Recently state schools superintendent Chris Reykdal announced that he plans to ask the legislature for another $2.9 billion for public education. This would be on top of the current $20.1 billion education budget.
Like the changing leaves of Fall, every year around this time Reykdal asks for more money.
Let’s ask ourselves, Will pouring in more money make a difference to children? The data shows the answer is “No.” For years the state has increased education spending, and the result has been declining academic standards and falling enrollment.
State data shows that in the last six years 43,000 students have left the public system, a 4% drop. Total public school enrollment in 2024-25 is 1.058 million students. In 2019-20 that number was 1.10 million.
