To get to yes, college leaders must amplify the college-community connection. While they are prohibited from campaigning, officials can provide information. As they do so, they build relationships that can benefit the college, community, and economy for years to come. But that requires more than tireless hours on the road. It requires a plan and…

The purpose of this study is to bring together recent innovations in the research literature around school district capital facility finance, municipal bond elections, statistical models of conditional time-varying outcomes, and data mining algorithms for automated text mining of election ballot proposals to examine the factors that influence the…

Public investments in repairs, modernization, and construction of schools cost billions. However, little is known about the nature of school facility investments, whether it actually changes the physical condition of public schools, and the subsequent causal impacts on student achievement. We study the achievement effects of nearly 1,400 capital…

Despite the recent turmoil in the U.S. economy, most libraries that were tracked by "Library Journal" won their referenda at a rate just slightly lower than 2007. Nearly three-quarters of operating referenda passed. Building referenda under $10 million passed at a whopping 85%, with those over $10 million batting slightly better than…

The downward enrollment trend shown in this year's "AS&U" 100--a compilation of the nation's 100 largest school districts--is unmistakable. Added together, the 100 largest districts had 10,708,137 students in 2006-2007, compared with 10,763,959 in 2005-2006. Even districts that showed steady growth throughout the 1990s and the early…

Despite a number of savvy strategies, it was a tough year at the polls for libraries. Both building and operating referenda had the lowest passage rates this decade, with only 52% of capital referenda and 57% of operating referenda finding success. In fact, in the 18 years since Library Journal has been tracking these votes, 2005 had the lowest…

Colorado's College Opportunity Fund is an educational program that affords public universities greater administrative freedom while diminishing financial support from the state. Under the new system, students receive stipends from government while universities are allowed greater freedom setting tuition and issuing bonds. This article discusses…

Describes how many school districts are dealing with the problem of funding high school athletics and extracurricular activities in times of declining state and local budget revenues. Solutions involve program cuts, "pay for play" fees, fund raisers, and tax referenda. (PKP)

Describes how one Los Angeles County school district successfully passed a school bond referenda. Includes a list of six strategies. (PKP)

Although each school district and its bond finance campaign are unique, success at the polls depends on identifying the community's particular voting groups and developing matching strategies. Year-round public-relations programs are essential. Planners should study other districts' successful strategies, pool all available resources and talents,…

Compares state funding for school infrastructure needs between 1993-94 and 1998-99. Found 164 percent increase in state infrastructure funding. Examines state funding mechanisms such as flat grants, equalized grants, categorical grants, and full-state funding. Fourteen states provide no state infrastructure funding; most rely instead on…

Describes how opinion by North Dakota's attorney general allows school district and city of Jamestown to collaborate in the issuance of bonds for school construction and renovation projects, three-quarters of the revenue for which is raised by a voter-approved city sales tax. (PKP)

The bonding authority and bond bank concepts have evolved as effective and efficient methods of assisting local education agencies in financing school facility construction and other capital improvement programs. This discussion defines bonding corporations and reviews their historical development, current status, and potential. (TE)

Presents a New Jersey school board's method for revenue raising through bond approvals by the community. The key to this board's success is the involvement of citizens in the early decision-making process. (MD)

The author of this article talks to Robert Kreider about why helping people with special needs is so important to him and his colleagues. Robert Kreider is the president and chief executive officer of The Devereux Foundation, the nation's largest non-profit provider of behavioral healthcare services to children and adults with emotional,…