Voters are frequently sold on the value of state-run lottery gambling by the promise that lottery proceeds will benefit education. But according to a report by the Christian Science Monitor, while some state school systems have benefited from lottery revenues, others have received scant additional funding-and some education budgets have actually declined since lotteries were introduced. Currently, 39 U.S. states and the District of Columbia operate lotteries, and 22 states earmark some funds for education. In Illinois, last year's lottery revenue accounted for only 3 percent of state education spending.

Copyright National Education Association Oct 2003
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