Increased attention to proposed federal early childhood education (ECE) legislation has sparked a debate on what the future holds for state-funded ECE systems. This brief explores how the goal of universal preschool is being shaped by the federal agenda and examines state programs in various stages of development. President Obama's Preschool for…

The administration's proposal to end state and local tax deductions could cost public schools $24 billion in funding cuts and has far reaching ramifications for public education. Projections of state-by-state losses are presented as well as projections of tax liability increases to individuals and businesses. (MD)

Describes a study of how Oregon's 1979 Property Tax Relief Plan affected school district decisions about expenditures and tax levy requests, and discusses implications of the findings. (PGD)

This document reports the findings of a study assessing the status of school finance in Wisconsin and recommending preferred methods for funding the public schools. Seventy-nine topics were considered in five areas: state support, general aid, categorical aid, factors affecting school costs, and other topics. The study's recommendations regarding…

This study examines the effects of the 1979 Oregon Property Tax Relief Plan on 1980-81 school district budget decisions by comparing the available tax relief, the school expenditures, and the tax levies in the state for the years 1975-81. The history of direct and indirect property tax relief in Oregon is sketched for the years prior to 1979; the…

As states modify their school finance systems in pursuit of equity, play a larger role in setting the level of teacher salaries, and link school finance and improvement, state control of schools is growing. However, state support of schools will decrease as property taxes increase. (DCS)

Achieving a state education finance program that is fair to students, taxpayers, teachers, and school districts is complicated by varying student needs and different property tax rates and school expenses among districts. Attempts at equitable allocation of state aid funds and other educational resources should be guided by the principles of…

To determine adequate, fair, and efficient methods of public school finance for the state of Illinois, this study collected and synthesized data on state revenues collected in 1980-81 and distributed to school districts in 1981-82. Researchers examined current alternative methods of distributing state and federal funds to Illinois public schools…

This report which describes state systems for financing special education programs for school-age children with disabilities, is based on a is based on a national survey of state directors of special education during the 1992-93 school year. Emphasis is on determining state funding formulas, recognizing that many states are currently in various…

This document outlines the issues of importance to higher education that face the 102nd Congress of the United States Government of which three have paramount importance: (1) securing adequate funding of student assistance programs; (2) assuring tax policies which provide maximum incentives to enlarge the nation's technical and professional skills…

This report provides an analysis of current inequities in school finance in Illinois, the historical roots of those inequities, and an analysis of alternative options for funding primary and secondary education. An introduction briefly describes the basis for the constitutional challenge to the current funding system. The next section describes…

The Foundation Program, revamped by the 1986 South Dakota legislative session, provides a method of determining the state aid support to school districts. In addition, state aid is provided for separate special education funding and for tuition incentive funding. The latter provides up to 3 years of state aid, both for contracting high school…

This review of the history of school finance litigation highlights various rulings of the courts and the ways that legal strategies have changed over time. Originally the school finance cases were based on the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the argument being that differences in per pupil spending had…

Potential revenue prospects for the public schools in the Midwest basically depend on the future outlook for the midwestern economy as a whole. Accordingly, a comprehensive analysis is undertaken of the midwestern economy and tax base, and then of trends in educational spending. Topics include: (1) economic growth and taxation systems; (2)…

The Education Consolidation and Improvement Act (ECIA) of 1981 is intended to provide opportunities for states and local governments to have more control of their educational programs and to deregulate the administration of federal programs. Introduced at a time when state funding and revenue systems are in flux and severely depleted, it presents…