Changes in the housing market often have a greater impact on school funding than other state revenue areas. So when the housing market takes a downturn, school funding suffers. As we get started in 2008, officials in every state expect a continued fiscal slowdown, largely due to the housing market changes, and that's bad news for our country's already underfunded schools.

A report (PDF) released by the National Governor's Association and the National Association of State Budget Officers expects that even as the growth in state revenues slows down, state populations will continue to grow, making it more difficult to meet education needs.

Ray Scheppach, Executive Director of the National Governors Association, predicts that higher education will suffer cuts before elementary and secondary schools. But that doesn't mean anyone will be spared budget shortfalls.

No doubt schools and districts will be tasked with doing more with fewer resources. That's why Learning A–Z remains committed to affordable pricing of all of its websites so all educators can have access to the materials they need to teach, regardless of slashed budgets. Most of our websites—with thousands of online and printable books, lessons, and worksheets—can be licensed for an entire year for an entire classroom at the price of a single textbook.