When resources are scarce, libraries have three basic options, which can be conducted in combination or separately, to bring them into balance: Seek additional funds, reduce expenses, and identify more efficient modes of operation. The authors explore whether, and if so how, the factors that consume or contribute resources--and the tradeoffs…

Failure to achieve equitable access to university studies has contributed to turning the focus to the funding of higher education systems. This paper aims to review critically the literature assessing the effectiveness of existing financing schemes and changes in them as a means for reducing the prevalent under-representation of students from a…

Introducing the fate of school finance reform as the topic of the next two issues of the Journal of Education Finance, the authors note the clash of values at the heart of the equity issue as described by the journal's contributors. They argue for legislative control as the way to resolve conflicts about school finance equity. (JW)

Historically, the primary role of financial aid was to increase educational opportunities for those with inadequate resources, yet more recently institutional aid is increasingly becoming based on criteria unrelated to financial need. Various political forces have reinforced the institutional tendency to redirect dollars from the mission of…

What role does a person's support for local educational control play in determining her attitude towards equity-minded school finance reform? This article reports estimations of binary and ordered probit models of two state public opinion polls and discusses newspaper coverage from the same two states to determine if and how local control has such…

Findings of a study that explored how California school reforms are initiated and revised and how differences between the judicial and legislative areas affect policymaking are presented in this document. Two themes--financial reform and retrenchment--are examined at two levels: as a case study about the politics of school finance reform and also…

This discussion paper examines mechanisms through which governments allocate resources to higher education, particularly in developing countries, in order to establish effective means to transfer these subsidies to institutions. The discussion of funding mechanisms develops within the context of three major types of government restrictions which…

This study examines the organization and operations of local education foundations in Michigan and the fiscal programmatic impact of nonprofit education foundations on Michigan public schools. It also compares the socioeconomic characteristics of foundation and nonfoundation districts and tests the hypothesis that residents of local districts with…

This booklet, prepared by the United States Chamber of Commerce, is intended to help create a better public understanding of how productivity affects this country and to suggest how people can change public policy in favor of a revitalized America. The booklet is organized in five sections. The first section defines productivity and introduces the…

The consequences of Australia's public finance of private education are relevant to United States policy issues: the effect of private school aid on public and private enrollment, the impact of aid on financial support for public schools, the impact of aid on the character of public and private schools. (PB)

This two-part report provides an analysis of the current funding formula for Illinois community colleges, financing recommendations, and an overview and analysis of national trends in state financing of public higher education. Part I begins with a discussion of community college funding in Illinois, followed by an overview of five external trends…

This book presents the ideas of several authors who share the viewpoint that social values play an important role in determining financial policies in public schools. The first section reviews the historic and social context of school financing, summarizing U.S. school finance policy from 1955 to 1980 and describing the political environment of…

Highlights findings and recommendations of research examining public policy in housing, health care, higher education, and transportation, and how these policies can be applied to improve early childhood financing and systems. Stresses goal of universal access for early childhood programs through financial stability in forming business alliances,…

This report summarizes and discusses some of the major fiscal policy questions surrounding the funding of special education in the current era of school reform. Part 1, "Current Special Education Financing: Issues and Provisions," addresses how special education is currently funded and the different formulas used for special education funding.…

This volume is a compendium of current research in the field of state and local government finance and financial management. It was created in response to the need of both users and researchers in the area for a comprehensive picture of research work that has been undertaken since 1974 and the results of which are now, or will be soon, available.…