, says schools are dealing with an increase in student needs, while at the same time managing declining revenues and attempting to prepare students for the demands of life in the 21st century.

“Students in public schools increasingly come to us facing challenges with poverty and other societal issues, or needing support for English-language development or learning challenges,” says Muller. “Effectively meeting the needs of this more diverse student population requires resources. However, the ‘Great Recession’ affected funding for school districts across the country. And despite a recovering economy, funding for public education remains below 2008 levels in half of our states.” The state of Oklahoma, home to Jenks Public Schools, leads this list of the 25 states (see figure 1) where general funding per student is still lower than it was in 2008. Oklahoma has grappled with a 24.2-percent decrease to state-formula funding between 2008 and 2016.

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