Michigan radically altered its school finance system in 1994. The new plan, called Proposal A, significantly increased state aid to the lowest-spending school districts and limited future increases in spending in the highest-spending ones, abolishing local discretion over school spending. I investigate the impact of Proposal A on the distribution…

This paper, one of three related documents, examines the distributions of general revenues and instructional expenditures across school districts in Michigan. It discusses the equal yield formula for the funding of public schools and examines how the formula has accomplished its objectives. The data indicate success in reducing the effects of…

In 1994, Michigan voters amended the state constitution to reduce schools' reliance on local property taxes for financial support. School districts were also divided into three funding tiers that were determined by their 1993-94 state and local revenues. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the impact of Michigan's finance reform…

This handbook is one in a series prepared for use at workshops designed to help teachers, administrators, and legislators understand and deal with the intricacies of school finance equalization plans in their states. Michigan's education finance plan is discussed in this particular book. Chapter 1 discusses how Michigan's plan undertakes its…

Alternative funding mechanisms for appropriating operating and capital outlay revenue for public colleges and universities are described. The following conclusions are drawn: (1) Budget formulas are utilized by 25 of the 50 states in allocating funds to higher education. (2) Budget formulas are used predominantly in budget areas where data related…

To the extent that costs do vary among school districts, neither an equal dollar distribution of funds nor an equal-yield per unit of tax effort can achieve equality of educational inputs or the capacity to acquire them. This document addresses problems relating to the development of guidelines to achieve equality in educational inputs, or…

Unlike many other states, Michigan's school-finance reform was triggered not by a lawsuit but by legislative action that eliminated the property tax as a revenue source for public schools. Changes included an increase in the sales tax from 4 to 6 cents and a move to a foundation grant formula, which included a state foundation-allowance target for…

This document presents the final recommendations and background papers of a task force empowered by the Michigan legislature to consider the mission and roles of the state community colleges, alternative funding modes, and the responsibilities and interrelationships of the state and local governing boards. Following an overview of recommendations…