The State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) report is produced annually by the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) to broaden understanding of the context and consequences of multiple decisions made every year in each of these areas. No single report can provide definitive answers to such broad and fundamental questions of public…

The State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) report is produced annually by the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) to broaden understanding of the context and consequences of multiple decisions made every year in each of these areas. No single report can provide definitive answers to such broad and fundamental questions of public…

This report examines the theoretical result of a change in the way Oklahoma could fund its common schools if it used a Texas tax system that relied heavily on an ad valorum tax structure or another taxation system. Using data from the 1999 school year, calculations of state aid for the more than 540 school districts were made for four scenarios:…

THIS WAS A STUDY OF SAN MATEO VOTERS AND THEIR PRE-ELECTION REACTIONS TO A COMBINED TAX AND BOND PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE FUNDS. IT PROPOSED (1) TO DETERMINE HOW MANY WOULD VOTE FOR OR AGAINST THE PROPOSALS, (2) TO IDENTIFY ISSUES IMPORTANT TO VOTERS IN MAKING THEIR DECISIONS, (3) TO CHARACTERIZE THOSE VOTING YES OR NO TO SEE…

This study attempted to determine the knowledge of Tennessee public school finance on the part of teachers, businessmen, school administrators, elected officials, and industrial workers. Students in a class on public school finance administered the questionnaire to over 1,000 subjects. Results revealed that respondents feel that public education…

In effect, a portion of each American's individual income tax payments will be returned to his own State and locality by revenue sharing. (Author/JN)

Argues that tax-target plans, which would permit taxpayers to earmark a fraction of local property tax dollars to specific items or schools, would foster the natural tendencies of social stratification. (Author/MLF)

Argues that tax-target plans address the taxpayers' desire to have monies spent as they would wish so that school services somewhat reflect their own preferences and not solely those of others. (Author/MLF)

The real property tax is local government's primary source of revenue, providing 48 percent of local governmental revenues nationwide. Of all local government expenditures, 37 percent go to elementary and secondary schools. Therefore, problems with property tax become problems of school finance. Taxes and subsidies generally do not change the…

The Pennsylvania legislature is considering a school finance proposal, exemplified by House Bill 113 of the 2003 legislative session, that would shift some school funding away from local property taxes and toward state funds and local income taxes. The proposal would give greater proportional benefits to homeowners with lower property values. A…

In 1994, Michigan voters approved Proposal A, which reduced school property taxes, increased the sales tax, and established a per-pupil funding guarantee for public schools. This report describes the effects of Proposal A and challenges to it. Since Proposal A was implemented, funding for schools has grown substantially while property taxes have…

Citizens in rural Nebraska filed a lawsuit challenging the reliance on local property taxes for school funding that has led to inequities between rural and urban schools. One answer may be to give smaller school districts more money through a state system of taxation and equalization aid to improve school standards. (LP)

This report describes and evaluates the North Dakota state/local fiscal system, especially as it relates to financing public education. It identifies and evaluates various fiscal policy options for raising additional tax revenue for support of schools and other public services in ways consistent with the basic characteristics of the North Dakota…

During the past 5 years, Oregon has set in motion a set of fundamental changes in state policy that will radically affect schools. It has: (1) reduced property taxes without increasing other taxes in a way that will reduce state/local taxes as a share of income from 12.1 percent of personal income in 1991 to 10.3 percent in 1996; (2) shifted to…