Examines the effects of changes in entry-level salary on the ability of school districts in two New York regions to compete among themselves for novice teachers' services. When districts improved their entry-level salary ranking, they subsequently improved their ability to recruit the most highly educated candidates in their regional pool. (MLH)

Discusses the Texas Supreme Court's upholding of a 1987 trial court decision that declared the Texas public school finance system unconstitutional. Summarizes remedies and requirements for equalizing resources, providing adequate resources to spur productivity, and structuring the system to conserve the considerable dollars required for equity and…

Discusses the Texas Supreme Court's upholding of a 1987 trial court decision that declared the Texas public school finance system unconstitutional. Summarizes remedies and requirements for equalizing resources, providing adequate resources to spur productivity, and structuring the system to conserve the considerable dollars required for equity and…

In "Kadrmas v. Dickinson," suit was brought challenging the constitutionality of a North Dakota statute allowing certain public school districts to charge user fees for transporting students. In 1988, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution does not require states to offer such services. The decision seriously erodes equal…

Discusses key issues surrounding state higher education tuition prepayment plans, including the inability of state legislatures to raise future tuition levels, the risks incurred by states, and overall equity concerns. One problem: the program seems targeted for middle and upper classes and traditional college-age students. Examines alternative…

Attempts to provide useful data concerning higher education costs by instruction level. Analyzes case study results to determine the ratios between unit costs of providing instruction at lower-division, upper-division, and graduate levels. Considerable care must be exercised in developing and using cost ratios in funding or allocation formulas.…

Develops a formula to describe faculty salary systems quantitatively, whether based on seniority, merit, discrimination, or personal favoritism. An Alabama study shows that chaos is dominant in determining salaries. Universities should offer competitive salaries and develop pay structures based on objective and relevant criteria. Includes six…

Discusses six propositions concerning higher education contradicting prevailing pricing wisdom: high demand rarely drives prices up; market share increases rarely drive prices down; competition drives prices up; tuition prices are only loosely tied to delivery costs; student tuition is only loosely tied to price; and high tuition prices do not…

Despite their popularity, early retirement incentive programs (ERIPs) remain controversial. Although early retirement may be appealing to some teachers, others bristle at being shoved into retirement. Following a historical overview, this article summarizes recent state legislation and addresses ERIP legal status under the Age Discrimination in…

The executive editor provides documentation on the widely publicized Kentucky school finance case, focusing events stemming from Lower Circuit Court Judge Ray Corns's decision that the state school financing system was unconstitutional. Barwick summarizes dates and events, beginning with a questionable June 1973 finance plan through adoption of a…

The Kentucky constitution's intent was to found a free system of common schools. Historically, local support for Kentucky public schools has left much to be desired. Taxpayer reluctance to support schools through local property taxation is exacerbated by state legislation overtly discouraging this approach. Efficiency is, therefore, impossible.…

Discusses the education financing system approved by the Kentucky legislature following the 1989 Kentucky Supreme Court decision striking down the previous educational financing system. The overall structure of the new system is basically sound. The allocation formula is comparatively simple and should permit both equitable administration and a…

In its first year (1986-87), a $37.4 million Connecticut aid program has markedly reduced disparities in teacher salaries and expenditures per pupil. This paper reviews the use of school aid increases in Connecticut, describes the simulation models used, explains the models' role in targeting state aid, and outlines the legislation and its…

Assesses public school finance equity in Tennessee by investigating the current financing method's impact on the number of locally funded teachers above those possible under the Tennessee Foundation Program. The availability of locally funded teachers varied according to the magnitude of the individual districts' local-option sales tax revenue.…

Employed various statistical techniques to measure fiscal equity in Virginia. The new state aid system for financing education was unable to mitigate large and increasing disparities in education revenues between more and less affluent localities and a strong and growing linkage between revenue and wealth. Includes 34 footnotes. (MLH)