ERIC Number: ED242078
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1983-Nov
Pages: 14
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Emerging Role of Educational Foundations in Financing Education.
Shoemaker, Judith S.
In response to the funding crisis generated in part by the "Serrano vs. Priest" decision and by Proposition 13, parents and volunteers in over 100 California school districts have formed tax-exempt nonprofit corporations to improve the quality of education by raising supplementary funds, usually through donations from parents of children in school. These educational foundations generally follow one of three models for deciding how to spend foundation monies: by allowing the school board to decide how to spend funds raised; by awarding minigrants, usually in amounts of less than $3,000, directly to teachers for proposed projects; or by developing joint funding priorities from input by both school board and foundation. Successful educational foundations in San Francisco, Laguna Beach, and Hillsborough are described. While critics of educational foundations focus on their potential for interfering with equal funding measures, no one has yet challenged foundations legally or suggested reducing state aid to districts with successful foundations. Another concern is the possible participation of private interests, especially corporations, in school fund allocation. The paper concludes that educational foundations are an important means of regaining some local control of the schools and are likely to flourish. (MJL)
Descriptors: Educational Change, Educational Equity (Finance), Educational Finance, Elementary Secondary Education, Fund Raising, Nonprofit Organizations, Parent School Relationship, Philanthropic Foundations, Private Financial Support, Public Schools, School Business Relationship, School Community Relationship, School District Autonomy, School Funds, School Support, State Aid, Volunteers
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Opinion Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: California
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Proposition 13 (California 1978); Serrano v Priest
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A