This paper explores the ways in which community colleges in the United States are financed. It offers a historical overview of community college financing in the U.S., arguing that from their inception, they have operated on the premise of providing wide access to higher education through public funding at little or no cost to students. The paper…

This report describes a study aimed to help education advocates protect public schools and services from the effects of certain types of economic development subsidies. These subsidies include cutting companies' property taxes and granting long-term diversions of certain districts' property taxes to corporations making investment in those…

This report highlights research that examined education finance data for the 1998-99 school year, the year prior to the introduction of finance reforms in New Hampshire, and the 1999-00 to 2001-02 school years, the 3 years following the introduction of reform. Following are some of the conclusions about New Hampshire's education finance reform.…

The Oregon educational system confronts a set of legislative challenges similar to, yet different from, the rest of the nation. Like the rest of the nation, distrust of government runs high, politicians are wary of raising or restructuring taxes, the economy is expanding, and the November 1994 state election shook up the political leadership of…

This report examines factors that contribute to the differences in local education funding, per pupil revenue, and local resident ability to support present and future educational services in West Virginia. Based on a variety of data generated during 1989-92, the study indicates: (1) the differences in support for local education are attributed to…

This document contains the definitions and elements of institutional cost and funding formulas recommended for Texas public universities, health science centers (nursing faculty salaries only), and public two-year institutions in fiscal years 1998 and 1999. Texas public institutions of higher education will use these formulas to make their…

This paper examines strategies for state and local leaders to finance supports and services for young children and their families in the wake of welfare reform. It focuses on strategies for revenue reform and for creating public/private partnerships to provide decision makers with current and relevant information on a variety of effective tools…

In 1988, 66 of Tennessee's rural school districts brought suit against the state government claiming that the school funding system of a local option sales tax discriminates against rural areas. This study examines the effects of increased reliance on local sales tax revenue on Tennessee's school expenditures. Not every county can support a major…

Indiana public policy has frozen local property tax levies for public education funding since the early 1970s, which has resulted in an educational system largely supported by state fiscal aid. A statistical analysis of the fiscal equity of Indiana's school operating expenditures for the latest school year preceding the freeze (1972-73) and the…

Concentrating on states' needs for programs offered by institutions of higher education (IHE) and the manner in which these needs can be met and financed, the 3-part paper analyzes the elements included by "The Chronicle of Higher Education" in its ranking of states' suppoort of higher education based on the results of the Chambers…

This paper uses data obtained by a large statewide survey of Massachusetts residents to measure the relative importance of certain motivations in influencing the overall statewide vote on Proposition 2 1/2. Proposition 2 1/2 severely restricts the ability of Massachusetts cities and towns to raise tax revenue for local services. Interviews were…

The court decision in the case of "Alma v. Dupree," finding the Arkansas School Finance System unconstitutional, ordered the State of Arkansas to establish a valid school finance system. Subsequently, the State's General Assembly created a 15-member commission to develop a plan for implementing an adequate and equitable school finance…

The costs of education continue to increase, despite education's uncertain effectiveness in curing social and economic ills. A wise cost and resource allocation policy can help control runaway educational spending, but cannot bridge the widening gap between educational costs and funding. State support of education is required on two grounds:…

This four-part report presents a graphic and textual summary of the operating budget requested by the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) for fiscal year (FY) 1982. Part I details: (1) allocations to the individual colleges, the State Community College of East St. Louis (SCCESL), the ICCB Office, the State University Retirement System, and the…

Problems associated with state support for community colleges are discussed with particular emphasis on situations where local college districts are responsible for providing a portion of total institutional revenue. Three of these problems, relating to the equity and efficiency of how state aid is distributed, are: (1) the integration of direct…