The combined effect of the "Serrano" decision and Proposition 13 left California school districts with aging, overcrowded facilities. Chico schools won a $18.5 million general obligation bond election for facilities construction. With $11 billion needed for new school construction, California will need to tap local sources. A sidebar…

Examines voter response to bond issues immediately following Michigan's elimination of its property tax school-funding system. Reviews equity measures, discusses court cases addressing school-facility equity issues, and compares other states' funding approaches. Michigan's system for financing school facilities remains inequitable, and facility…

After explaining briefly the history of educational funding in the United States, the authors discuss the current revenue sources and fiscal status of American public school facilities financing. Included are three tables with state-by-state information concerning bond referenda, public school bonded indebtedness, and debt loads. (JBM)

The combination of defeated bond issues and rising building costs is contributing to a decline in both the construction of new school buildings and the remodeling of existing buildings. For the first time in many years, debt service and capital outlay expenditures actually declined on a per pupil basis. No change in either voter preferences or…