The three primary sources of funding for public education in America are the federal government, the state government, and the community. This paper presents an overview of trends in funding K-12 public education; the stability of local-funding sources; the value of public education as a factor in cost; political influences on school funding;…

An introduction to Minnesota's educational finance system as of school year 1983-84, this compilation describes various aid programs, defines relevant terms, and shows how funds are allocated. The first section defines the following: the Foundation Aid Program, the state's basic school financing mechanism, which includes state and local funds with…

An introduction to Minnesota's educational finance system as of school year 1984-85, this compilation describes various aid programs, defines relevant terms, and shows how funds are allocated. The first section defines the following: the Foundation Aid Program, the state's basic school financing mechanism, which includes state and local funds with…

Utilizing data from the 1973-1974 school year, the study analyzed and compared the educational funding system presently used by Oklahoma with other school funding plans on the basis of economic efficiency and social equity. Funding plans used for comparison included Flat Grants, Minimum Foundation, Percentage Equalizing, Guaranteed Tax Base, Full…

As the United States prepares for the 21st century, questions regarding the high cost of education have increased in volume. Many of these questions and issues are addressed in this textbook. The text is intended for a beginning course in school finance, but school administrators, teachers, school board members, legislators, and others interested…

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…

Information on state-level financing of higher education and on institutional revenues and expenditures is presented for fiscal year (FY) 1982, with trend data back to FY 1978. In addition to a narrative analysis, nearly 200 tables show state rankings on 46 factors involved in higher education finance. The state rankings cover state and local…

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…

Issues in public school finance are discussed in this research monograph, with an emphasis on Texas. Chapter 1 provides a national historical overview, examining the changing definition of equality. The second chapter examines equity challenges in the courts, specifically, two major types of constitutional issues: (1) equal protection clauses of…

A study analyzed the revenues of the Chicago Public Schools since 1970; all the relevant data on these revenues are compiled in this document, which presents a comprehensive picture of the finances of the Chicago Public Schools. In response to a fiscal crisis that has continued since 1979-80, the Chicago Board of Education has cut its staff by…

The main thesis presented is that the need for state-level planning for the community college requires increased state-level financial support, yet, at the same time essential local autonomy must be preserved. Areas such as cost-analysis and program-budgeting techniques that govern state support, the way cost-benefit decisions affect the ideal of…

This paper presents an overview of Florida's fiscal status and the state of its educational fiscal reform. Five areas of concern are identified regarding educational finance--adequacy of funding, educational reform initiatives including accountability, equity, alternative tax sources, and communication. These issues indicate a highly unstable…

A majority of the 50 states are currently experiencing budget problems as a result of recent changes in the fiscal roles of federal, state, and local governments. Four major factors are responsible for the recent deterioration of state budgets: (1) reductions in federal aid to states and localities, (2) changes in the federal corporate and…