Financing higher education requires political leaders, policymakers, and educators to address broad public policy questions, including ascertaining: the levels of state funding to colleges and universities that are necessary to maintain the economic and social well-being of the American people; the tuition levels that are appropriate given the…

This paper provides an overview of financing patterns and mechanisms for public education and other services for children. It describes overall levels of support and significant trends over time in funding patterns. The paper also compares and contrasts the financing arrangements and trends in the different children's service sectors, highlighting…

This document contains eight articles that offer a nonpartisan evaluation of the pros and cons associated with tax reforms. They were written by members of the Technical Study Group, which was established by the New York State Department of Education in 1994 to examine the generation of revenue for public education. The work of the study group…

This paper investigates the real living standards and poverty status of U.S. children in the 1990s compared to the children in 17 other nations, including Europe, Scandinavia, Canada, and Australia. The analysis is based on the Luxembourg Income Study database. It was found that American children have lower real spendable income than do comparable…

Fiscal stress has plagued state and local governments in the first part of the 1990s, and difficulties in balancing budgets and obtaining revenue for needed public services are likely to continue. This document examines the leading alternatives for increasing state and local tax revenue, pointing out that the best options vary from state to state.…

The Pennsylvania legislature is considering a school finance proposal, exemplified by House Bill 113 of the 2003 legislative session, that would shift some school funding away from local property taxes and toward state funds and local income taxes. The proposal would give greater proportional benefits to homeowners with lower property values. A…

In 1992, a study was conducted to create a framework allowing administrators at the College of DuPage (CD) in Illinois to examine the long-range implications of financial decisions. The CD long-range financial plans consist of the following components: operating funds; construction funds; tax funds; auxiliary enterprise funds; and non-grant…

This report provides a broad overview of higher education expenditure trends in Illinois from fiscal year (FY) 1990 to FY 1994. It focuses on allocations and expenditures since FY 1992, when the Priorities, Quality, and Productivity (PQP) initiative was implemented. Eighteen tables present statistical data on various categories of expenditures.…

This paper provides a historical review of equity in funding education in Alberta. It describes government attempts to address fiscal inequities and shows how the introduction of full spending in 1994 addressed many of the equity problems in Alberta. Full provincial funding of education has proved an overall success, but it faces the following…