Blue Tsunami Post-Election (and school elections catchup)
Special episode, recorded Nov. 4, the morning after the midterm tsunami. We set aside our usual rhythm to go through what the results mean for school finance, including places we&
Host
Derek Gottlieb
It's Do or Die in Ohio
On November 3, voters in Cincinnati decide on Issue 4, a new property-tax levy for Cincinnati Public Schools, and voters in Pickerington decide on a new school income tax.
In Ohio, the Levies Are Dry (Pickerington, Cincinnati)
Pre-election episode, recorded Oct. 27. 127 Ohio school districts have levies on the Nov. 3 ballot, and two listeners wrote in, one from Cincinnati and one from Pickerington. We
Reversed Courses and Broken Promises in Bellingham (WA)
Two requests came in hot from Bellingham, Washington, where the superintendent has recommended closing Columbia and Carl Cozier elementaries after 2026-27, four years after voters approved a bond that
Bellingham Wants to Close Two Schools. What For?
Oct 19, 2026 Bellingham Public Schools wants to close two elementary schools, Columbia and Carl Cozier, at the end of this school year. The board is scheduled to hold the
It's People, It's People, It's People (Little Rock, AR)
Emergency episode, recorded Oct. 9. Organizers in Little Rock asked us about LRSD Forward, the district's plan to close Western Hills, Mabelvale and McDermott elementaries in fall 2027.
It's People, Not Buildings (LRSD)
Organizers in Little Rock wrote to us about the district administration's plan to close “three to four more of our beloved public schools,” and asked, more or less:
Wonkery and Bonkery in DeKalb County
We got a request to look into DeKalb County School District in Georgia, a county-wide system of about 92,000 students just east of Atlanta, and it is, to
MPS: What Is Your Problem??
That's a serious question! Minneapolis Public Schools confronts two simultaneous and related crises: a precipitous and ongoing decline in student enrollment, and a structural budget deficit with a
Don’t miss a meeting
New episodes, in your inbox
Every episode comes with show notes, the documents we dug through, and the numbers behind the headlines. Subscribe free — no spam, just school finance.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
Join the Discord
Talk budgets with other listeners and advocates.
Or listen anywhere