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It also details tradeoffs made to manage costs and the resulting crowd-out of investments supporting student learning, educator capacity, and essential district 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\nAbout AASA  \nAASA, The School Superintendents Association, is the premier association for school system leaders and serves as the national voice for public education and district leadership on Capitol Hill. A professional community of more than 10,000 educational leaders, AASA and its members are committed to providing highquality public education to all students. AASA (formerly the American Association of School Administrators) develops and supports school system leaders through the national exchange of ideas; access to professional learning, publications, and resources; and opportunities to champion initiatives to help transform the future of public education.  \nAbout ASBO International  \nFounded in 1910, the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting school business professionals. Through professional development, certification, advocacy, and community, ASBO International equips its members with the tools and resources needed to lead the business and operational functions of school systems. The organization serves more than 11,000 members across the United States and Canada and collaborates with a network of affiliates reaching more than 20,000 additional professionals.  \nAbout This Survey  \nAASA and ASBO International conducted a survey from March 11 to April 8, 2026, to assess how rising healthcare costs are affecting school budgets and any impacts to students, staff, and educational programs and services. The survey was completed by 767 school superintendents and school business officials across 42 states. This is not nationally representative, but reflective of AASA’s and ASBO International’s membership.  \nRespondent profile:  \nLocality: 53% rural districts; 39% suburban districts; 8% urban districts.  \nSize/enrollment: 60% small districts (\u003C2,500 students); 29% medium districts (2,500–9,999 students); 11% large districts (≥10,000 students) .  \nPoverty/percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price meals (FRPM): 14% high-poverty districts (FRPM > 75%); 27% mid-high poverty districts (FRPM = 51-75%); 36% mid-low poverty districts (FRPM = 26-50%); and 23% low-poverty districts (FRPM ≤ 25%) .  \n2 | Rising Premiums Falling Opportunities  \nExecutive Summary  \nHealthcare costs have surged in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, placing substantial financial pressure on U.S. public school systems. As school districts devote an increasingly larger share of their budgets to healthcare expenditures, fewer resources remain available for educational programs, educator salaries, instructional materials, facility improvements, and student services. Compounding this challenge, district leaders face significant constraints in redesigning employee health benefits to reduce costs while remaining competitive in recruiting and retaining a high-quality workforce. To better understand the scale and consequences of these pressures, AASA and ASBO International conducted a membership survey in Spring 2026. The resulting report, Rising Premiums, Falling Opportunities: The Budgetary Impact of Health Care Costs on School Districts, is the first national study of its kind examining how rising healthcare costs are affecting public school district budgets, staffing and operational decisions, and educational opportunities for students.  \nKey Findings  \n\n| 98% | Rising healthcare costs are affecting nearly every district.\u003Cbr>Ninety-eight percent (98%) of district leaders surveyed reported that rising health care costs are having a measurable impact on their budgets. |  |  |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Health insurance expenses consume a significant share of districts’ operating budgets.\u003Cbr>During the 2025–26 school district fiscal year, the vast majority of districts (92%) spent up to 30% of their general fundon employee insurance benefits. |  | Prescription","cbCaiseevhEV9na0","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiseevhEV9na0","pdf",1362524,18,"English","# Executive Summary\n## Key Findings\n## Introduction","[{\"question\":\"What does the report identify as the main impact of rising healthcare costs on school districts?\",\"answer\":\"Rising healthcare costs are affecting nearly every district by consuming budget resources that would otherwise support educational programs, staffing, and student services.\"},{\"question\":\"Which factors are cited as leading causes of higher health insurance premiums?\",\"answer\":\"District leaders most frequently pointed to increasing prescription drug costs, more claims for expensive treatments, and greater use of high-cost specialty drugs such as GLP-1s.\"},{\"question\":\"What strategies are districts using to manage rising healthcare costs?\",\"answer\":\"Common approaches include tapping reserves or “rainy day” funds, modifying employee benefit packages, delaying hiring, reducing or delaying instructional material/technology spending, and offering less generous health plans.\"}]","Rising Premiums Falling Opportunities - The Budgetary Impact of Healthcare Costs on School Districts | PDF",1792042221,45]