In the Serrano decisions, the courts found California's method of financing schools to be unconstitutional and gave the state until September 1, 1980 to reduce wealth-based expenditure differences to substantially less than $100 per pupil. The courts found three features of the state's system to be particularly onerous--the failure of the state to…

Using examples from California, the author analyzes the increasing trend for states to assume a guiding or dominant role over local school districts in important aspects of American education. He considers the main reasons for this trend to be public concern over academic standards and the increasing cost of education. (Editor/SJL)

The role of the state in funding California's community colleges may change in the wake of Proposition 13 cutbacks. Any system of statewide support must be developed around several assumptions: (1) state support will increase; (2) the college mission will remain unchanged; (3) educational demand will continue to play a substantial role in how the…

A staff report to the California Postsecondary Education Commission analyzes the California governor's 1989-90 budget and describes provisions for postsecondary education. Topics of the report are: factors constraining the budget; proposed educational expenditures (for public school expenditures, University of California, California State…

The purpose of this monograph is to stimulate discussion of vertical equity through an assessment of the funding systems in four states (California, New York, Texas, and Wisconsin) that ascertains how and to what extent at-risk factors are addressed. (In education, children defined as at risk of low academic achievement or of dropping out…