State officials attempting school finance reform are faced with the three interlocking problems of school finance, property taxation, and the crisis of central cities. The three basic issues to be considered in dealing with these problems are equity, adequacy, and efficiency. This report examines these school finance problems and critiques…

Recent court decisions requiring changes in State educational finance systems have not invalidated the use of local property taxes as a revenue source for education, nor have they dictated that the same amount of dollars must be spent on every pupil. In short, these decisions have left with the State legislatures the responsibility to fashion new…

An introduction to Minnesota's educational finance system as of school year 1983-84, this compilation describes various aid programs, defines relevant terms, and shows how funds are allocated. The first section defines the following: the Foundation Aid Program, the state's basic school financing mechanism, which includes state and local funds with…

An introduction to Minnesota's educational finance system as of school year 1984-85, this compilation describes various aid programs, defines relevant terms, and shows how funds are allocated. The first section defines the following: the Foundation Aid Program, the state's basic school financing mechanism, which includes state and local funds with…

Under Ohio's existing educational finance plan, the power of school districts to purchase the educational resources commensurate with each district's educational needs is far from equal. Consideration of four specific potential reforms, separately and in combination, indicates that greater equity can be obtained. If Ohio is to avoid substantial…

In 1971 the author conducted a study of the provincial government policies affecting the provision of grants to school divisions to assist in meeting the operating costs of education. The study was jointly sponsored by the provincial department of education and the Manitoba Association of School Trustees (MAST). During the subsequent five years,…

The Potential Revenue Index (PRI) emphasizes the per cent of current school revenues that are derived from unequalized local taxation. Its purpose is to measure the extent to which potential school per pupil revenues are equalized by various State school support programs. One can also ask how much additional tax revenue people in low wealth school…

This handbook was created to provide the user with an informative reference of the various elements contained in the Louisiana Minimum Foundation Program formula. The MFP formula adopted by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and approved by the Legislature determines the cost of a minimum foundation program of education in all…

Discusses the purposes of the Assistance to States for State Equalization Plans Act, recounts its legislative history, describes its equity guidelines, and highlights the state plans and research studies flowing from the act. (Author/JM)

Three conference papers on school finance reform in Tennessee are presented in this document, with a focus on the disparities between rural and urban public school funding. The first paper examines the nature and size of contributions of various funding sources to the per-pupil revenue in local school districts, analyzes specific problems of the…

New Jersey's school funding reform initiative, the Quality Education Act of 1990 and its 1991 amendments, are described in this booklet. The amendments attempt to equalize the tax burden of all districts, provide property relief, and impose stricter spending limitations. In the new foundation funding system, the state provides aid based on a…

Using extensive data from before and after school finance reforms, the author analyzes the reforms' effects on school finance inequities in Michigan and Missouri, for all school districts and for suburban districts. In Michigan, data from 1970-71 show, the state met neither of two equity standards--equality in expenditure per pupil and fiscal…

The purpose of this manual is to provide information regarding school finance reform in the state of California to the legislature, governor, education department, teachers, and other interest groups. Chapter 1 briefly describes disparities in expenditures for education among California school districts, first using a sample of school districts…

This manual provides an introduction to the system of financing elementary and secondary education in Florida. School finance reform in Florida, the paper notes, has been considered a success primarily due to a grouping of conditions that created an atmosphere conducive to reform. Chapter 1 explains how the state's education finance plan operates…

This manual provides an introduction and guide to the system of financing elementary and secondary education in the state of New York. Chapter 1 explains how the state's education finance plan operates by allowing districts to calculate aid under two foundation formulas. Chapter 2 describes how the state's plan addresses disparities by equalizing…