Summarizes the pertinent rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court in Rodriguez, examines the impact of Rodriguez on future education reform litigation in Federal courts, discusses the potential impact that Rodriguez will have on law suits challenging tax related education inequalities, and examines the impact of the Rodriguez decision on State court…

This study examines changes between 1970 and 1975 in the distribution of educational resources within all the States. The analysis considers both the disparities in expenditures and the relation between these disparities and local wealth. The costs of achieving a range of equalization goals are also presented. (Author/GC)

Discusses four categories of problems getting the greatest attention among those interested in reforming school finance: fiscal neutrality, cost differentials, individual needs, and municipal overburden. (Author/DN)

Discusses the effects of commercial-industrial tax-sharing in New Castle County, Delaware. Implementing the concept of tax sharing could help to equalize educational opportunity between wealthier and poorer school districts. (Author/GC)

An overview of recent legislation in the field of educational finance reform which describes a number of similarities among the bills enacted after the Serrano decision but before the first major reversals of some of the earlier decisions. Weaknesses common to these efforts are detailed and indications of future trends are suggested. An Appendix…

It is asserted that conventional school finance analysis must address itself to the social realities of politics and dealing with state legislatures, thus disputing some of the theses offered by Daniel C. Morgan in a previous article. (EH)

States have made major strides in devising more equitable school finance plans. Constructive debates still occur, however, over the choice of basic funding plans, the balancing of taxes and expenditures in new finance plans, and the need and feasability of coordinating financial and educational reform movements. The resolution of these debates at…

In the 1980s, equity concerns will come into conflict with efficiency concerns in school financing. This paper attempts to trace the changing nature of these concerns during the 1970s and to suggest trends for education financing in the 1980s. The first section discusses equity issues related to state school finance reforms and suggests that…

The first part of this document (and Appendix A) focuses on New Jersey as a microcosm of the problems, questions, and issues involved in revising the existing system of how school costs are paid. New Jersey is particularly suited for such analysis because for years it depended heavily on the local school property tax, to an even greater extent…

Principles for public school finance are outlined with respect to an equitable allocation of educational resources by the state. The argument is advanced that equal dollars per pupil is a practical, reasonable, acceptable and attainable initial basis for school financing. Objections to the equal dollars scheme are considered, leading to an…

The theme of this seminar was the exploration of techniques and strategies for improving the funding of elementary and secondary education. The proceedings of the seminar included welcoming remarks by Michael Heron followed by the presentation "Problems and Prospects in Education Finance: Who Is Getting All the Money?" by Dr. Wilfred…

The Serrano decision has caused policy makers in California to search for departures from the current system of public school finance. Citizen and legislative evaluation of alternative finance systems is being confused by the employment of diverse interpretations of Serrano. Although the Court's decision may appear to indicate clear-cut methods of…

The school finance reform movement of the 1970's got a fast start in August 1971 when the California Supreme Court announced its decision in Serrano v. Priest. In the 20 months following the Serrano decision, scores of school finance suits were filed throughout the country. The momentum initiated by the California Supreme Court was clearly on the…

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…

This paper outlines school finance issues that have emerged due to litigation on the constitutionality of school funding at the state level. Such funding varies from state to state, ranging from 8 percent in New Hampshire to 74 percent in New Mexico; per-child expenditures range from $1,500 to $15,000. Beginning in the 1970s, poor school districts…