Suggestions and guidelines to help school administrators, business officials, board members, and others interested in improving school facilities are presented in this book. Chapter 1, "School Building Programs, Equipment Acquisition: The Anatomy of School Debt Financing" (Edgar H. Bittle), provides an overview of the legal and planning issues…

This report examines the history of California school construction financing and its past pitfalls, highlights the problems with pre-existing programs, and explores the history of bond initiatives during the past 5 decades. It begins by examining the State Allocation Board and its staff (the Office of Public School Construction) and reviewing the…

Analyzes data on referenda to build or renovate public libraries that were held between July 1990 and June 1991. Seasonal considerations are discussed, library referenda by authorizing agency are examined, a five-year summary of referenda is provided, and two sidebars describe successful referenda campaigns in Spokane (Washington) and Denver…

A dramatic, carefully planned, and well-timed campaign will convince voters to vote "yes" on school bonds. Outlines a 10-step program that will ensure winning at the polls. (MLF)

Analysis of school bond elections in South Dakota and in South Carolina reveal some common patterns that can help school leaders conduct a successful campaign. Key recommendations include the following: (1) assemble a diverse community task force; (2) focus on "yes" voters; (3) plan early and stress personal contact; (4) bring in expert…

Reviews 30 years of state efforts to support school-facilities construction and renovation in Texas. Describes recent state programs to provide direct funding for school facilities: Instructional Facilities Allotment, Existing Debt Allotment, and New Instructional Facilities Allotment. Although state funding of school facilities has increased,…

Using the strategy of "divide and conquer" can lead to victory at the polls. The ballot can include two freestanding questions, either or both of which can pass or fail independently, or it can be designed in such a way that approval of question two is contingent on question one passing. (MLF)

This booklet provides information about the state of Mississippi's Prepaid Affordable College Tuition Program. The state-guaranteed program creates tax-exempt monthly or lump-sum prepayment plans that cover tuition and all mandatory fees at state-supported colleges or universities, are portable to private and out-of-state schools, and can be…

The primary goal of this study was to develop a handbook containing guidelines needed to pass a bond issue for the construction of new facilities at Cleveland County Technical Institute (North Carolina). Following a literature search, ten presidents of community colleges or technical institutes were interviewed, and the resulting handbook was…

Abstracts of 17 publications in the ERIC system concern the financing of school construction programs for new buildings, renovations, and additions. (MLF)

A historical review of education at the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana from 1872 through 1964 is presented in terms of the changes in, and philosophies of, the 3 major educational efforts on the reservation. The beginning of education for the Blackfeet Indians by way of mission schools, along with gradual movement into Federal…

Large and small businesses have long financed capital projects through tax-exempt financing. Colleges that need large sums of money to retrofit campuses with energy-efficient equipment can achieve the lowest borrowing cost available through bond insurance. (Author/MSE)

This report on Michigan's demographics examines the changing composition of Michigan's households and the ramification for Michigan schools. The report states that between 1980 and 2000, Michigan's population grew by 7.3 percent, while the number of households grew by 590,448, or 18 percent. Households are growing faster than the population…

The Missouri Health and Educational Facilities Authority has been legislatively directed to assist the state's school districts in the issuance of general obligation bonds and to develop guidelines for two voluntary methods relating to the issuance of these bonds. The program offered provides credit enhancement and helps achieve the lowest…