The basic problem is that most school districts in America depend on taxing property.
When the value of property goes down ( USA house values are now down 20 %+/- from 2007 values) while the teachers salaries stay the same.
This shortfall cannot be made up because more land is not being made, and few are building more buildings.
This is a good time to shift property tax income to parts of the government that are related to property: Fire, police, courts, etc.
This is a good time for schools to shift from a fixed asset base such as property to an adjustable base such as population.
How the population is taxed should be independent of property.
Here are few ideas that would immediately cut school expenses at no cost:
** Allow any child of any age to take the GED or similar private exam. If they pass award and official diploma from the local high school. This would immediately make the child eligible for college scholarships and loans.
( Fewer kids in school mean fewer teachers and consolidated schools.)
** Video all grades ( K -12) and all lectures and place the material on-line for any citizen of the state to use. Make textbooks available at the local library. If a child passes a private or government test showing that he as mastered the material of a particular subject, he would be immediately moved to the next level in that subject.
( The more quickly a child moves through the government K-12 system, and the more the child learns on his own, the fewer teachers and school classrooms that will be needed.)
** Finally, as parents and children learn to be more self-sufficient many will abandon the government school completely.
( The fewer kids in school, the fewer teachers and classrooms that will be needed.)