This conference aimed at focusing the attention of educators, legislators, and interested citizens on the inadequacies of present methods used to finance public elementary and secondary schools in Massachusetts. The papers presented in this document give an overview of the present problems and provide direction for the actions required to develop…

Examines voter response to bond issues immediately following Michigan's elimination of its property tax school-funding system. Reviews equity measures, discusses court cases addressing school-facility equity issues, and compares other states' funding approaches. Michigan's system for financing school facilities remains inequitable, and facility…

The South Carolina Education Finance Act of 1977 aims toward equalization of public school finance in South Carolina. A major goal is the state provision of 70 percent of school funding. The bill contains three other major provisions: the Defined Minimum Program (DMP), the Index of Taxpaying Ability, and the Weighted Pupil/Base Pupil calculation.…

The movement for school finance reform at the State level has not been arrested. It had been thought that the Rodriguez case would stall reform. States have moved their reform efforts ahead before and after the Rodriguez decision, with conviction. The purpose of this publication is to document school finance legislation in 1973, State-by-State.…

This analysis is the second of a series of seven reports on the ways that the urban fiscal crisis has affected children. During the 1970s, as a result of general public disenchantment with government, 39 states (78 percent of the 50 states) appear to have enacted tax limitations that affected children's services. Of these states, 37 imposed…

This report analyzes the impact of California's 1972 Senate Bill 90 and 1973 Assembly Bill 1267 as they have affected public school finance in California. The portions of SB 90 and AB 1267 that pertain to operating school districts contain general property tax rollback and revenue limit features, as well as mechanisms designed to lessen the…

Discusses Oklahoma's school finance legislation of 1981, designed to promote fiscal neutrality among districts and vertical equity for students while maintaining a partnership between the state and local districts in financing education. Proposes total commitment by Oklahoma to percentage equalizing, noting that the revenue potential exists. (PGD)

Schools in North Carolina are governed by numerous laws pertaining to construction and repair. A selection of these laws is presented. Financial concerns constitute the bulk of these statutes, covering areas such as bids (financial outlay, advertisement, rejecting bids, and withdrawing bids); sources of state funds; the selling or buying of school…

The most dramatic impact of Proposition 13 on California school districts was that the state, in follow-up actions, reduced the number of matters that could be decided locally. (Author/MLF)

The New Jersey Legislature acted to save New Jersey education, and their public school system, closed by a July 1 court order, opened in September with renewed hope. (Editor/RK)

A theory that urges judges to decide that locally financed school systems are unconstitutional holds that courts must implement reforms because the legislative process is dominated by property-rich communities. However, the defeat of a New Hampshire gubernatorial candidate who advocated such reforms contradicts the theory. (JOW)

The Arizona state legislature met from November 1979 to April 1980 for the sole purpose of restructuring and codifying rules that define school financial policy and reforming tax structures that support educational institutions. This case study investigated the role of special interest groups in shaping state educational policy at that session.…

Reports on legislative action affecting higher education in the Southern states that held regular or special legislative sessions in 1978 are presented and a preview of 1979 sessions is provided in this publication. In most Southern Regional Education Board States in 1978, higher education maintained or slightly increased its share of state tax…

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…