Principals today are expected to competently perform a variety of roles, particularly those of instructional leader and school manager, under increasing public scrutiny. In general, the school principal has few statutory protections and limited constitutional due-process rights. The problem is that in many cases, principals' employment contracts…

Issues in the definition and evaluation of "educational adequacy" as a forerunner to establishing a financially equitable Illinois school system are examined in this paper. A list of 30 potential indicators of educational adequacy was developed for three categories: outcomes, resources, and context. A mailed survey to determine which…

This study is one attempt to determine the size and nature of the fiscal reform the Illinois legislature must bring about in order to fulfill the requirements of Article IX, Section 5 of the Illinois Constitution of 1970 that calls for the abolishment of personal property taxes. Chapters discuss the legislative intent of the article and present a…

In 1992, economic recession and the resulting drop in anticipated revenues placed the Illinois educational system in a state of financial crisis. Two related developments included delayed state aid payment and a 3-percent budget recision. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the effect of the decline in funding on Illinois public…

Growing frustration with educational finance in Illinois prompted school districts to file, in 1990, a lawsuit that demands adequate funding, equitable distribution of funds, and increased economic efficiency in public education. This document includes a description of events leading up to the suit. Early attempts to improve educational equity…

This study examines five case studies of proposed school consolidations. None of the five proposed consolidations were voted by their constituents into reality. This report also examines the curricular impact that these variables have upon the secondary course offerings available as well as the lessons learned from 11 Committee of Ten members.…