As the United States prepares for the 21st century, questions regarding the high cost of education have increased in volume. Many of these questions and issues are addressed in this textbook. The text is intended for a beginning course in school finance, but school administrators, teachers, school board members, legislators, and others interested…

Utah's school districts receive equalization aid under the state's school finance program. Funds are distributed on the basis of weighted pupil units and are allocated among a number of specific programs. This document consists of tables and graphs displaying the allocation of these funds to Utah's 40 school districts during the 1982-83 school…

This paper examines the effects of spending variations among Missouri school districts on educational opportunity and quality. In an analysis of six matched pairs of Missouri school districts, each higher spending district was compared with a lower spending district of similar size. Data were derived from document analysis and interviews with the…

This final report of the Nebraska School Financing Review Commission includes the following items: (1) an examination of the role of income as a revenue source and indicator of wealth; (2) investigation of ways to reduce reliance on property tax for school support; and (3) consideration of alternate state aid distribution formulas. Also included…

A study analyzed the revenues of the Chicago Public Schools since 1970; all the relevant data on these revenues are compiled in this document, which presents a comprehensive picture of the finances of the Chicago Public Schools. In response to a fiscal crisis that has continued since 1979-80, the Chicago Board of Education has cut its staff by…

This annual report summarizes, in tabular form, the major aspects of tax-based support of the public schools in New York State. Material is presented under eight chapter headings, as follows: 1) Perspectives in financing public school expenditures during the period 1968-78, 2) State support of education in New York State, 3) budget defeats--1968,…

Like all capitalist nations which have gone through a development process, the United States has relied partly on the rural-to-urban transfer of resources for the growth of an industrialized urban complex. The existence of a market-dominated rural sector and a noncompetitive (administered-price) urban sector has resulted in a major transfer of…

A study was done of State University of New York (SUNY) revenue sources and operating costs for fiscal year 1988-89 in comparison to "peer" public university systems in 17 other states. In particular the study focused on SUNY cost effectiveness, tuition and fee schedules, the proportion of costs offset by tuition and fees and the…

The funding and operation of Michigan's K-12 public school system was substantially changed in March 1994, with voter approval of a constitutional amendment and legislative adoption of 24 implementing state statutes. The comprehensive school funding proposal substantially reduced local property taxes; increased, and in some cases decreased, the…

Data on 1982-1983 state support for elementary/secondary and higher education are presented. The objective is to provide policymakers information on how funding decisions vary and to promote self-analysis of how well each state is doing. Data and narrative analysis of regional trends cover: demographic characteristics, state support for…

The finances of major school districts in New York State during 1980-81 and 1981-82 are summarized in this report. Trend data are provided on full value, expenses, State aid, tax rates, and local levy. These items are also shown on a per pupil basis for the entire State, New York City, and the balance of the State. Eleven statistical tables are…

This paper describes funding formulas for the new Foundation School Program in Texas enacted under the Education Opportunity Act (H.B. 72), raises issues that have accompanied its first year of implementation, and provides preliminary data to compare prior and existing law. The state finance system, which previously distributed state aid according…

School districts containing the largest proportions of poor and disadvantaged pupils have the lowest financial resources available to support their schools. The inequalities persist for a combination of both technical and political reasons. The evidence reviewed suggests that the distribution of school resources is directly related to the…

The study reported in this document examined Connecticut's present system for financing public education and analyzed alternative systems. On the basis of study findings, some conclusions are presented in this report concerning (1) the total fiscal system within which Connecticut finances its schools, (2) fiscal disparities in the established…

Alaska's public schools cost $1.2 billion in the 1992-93 school year. That included both operating and capital spending and amounted to about $10,000 for each of the state's 119,000 elementary and secondary students. Roughly one-quarter of the state government's general fund budget went to the schools, covering 64 percent of costs. About 30…