英语翻译
FiftymillionpublicschoolchildreninAmericaarestartinganewschoolyear.Thenumberisarecordhigh.Yet,atthesametime,schoolsystemsinmanyareasarefacingbudgetproblems.
TwobusdriversinSouthCarolinareportforwork.ThestateEducationDepartmentdoesnotexpecttobuyanynewschoolbusesthisyearbecauseofthehighcostoffuelandbudgetcuts.
Theweakeconomyisnottheonlycause.Anotherreasonhastodowithincreasedpricesforfoodandfuel.Theymeanhighercostsforschoolmealsandbustransportation.
TheUnitedStateswillspendmorethanfivehundredbilliondollarsonpubliceducationforthecomingschoolyear.Thefederalgovernmenthelpspay,buttheresponsibilityforeducationismostlyonstateandlocalgovernments.
Twomajorsourcesofmoneyforpublicschoolsarepropertytaxesandsalestaxes.Aslowdowninconsumerspending,theengineoftheeconomy,meansfewergoodstotax.Andthecollapseofthehousingmarketmeanslessmoneytocollectinpropertytaxes.
AreportinJulyfromtheNationalConferenceofStateLegislaturessaidthirty-oneofthefiftystateswerehavingbudgetproblems.AndtheCenteronBudgetandPolicyPrioritiessaysschoolofficialsinatleastelevenstateshavecutorproposedcutsineducation.
Florida,forexample,hascutschoolaidbyabouttwopercentperstudent.Stateofficialssaytaxcollectionsarelowandlotterysaleshavefallenbyonehundredmilliondollars.Floridaandmanyotherstatesusemoneyfromsalesoflotteryticketstohelppayforeducation.
Aroundthecountry,theeconomicslowdownhasaddedtothenumbersofchildrenreceivingfreeorreducedpricelunchesatschool.Inotherwords,manyofthesameeconomicproblemsthathavehitschoolbudgetshavealsohitfamilybudgets.
Eachyear,theeducationgroupPhiDeltaKappaandtheGalluporganizationgatheropinionsaboutAmericanpublicschools.Thisyear'spollfoundsupportforincreaseduseoffederaltaxestofinancepublicschoolsandtohelpyoungpeopleattendcollege.
Peoplewerealsoaskedwhichpresidentialcandidatetheywouldvoteforiftheywerevotingonthebasisofadesiretostrengthenthepublicschools.Forty-sixpercentchoseDemocratBarackObama.Twen