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During a 2007 legislative season that opened amid a generally strong fiscal climate, state policymakers continued to make public schools a top priority by showering them with record increases in funding and by expanding early-education programs.

Flush with cash, Oregon and Nevada approved major increases in school aid of 18 percent. Utah topped that鈥攇ranting schools a whopping 20 percent more in funding for fiscal 2008 than in the previous budget.

And in a policy area that leaders in a number of states have made a priority, Arkansas invested heavily in prekindergarten programs, adding another $40 million to its program and bringing its prekindergarten spending to $111 million. Tennessee boosted its prekindergarten funding by $25 million, to $80 million for the coming school year.

But, in what could prove a cautionary note for future spending, the funding increases were hardly universal, as many states are seeing tax collections level off and the housing market continue to slow. New Hampshire and Rhode Island granted schools little or no increase, while budget cuts could threaten school funding in Michigan, Maryland, and Florida.

鈥淚 think there were some pretty good increases,鈥� said Gail Gaines, the vice president for state services of the Southern Regional Education Board, an Atlanta-based group of 16 states that pushes for school improvement. 鈥淏ut some are feeling the slowdown in the economy.鈥�

At least 39 states have wrapped up their legislative sessions; the rest are either full-time legislatures or are embroiled in special sessions. These sessions marked the first since Democrats seized control of a majority of legislative chambers and governors鈥� offices during the 2006 elections. And several states stand out this year for embarking on bold or unusual education initiatives鈥攖he consequences of which won鈥檛 be known for months, or even years.

After heated debates in most state legislatures, Virginia became the only state to require girls (with some exceptions) to be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can lead to cervical cancer. However, at least 17 states approved a milder form of the legislation, which will require states to educate parents about HPV or provide some funding for the immunizations, according to the Denver-based National Conference of State Legislatures.

Utah enacted the nation鈥檚 first universal private-school-voucher program, a polarizing law that opponents successfully fought to place before voters in the November general election, in the hope of getting it repealed. (鈥淧ush to Repeal Utah Voucher Law Advances,鈥� April 18, 2007.)

Maine shook up its school districts by requiring those with fewer than 2,500 students to consolidate in an effort to streamline administration and save money. That means the state鈥檚 290 school districts would be reduced to about 80. The districts, which are picking their consolidation partners now, are working toward a state-imposed June 2009 deadline. (鈥淢aine Moving Ahead on School Consolidation Plan,鈥� June 20, 2007.)

And in Florida, the legislature backed a proposed constitutional amendment, to go before voters in January, that would give property taxpayers a super-sized tax break, threatening the flow of money to schools, since such taxes help pay school district operating expenses. The legislature hasn鈥檛 said how it would make schools whole鈥攂ut it has promised to do so.

Florida Budget Squeeze

District superintendents in Florida are facing a financial double whammy for the coming school year. If voters approve the constitutional amendment鈥攚hich is part of a comprehensive property- tax-reform package devised by the legislature鈥攕chools will have to depend on lawmakers to make up the lost revenue. Estimates for the amendment鈥檚 price tag vary, but the lost revenue to all local governments, including cities, counties, and schools, could total nearly $9 billion over four years. The loss to schools alone could approach $1 billion a year.

Meanwhile, Gov. Charlie Crist, a Republican, is struggling to close a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall by the end of the state鈥檚 two-year budget cycle in 2009, and has warned all state-funded agencies and programs (including public schools) that cuts of up to 4 percent will likely be needed, regardless of whether the constitutional amendment is approved.

The budget cuts stemming from the existing shortfall alone will mean a loss of $4 million for the 28,000-student St. Johns County district, in St. Augustine, where Joseph Joyner is superintendent.

鈥淭he problem with this is these cuts are coming so late,鈥� said Mr. Joyner, who is also the president of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents. 鈥淲e start hiring teachers in June, so trying to recapture $4 million won鈥檛 be easy.鈥�

What鈥檚 more, if the property-tax amendment is approved, that will mean another $20 million loss for his district鈥攐ut of a $200 million operating budget鈥攊f legislators don鈥檛 replace the money, Mr. Joyner said.

鈥淚t could be a hammer. We鈥檙e talking about raising class size and no salary increases at all,鈥� he said.

North Dakota avoided a potential school finance quagmire by agreeing in April to increase school funding by $91 million over two years, which prompted several school districts that filed a lawsuit in 2003 to drop their claims.

Rep. RaeAnn Kelsch, a Republican and chairwoman of the House education committee, who spoke at a conference of the Denver-based Education Commission of the States, called the feat鈥攔esolving a school finance lawsuit out of court鈥斺�渕onumental.鈥�

Voucher Vote Set

The Utah legislature also overcame some monumental opposition to approve universal private school vouchers, though the fight is far from over. In November, voters will decide whether the new law will stand and whether students will be eligible for vouchers ranging from $500 to $3,000 for private school tuition. While other states have created vouchers for low-income students or those who have disabilities or attend failing schools, Utah鈥檚 vouchers would be available to all public school students, regardless of income.

Utah, which became the first state to enact a universal voucher program, wasn鈥檛 the only state, however, to approve school choice measures.

In Pennsylvania, the legislature expanded by $16 million its tax-credit program, which gives companies tax credits for their donations to scholarship organizations that in turn provide private-school-tuition vouchers to students. According to the Washington-based Alliance for School Choice, that鈥檚 the largest annual dollar increase in the program鈥檚 history.

Meanwhile, Georgia became the latest state to create a voucher program for private school tuition for children with disabilities. The Ohio legislature passed a similar bill this year, only to see it vetoed by Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland.

In South Carolina, Gov. Mark Sanford continued to be unsuccessful in persuading the legislature, controlled by fellow Republicans, to enact some form of private school choice鈥攅ither through vouchers or tax credits.

However, South Carolina became the latest to create a so-called virtual school program that allows students to take courses online, outside of their traditional school settings and boundaries鈥攕omething that at least 23 other states already have.

鈥淲hile we certainly have miles to go in terms of creating a system in South Carolina that maximizes choice for all parents and students, this legislation is an important step forward on that front,鈥� Gov. Sanford said in a statement in May, after signing the bill.

But a month later, he vetoed an open-enrollment bill that would have let students cross district lines to attend any public school, within certain restrictions. The governor argued that the legislation didn鈥檛 create true choices for families.

Spanning the Spectrum

Coming into the legislative sessions, many policymakers had hoped to make big changes on both ends of the public education spectrum: to expand prekindergarten and make college more affordable. They had mixed success.

While several states enacted legislation to cap increases in higher education tuition, Maryland continued a tuition freeze that was put in place a year ago.

Ohio, meantime, ended a decade鈥檚 worth of average annual tuition increases of 9 percent when the state froze college tuition this year for in-state students. In addition, the state created a new, $100 million scholarship program for students interested in mathematics and science. Both were pushed by Gov. Strickland, who was elected last fall. In an interview, he likened the tuition increases to a tax hike on the middle class.

鈥淚t was unacceptable,鈥� he said.

States generally were more successful in expanding prekindergarten, especially in expanding the number of children who may participate. In addition to growth in those programs in Arkansas and Tennessee, Pennsylvania added $75 million to its prekindergarten program, while Oregon added $39 million.

But with an economy that could be on the brink of slowing, some policymakers are concerned about whether these investments can survive state budget downturns鈥攅specially when the K-12 grades are at the core of states鈥� education systems.

Joan Lord, the vice president for education policies at the SREB, said that while more states are moving to fund pre-K through the traditional school formulas, several states still use alternative methods. Georgia鈥檚 is tied to lottery proceeds, and Arkansas鈥� to a beer tax. Others are using funds from their share of the 1997 national tobacco settlement.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all over the board in states,鈥� said Ms. Lord. 鈥淭he real hope is to get [prekindergarten] as part of the state formula.鈥�