In the early 1980s, Chile's military government introduced economic competition in the education system, despite further projected funding cuts. Although the market model aided private education and cost recovery, it increased inequity in education outcomes, hindered recruitment of career academicians, and reduced education's share of the GNP. (13…

Our present factory-model educational system, now desperately undergoing "restructuring," was never intended as a social equalizer but as a great American academic and social sorting machine. The archaic, restrictive goals of America 2000 are doomed, along with narrowly defined intelligence quotients. A more revolutionary, restructuring…

Although discrimination is no longer routinely accepted in education, incidents of gender-based discrimination and harassment are being reported in record numbers. Schools must ensure equality of female athletic facilities; be aware of oral-contract, tort, and sexual harassment pitfalls; and meet Title IX's three-pronged compliance test. Contains…

Studies the evolution of New Zealand's educational system, including its recent reforms, the driving forces behind such radical changes, and some results and issues. Decentralization has removed layers of intervening support for schools, engendered new learning partnerships, and required increased parent involvement. Issues concerning equity, the…

The input model of assessing public education must be clearly understood before educators embrace an output assessment model. Most school finance legislation has been inequitable, favoring students in predominantly white school districts. However, the disadvantaged suffer most when implementing state outcomes-based accountability systems.…

Shifts in state funding, improved school facilities, and changes in other measurable resources do not lead directly to improved student achievement. Choice may be exacerbating existing disparities. School business officials can expect increased pressures to provide more parental choice opportunities and innovative funding solutions. (MLH)

Whereas equity generally focuses on relative levels or distributions of funds, adequacy stresses providing sufficient and absolute funding levels to produce desired student outcomes. Adequacy underlies many recent court decisions. Estimating costs of an adequate education is extremely difficult. School business officials must develop better…

Inequality in school facilities is emerging as a pivotal factor in court decisions that have ruled state school-funding systems unconstitutional. This report examines cases in three states--Arizona, Ohio, and Texas--where courts considered school facilities paramount in ruling the funding system unconstitutional. Arizona's school funding system…

This report analyzes interscholastic athletic programs offered by Minnesota high schools to identify errors in data reporting and suggest corrective action, identify areas of gender inequality in athletic offerings, and identify needed improvements in rule, law, or reporting requirements. The report outlines issues in sports equity, compares…

Findings of a study that incorporated a method for measuring the economic efficiency of K-8 school districts in Illinois are presented in this paper. The quadriform concept was used to identify four categories, or quadrants, for identifying school districts--technically efficient, low service, high service, and technically inefficient. The method…

Despite a decade of reform efforts, important policy questions concerning the efficiency and equity of the current financing system remain unanswered. This paper examines New York State fiscal and educational outcome data for 1985/86 through 1989/90. Data are presented for school district expenditures and teacher salaries; local revenue bases and…

The Parental Choice in Education Initiative was defeated by California voters in a statewide special election in November 1993. The stated purpose of the initiative was to enable parents to choose their children's schools. This document summarizes the provisions of the initiative, analyzes its policy and fiscal impact, and reviews supporting and…

In 1991, Nebraska school superintendents and building administrators were surveyed about the physical condition of school facilities, their adequacy for instruction, and each district's fiscal capacity to maintain and construct school facilities. Responses were analyzed by five categories: class (size) of school district, quartile of valuation per…

Updated information is provided in this addendum to an original report that assessed the equity of the Kansas School District Equalization Act (SDEA) from 1973 to 1988. This consultants' analysis on behalf of Turner School District in "Mock v. State of Kansas" consists of five parts. Following an introduction, section 2 reviews the…

A study was done to determine whether administrator salaries in 14 Ohio school districts were a reflection of administrator responsibilities or of length of service, and to find what factors accounted for salary differentials. Although previous research suggests factors for assigning value to administrative positions, traditional salary structures…