Education Funding

KEY Number 5 (Resources to Support Teaching and Learning) highlights the importance of having resources that enable you to achieve excellence in your school.  Thus, NEA is pleased to announce the production and publication of two new resources to assist school and community members in understanding issues related to education funding and advocating for adequate support for public schools:

1. Determining the Cost of Providing an Adequate Education for All Students is based on the research conducted by the American Institutes for Research that was commissioned by NEA’s New Products and Programs Department in partnership with NEA Research. This material identifies and evaluates current/popular education funding formulas used by different states. It also includes a hybrid approach that integrates the strengths of these formulas while incorporating factors heretofore excluded from the funding equations. For more information about this resource, contact neaNPPinfo@nea.org and/or download the document.

2. TEF Lessons -- Understanding TEF, which stands for Taxes, Economic development policies, and Funding for schools is the first, most important step toward ensuring that we have such resources. TEF’s basic premise is that adequate funding of public education through an equitable system of taxation and a level economic development playing field for business is the best way to create and maintain a civilized, prosperous society, one where all Americans have a fair chance to succeed.

State leaders asked us to develop a product that could be used to help local and state affiliates work with members (educators, education support professionals, retired, students, and others) and the general public to enhance their understanding of the basics of TEF. We have developed 8 lessons that affiliates can use to educate and organize members and citizens to ensure that we have the kind of resources necessary to achieving Great Public Schools for Every Student.

These lessons are a work in progress. Affiliates can download, modify, and use them as they see fit.