This study examines the use of Schools of Choice throughout Michigan over the last decade. Nearly 100,000 Michigan students use Schools of Choice to attend a school outside of the district in which they live. Participation has grown steadily, with enrollment growing by 144 percent over the past 10 years. This study finds that students enter…

Analyzes data on the economic prospects of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin--including demographic and economic trends, trends in taxation systems, school revenue and expenditure trends, and future revenue prospects--and offers prognoses for individual states. Generally, short-range revenue prospects are bleak, and long-range…

The system that finances Michigan's schools from kindergarten through 12th grade is a perennial topic of conversation among policymakers, parents, taxpayers and voters. A constructive discussion of this issue, however, requires a sound knowledge of the financial workings of Michigan's elementary and secondary school system. This knowledge is…

In 1994, Michigan voters approved Proposal A, which reduced school property taxes, increased the sales tax, and established a per-pupil funding guarantee for public schools. This report describes the effects of Proposal A and challenges to it. Since Proposal A was implemented, funding for schools has grown substantially while property taxes have…

Detailed information is provided on each of eight states included in a study of selected education finance characteristics. The eight states are Delaware, North Carolina, and Washington (States with a high level of state funding relative to total state-local funds for education); New York, Michigan, and California (moderate state aid states); and…

Among the major objectives of this study was the determination of the nature and extent of disparities in revenues and expenditures among a group of selected states, and among type of districts within and across these states. A common pattern in education finance characteristics was found within each type of district, particularly among central…

Results are presented of a telephone survey of 800 citizens indicating their opinions about the public schools in Michigan. Questions were asked on: (1) level and scope of information known about the schools; (2) school visitation frequency; (3) performance of schools; (4) report card rating of schools; (5) likes, dislikes about the schools; (6)…

Designed for secondary school social studies teachers, this curriculum outline offers suggestions for teaching about the governance, cost, and sources of fiscal support for public education. Although the outline is specifically designed for use by teachers in Michigan, it can be adapted for use in any state. Arranged into five major sections,…

The research reported in this document was undertaken to determine the relative costs of educating a child in a charter school and a traditional public school in Michigan. To assess the costs, the following research was done: a review of the laws that govern public schools in Michigan; a review of the statutes that govern the funding of public…