School districts held an exclusive franchise on public education services until 1991, when Minnesota passed the first law permitting public charter schools. Charter schools are publicly funded, authorized by various agencies designated in public law, but independently managed. They operate outside district control, and most can draw students from…

The nation's major city public school districts have substantial construction, renovation, modernization, and deferred maintenance needs because of the age and size of their school buildings, shifting populations, and the need to devote substantial resources to instructional personnel to meet their core academic mission. For instance, the average…

This book reports the results of a survey by a task force of Oregon business executives and managers to analyze noninstructional areas of elementary and secondary education in Oregon. The study centered on the following business aspects of school operations: examination of operational and administrative costs and evaluation of methods for their…