No other city in the nation more clearly exemplifies the dramatically changing social, political, and economic landscape of America's urban centers than Houston. Houston has transformed from a bi-racial southern city on the bayou to one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse communities in the nation. Houston Independent School District…

The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) Statewide Survey provides policymakers, the media, and the public with objective, advocacy-free information on the perceptions, opinions, and public policy preferences of California residents. Inaugurated in April 1998, this is the 125th PPIC Statewide Survey in a series that has generated a…

In 1974, approval of public school bond issues, averaging 56.2 percent of the dollar value and 53.0 percent of the number of issues voted on, reflected a decrease of 2.8 percent in dollar value and an increase of 8.3 percent in number of issues over the year before. These changes are the more significant in light of the downward trend of recent…

This annual report presents data on bond elections and bond sales for financing the construction of public elementary and secondary school facilities. Data, summarized by state, are presented in tables and charts containing information on the number and dollar value of bond issues voted on and passed, and the number, dollar value, and net interest…

This report examines the fate of general obligation (G.O.) bond measures in California from 1986 to 1999. For the entire 13-year period, the passage rate for local G.O. bonds averaged 54 percent. However, this average masks some dramatic variations depending on when the election was held, the district holding the election, and the area of…

An annual school bond survey for New Jersey reveals that while the state's voters had approved 60 percent of the school bond issues in 1998, the communities clearly could not meet the state's multi- billion dollar construction needs on their own. Further, communities with high property taxes had fewer bond elections and approved less of them than…

A 1999 annual school construction survey for New Jersey reveals that the state's voters approved 71.3 percent of the school construction elections, more than the previous year's approval rate of 60 percent. Construction costs also influenced regional approval rates which varied from 59.5 percent in the north to 89.3 percent in the south. Despite…

Uses ordinary least-squares multivariate regression analysis to determine if jurisdictional types vary in their willingness to increase taxation for schools, employing 892 education fund referenda conducted in Illinois from 1981 to 1989. Outcomes do differ by jurisdiction type. The strongest predictor is willingness to pay for higher taxes. (29…

This publication is a compilation of statistical data concerned with the quantitative aspects of the California public school system. It contains data on the number of pupils, teachers, and schools and the amount of money needed to educate the 4.4 million children who attend California public schools. Some information on community college finances…