In this brief, we examine an important but obscure form of state spending on K-12 education-state subsidies of school district pension costs. In 2018, this exceeded $19 billion across 23 states. To put that amount into perspective, 2018 federal spending on Title I programs was $15.8 billion. This revenue stream is often ignored in analyses of…

Pension legacy costs can restrict the amount of resources available for current public education, potentially making it more difficult to attract and retain high-quality teachers. Oregon provides a useful case study in pension legacy costs because many school districts in the state are now reallocating General Fund expenditures to cover sizeable…

This report, submitted in compliance with 105 ILCS 5/1A-4E, provides a discussion of the overall condition of education in Illinois. Information is included concerning student and teacher demographics; data on teacher and administrator licensure; federal, state, and local resources; and other data on Illinois education. The 2021 Condition of…

In Pennsylvania as in many other states, employee pension costs are a significant source of financial pressure for school districts (Zeehandelaar and Northern 2013, Pennsylvania Public Employees' Retirement Commission 2013). In order to gain greater insight into the nature of Pennsylvania school districts' financial burden related to pension…

This past year has been unlike any in recent history. In March, the global COVID-19 pandemic forced Illinois to shift suddenly to remote learning for all students. This adjustment exposed the digital divide as a stark reality. One bright spot in the year occurred in May, when the Illinois' plan for career and technical education (CTE) received…

The purpose of this article was to present the results of a study that analyzed Pennsylvania local school boards' taxing authority, pre- and post-enactment of Special Session Act 1, "The Taxpayer Relief Act," in 2006, in terms of its percent share of school districts' total budget in order to better understand the impact of the new…

The data presented in this combined report--"Rankings & Estimates"--provide facts about the extent to which local, state, and national governments commit resources to public education. As one might expect in a nation as diverse as the United States--with respect to economics, geography, and politics--the level of commitment to…

The activities of the educational boards and foundations of the United States from July 1, 1918, to June 30, 1920, were varied and interesting. A number of important studies and surveys were made that throw light on educational problems of the highest importance to the Nation and State, which are briefly set forth in this bulletin. The following…

This volume is part one of a three-part report of the Educational Research Service (ERS) "National Survey of Fringe Benefits in Public Schools." Data were derived from a 2-part questionnaire that was mailed to 1,918 United States public school systems. A total of 810 school systems responded, creating a 42 percent response rate. Information is…

The three reports in this publication examine the relationship between educators' benefits and state, local, and national economic conditions and policies. The reports had two goals: to encourage educators to consider economic factors in negotiating benefits and compensation, and to demonstrate that employee retirement and health benefits are a…

Analysis of demographic data is utilized in this report to trace the relationship between public expenditure and school enrollment in Ontario and to predict the direction of educational expenditure in light of projected enrollment trends. The report shows that inflation, changes in educational policy, and increases in teacher salaries, rather than…

Focusing on the classroom teacher as the key component in the educational process, this yearbook reviews recent school reform upheavals and their effects on teacher compensation, availability and quality of teachers, teacher retirement systems and related issues. After introductory observations on teachers' economic subsidies by Kern Alexander,…

How schools weather budget reductions shows the difference between effective and less effective school systems. Policymakers' response to reductions depends on an array of factors: general economic conditions, access to data about future trends, community expectations and "myths," past records of school effectiveness, local education…

A wide range of fringe benefit practices offered to superintendents are summarized in this report. Based on a national panel sample stratified by enrollment size, results are reported separately according to four enrollment groupings by size, per pupil expenditure, and geographic region. Data on leave policies, insurance coverage, retirement…

The sixth biennial National Survey of Fringe Benefits in Public Schools focuses on a wide range of fringe benefit practices offered all professional personnel. Data were collected from a national panel sample stratified by enrollment size and are reported separately for large, medium, small, and very small systems for five levels of per pupil…