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…

Voters in Starkville, Mississippi, passed an $9.8 million bond issue last year despite opposition by the local chapter of the NAACP. The election returns reflect that the district already was committed to a policy of finding and hiring qualified black teachers and administrators and district leaders were willing to commit themselves to the…

A homemade video graphically displayed a rural Wisconsin school district's cramped and deteriorating condition. Voters approved a 5.5 million dollar plan to expand and modernize the existing 3-story building that links the elementary school and high school. School officials believe the grassroots video helped convince voters in favor of the…

Improving a school's Q4C quotient (quality control, customer commitment, and communications) during election planning hinges on district mission, a culture of high expectations, basic skills mastery, commitment to customers, continuous feedback, healthy working relationships, broad community involvement, high- level strategic planning and…

Explains how one North Carolina school district was able to pass high-dollar bond issues for school construction. Discusses the planning and bidding processes, and the district's philosophy towards incorporating innovative changes in design and equipment. (GR)

Following two-failed school bond issues in 1995 and 1998, one mid-sized rural school district organized an effort that led to two successful school bond elections in 2001 and 2003. The school district's strategic plan mirrored many of the recommendations for successful bond referendums published in School Bond Success: A Strategy for Building…

The author of this article talks to Robert Kreider about why helping people with special needs is so important to him and his colleagues. Robert Kreider is the president and chief executive officer of The Devereux Foundation, the nation's largest non-profit provider of behavioral healthcare services to children and adults with emotional,…

While new school construction bond elections for rural school districts can be difficult to pass, success is possible. This paper presents one superintendent's effective campaign to build a $4.2 million elementary school within a rural community. It reveals the need to continually reinforce the message of committing to educational quality combined…

Testimonies are presented on two bills to amend the revenue bond section of the Home Rule Act to permit the District of Columbia to sell revenue bonds to borrow money to finance student loans. The issue regarding H.R. 6010 and H.R. 6276 is whether the District should be allowed to make its own determination regarding the advisability of…

A new means of funding school operations known as advanced school funding allows Oklahoma schools financing during the temporary cash shortfalls. The program consists of the Oklahoma Development Authority issuing revenue bonds purchased by E. F. Hutton and Company, Inc., which then sells the tax free bonds to investors throughout the country. A…

To help school districts comply with Oregon's school bond laws, this manual provides guidelines for school district attorneys and personnel in the issuance and sale of school bonds. The document describes the proper time sequence of the bonding procedure, including elections, school board authorizations, necessary certificates, bond registration…

Reflecting widespread unhappiness with the growing tax burdens in this country, the most active area of litigation reported in the property chapter this year involves various attempts by taxpayers to prevent the construction or remodeling of public school facilities. While some taxpayers fought to keep schools from being built, others in New York…

Fiscal accountability has become an important issue with communities and school boards across the nation. Renovation of older school buildings can sometimes result in lower costs than constructing new facilities. The advantages of recycling and criteria for deciding whether to replace or repair structures are discussed. The bulletin recommends…

A progress report reviews the Milwaukee School Board's continuous program of acquiring sites and building schools. An itemized listing of 140 completed construction projects is supplemented with pertinent facts and figures, including--(1) growth factors affecting school building needs, (2) resultant increases in the physical plant, staff and…

This chapter, one of seven in the 1973 Yearbook of School Law, reviews the status and development of the law governing school property during 1972. It is based primarily on an analysis of court decisions during that year. The cases divide into (1) those dealing with the acquisition, management, and disposition of school property; and (2) those…