Describes the bond-rating process; suggests several management practices school districts can adopt to improve their bond ratings: Adopt a fund balance, initiate debt-affordability and debt-amortization policies, institute pay-as-you-go funding to reduce dependency on debt, develop a multiyear plan, and communicate periodically with credit-rating…

An Iowa architect reveals some surprising results of a study on how to secure voter approval. (Author)

A profile of R. Kirk Hamilton, superintendent of South-Western City Schools in Columbus, Ohio, is presented. Hamilton runs the Ohio school district featuring a full gamut of geography--from expansive cow pastures to high-density, urban housing complexes--yet he carries the same message to all corners that's grounded on a simple belief: All…

Presents an interview with Kit Dunn, a specialist in school district information services, about the importance of communication with the community, especially concerning school bond referenda. (EV)

Bond ratings are an assessment by an independent rating agency of the credit worthiness of a bond issuer, such as a school district, on repayment of a particular bond issue. Describes the rating procedures Standard and Poor's Municipal Finance Department uses to assign bond ratings. (MLF)

Issuing municipal bonds requires many decisions and involves a number of individuals. Traces basic and essential steps to ensure a successful endeavor. (MLF)

Thanks to previous bond issues, the Walled Lake (Michigan) Schools had a well-defined technology plan featuring staff development, student performance benchmarks, and rooms of outdated computers. After three bond issues failed, the district adopted leasing as an alternative. Their present three-year contract supplies 154 used computers and a…

One alternative to the insurance crisis faced by school districts is self-insurance, either through pooling or capital market funding. After a brief discussion of the insurance issue, research and literature dealing specifically with self-insurance through pooling and capital market funding are described. Finally, an assesment is made of the…

Discusses how school districts putting the right people in the right management positions when running bond-issue campaigns can better assure campaign success. Characteristics required of campaign chairs, job responsibilities of members of the central and regional committee are highlighted. (GR)

Describes how school districts may significantly reduce the interest paid on school building bonds in states where the law permits advance refunding of school bond issues in response to declining interest rates. Presents two examples of how Indiana school districts used advance refunding to reduce the cost of debt service. (JG)

Factors that produced defeat of bond issues and the actions taken by administrators of four California junior college districts to offset those factors are presented in this paper. Relevant findings from previous studies on school bond elections are summarized; the legal and fiscal context in which new California junior college districts operate…

Suggests a strategy for effecting the passage of a school bond issue. Proposes procedures for forming and structuring a committee to evaluate the bond issue and for securing "yes" votes. (MCG)

The first part of this article deals with how to build an effective public relations program, which is essential in securing voter funding support. The second part outlines a step-by-step way to win funding issues. (Author)

Examines the impact of variations in capital stock (physical assets) across school districts on student achievement. Uses level of bond indebtedness as a proxy for capital stock. Finds significant positive correlation between district per-student bonded indebtedness and student achievement measured by district mean scores on Michigan's Education…