A recent court case, Sheff vs. O'Neill has centered Connecticut's attention on the fact that its public schools are largely segregated by race/ethnicity (80% of the state's minority student population are clustered in 18 of 166 school districts while 140 others are more than 90% white). This paper discusses financing the cost of higher standards…

This brief discusses issues of school finance equity as they relate to resources and services provided to special education students. It uses information obtained from a recent study of Chapter 1, which examined educational resources and expenditures in 95 elementary schools in 30 school districts across 5 states. The schools had students with…

For the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, financing schemes of vocational education and training (VET) of other industrialized countries are possible prototypes. These "Partner Countries of the European Training Foundation (ETF)" should focus on the balance of responsibilities between central and local bodies and…

Although the United States has the largest economy in the world, it has vulnerabilities. The growth rate of productivity has slowed. The U.S. net national savings rate is at an all-time low. The nation's educational system is performing well below the best international levels. A disenchanted electorate views federal institutions with increasing…

The sixth annual survey conducted by the Rural Services Institute examined the opinions of Pennsylvania residents on crime control, welfare reform, smoking, and education reform proposals. Sixty percent of respondents believed that the most urgent issue facing Pennsylvania was violent crime and strongly supported measures to reduce the…

This report which describes state systems for financing special education programs for school-age children with disabilities, is based on a is based on a national survey of state directors of special education during the 1992-93 school year. Emphasis is on determining state funding formulas, recognizing that many states are currently in various…

Designed for high school economics students as a public service project of the American Fletcher National Bank, the booklet examines the "supply-side" philosophy of economics of the Reagan Administration as compared to the "demand-side" emphasis of the past. The manipulation of the nation's economy by raising or lowering…

This congressional report contains testimony that examines certain financial management practices within the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Among those agencies represented at the hearing were the General Accounting Office, the EEOC, the Office of Program Planning and Evaluation, the Office of Special Projects and Programs, and…

This collection of seven reports explores the changes in children's services that have been brought about by efforts to limit local spending and taxation, and by unfavorable economic changes. The four states chosen for analysis--California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Jersey--represent contrasting economic circumstances and several different…

Texas public school finance is undergoing reform in response to a state Supreme Court decision in Edgewood I.S.D. v. Kirby, that declared the school finance system in violation of the "efficient clause" of the state constitution. State aid has declined since 1984 due to state revenue constraints, reform mandates largely funded from local…

Annual use of fuel oil for heating schools and other facilities of the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools, Montgomery County Government, and Montgomery College exceeds four-million gallons. This report examines the processes by which purchases and distributions of fuel oil are made, makes recommendations based on the examination, and…

The current condition of educational finance in Ontario and the factors influencing efforts at finance reform are examined in this report. Five key issues confronting school finance in Ontario are reviewed first: inequities caused by variations in district wealth; the failure of provincial support to keep pace with expenditures; the loss of…

In 1980, the Ohio Board of Regents (OBR) proposed several alternative funding formulas for the state's public-assisted institutions in anticipation of enrollment declines. Two alternatives, involving subsidy ceilings and free competition for students, were dismissed in favor of a third alternative involving a system of voluntary restraints in…

The transcript of a hearing before the Senate Committee on Finance concerning tax incentives for education is presented. The statements of committee members and public witnesses testimony, both oral and written, are provided, as well as letters of support. Current tax expenditures for financial aid to college students, including student loan…

Because current fiscal constraints call for inexpensive approaches to achieving equity, school finance research should, in addition to engaging in traditional analysis, address the relationship of curriculum and instruction to equity and economic efficiency. Problems of equity are posed by curriculum decisions and classroom management techniques…