This paper examines several major State finance revisions and the procedures used to analyze their impact on school district per pupil expenditures, State aid, and local tax rates in New York, Massachusetts, and California. Policy alternatives include utilization of measures of educational need, municipal overburden factors in the general formula,…

This chapter by chapter summary of legislation enacted by the 1988 New York State Legislature affecting education and the professions has been prepared for use by the education community. Additional legislation may be forthcoming because the Legislature was in temporary recess as of the publication of this report. Sections of the report include…

The Foundation Program, revamped by the 1986 South Dakota legislative session, provides a method of determining the state aid support to school districts. In addition, state aid is provided for separate special education funding and for tuition incentive funding. The latter provides up to 3 years of state aid, both for contracting high school…

This study's purpose was to explore the premise that increasing state support for elementary/secondary schools increases equal student access to educational opportunity. Following a brief overview of the background of the problem, including a description of the so-called "Minnesota Miracle" or Omnibus Tax Law of 1971 with its provisions…

This report presents an analysis of Illinois' present educational finance system and makes recommendations for future legislation to improve the system. The report discusses (1) State constitutional provisions, (2) the present tax structure and alternative taxing methods, (3) proposed distribution formulas and equalization methods, (4) financing…

The United States Supreme Court decided two cases in the area of school finance in 1986. It addressed student financial assistance under a vocational rehabilitation program for tuition at a sectarian postsecondary institution in Washington; it also decided a case challenging a state finance program. Cases were heard by other courts in an attempt…

In the wake of court decisions in the cases of "Serrano v. Priest,""San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez," and "Robinson v. Cahill," Congress set aside funds as part of Public Law 93-380 for state departments of education to study the equitability of current educational funding arrangements. This…

This conference report contains 29 papers dealing with trends in financing public education. The papers are grouped by major subject into (1) the economic, social, and political issues in education and school support, (2) the foundation plan of school support, (3) the development of measures of State and local government ability to support…

One Supreme Court decision, seven federal appellate decisions, and two district court decisions were published in the area of school finance in 1990. The Supreme Court reviewed a case concerning allegations of school district segregation, along with an ensuing tax assessment issue. Federal appellate courts handed down decisions involving alleged…

In 1989, federal appellate courts ruled on issues regarding a state's role in financing a court-ordered desegregation plan, and the use of federal funds for vocational rehabilitation and Title I programs. State supreme courts decided on the constitutionality of four states' school financing schemes and, in a fifth state, on distribution of federal…

There were no United States Supreme Court decisions in 1987 on either public or private school finance. Cases discussed in this chapter fall under three major topics: (1) public funds for private schools; (2) sources and allocations of public school funds; and (3) school tax issues. Federal appellate court cases included decisions on the…

This book provides current information on general questions pertaining to various statutory enactments, court decisions, and administrative decisions affecting public schools. Since it is intended for use by boards of education in New York State, heavy emphasis is placed on provisions that apply specifically to New York schools. However, some of…

In 1988, there were two United States Supreme Court decisions regarding school finance. One decision upheld the constitutionality of a North Dakota statute regarding transportation fees, and the other decision ruled that interest from state and local government bearer bonds was subject to federal income taxation. Cases discussed in this chapter…

Within the biennial period here under review, 47 States held regular meetings of their legislative assemblies, and a few extraordinary sessions were called by governors. The lawmakers of six States--Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Georgia--meet annually, and those of all others except Alabama meet biennially.…

The Education Consolidation and Improvement Act (ECIA) of 1981 is intended to provide opportunities for states and local governments to have more control of their educational programs and to deregulate the administration of federal programs. Introduced at a time when state funding and revenue systems are in flux and severely depleted, it presents…