ERIC Number: ED331167
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1991-Apr
Pages: 44
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Ample Provision for Whom? The Impact of School Finance Reform on Adequacy and Equity in Washington.
Theobald, Neil D.; Hanna, Faith
The course of school finance reform in Washington since the 1977 "Seattle School District v. State" decision is traced in this document. While the majority of nationwide court decisions have centered on the inequitable distribution of financial resources among school districts within 10 states, the Washington decision focused on the failure of the state legislature "to make ample provision" for K-12 education. Analysis of changes instituted in response to the decision shows that rather than significantly improving the adequacy of resources to the state's school districts, the state has pursued a policy of "robbing Peter to pay Paul." Primary findings indicate that: (1) per pupil revenues are nearly unchanged; (2) teachers in the Puget Sound area receive average salaries with 8-15 percent less purchasing power than teachers in other regions of the state; (3) total financial resources available to districts with high percentages of minority and poor students have declined; and (4) principal beneficiaries are districts with low minority enrollments and small percentages of low-income students. Recommendations include redistributing or slightly increasing state allocations by revising the existing salary control legislation to account for cost of living variations; providing additional funding targeted to school districts with a high percentage of minority and low income students; and decentralizing the state-school district relationship. Eleven tables are included. (58 footnotes) (LMI)
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Washington
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A