Over time, issues of justice and fairness in education finance have been addressed by the courts in all but five states. The key focus has been on illegitimate disparities in funding between rich and poor school districts caused by the happenstance of unequal local wealth. Recently, attention has turned to the relationship between funding gaps and…

Is public education equitable and does it provide an equal opportunity to all children and youths? Equity in public school funding is a critical issue facing all communities and has been addressed by the courts in all but five states. A key focus is on funding gaps between rich and poor school districts. Recently, attention has turned to the…

This article presents the authors' response to a response to their research on Illinois in which the authors analyze the equity, adequacy, and legal issues related to school finance. The Responders' quarrel with that portion of the authors' research that addresses equity and create a "de novo" analysis, by treating unequals equally--an…

This overview provides a synthesis of a comprehensive survey of school finance programs in the 50 states conducted in 2006-07. Information was provided by chief state school finance officers or persons with expertise in a state's public school funding-allocation system. Brief descriptions of the major Pre-K-12 funding formulae, district-based…

A decade after "San Antonio v Rodriguez" (1973), a historic ruling on the unjust Texas educational finance system, the state's Education Opportunity Act (1984) finally replaced existing statutory formulas with a weighted pupil average system and committed $2.8 billion to education over the next three years. A statistical analysis shows…

Adequacy is a key issue propelled by high court decisions across the states. Initially the equity of funding systems that resulted in "savage inequalities" between school districts within a state based on property wealth was at issue. However, just since 1989, with the state supreme court decision in Kentucky finding the system…

Measures equity of per-pupil revenue distribution across jurisdictions in Alabama, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, and Virginia, using conventional equity statistics and alternative measures (an Index for the upper half of the revenue distribution and the "Angle of Inequity"). The study, including state and local revenues only, showed that…

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)

Reviews the struggle between the public policy goals of local control (liberty) and equal opportunity (equality) as the guiding rationale for conceptions of equity. Discusses ameliorative resource allocation policies and the adequacy construct, along with certain legal implications. Urges that the wealth neutrality principle be broadened. Includes…

Since 1989, supreme courts in 12 states have declared their education finance systems unconstitutional. Numerous states are involved in litigation. State courts are presently attempting to close the gap between the best- and worst-financed education systems, focus on disparities in substantive education content, and achieve equity and adequacy…

Reviews concept of equal opportunity to learn over time as related to school finance systems. Funding structures must be redesigned and linked to aligned education policy aimed at high-quality education for all children. Curriculum improvements and finance reforms work more effectively together than either would alone. Coordinating education…

This report identifies the finance data needs of states facing school finance litigation or seeking to avoid it altogether. The article addresses the following key questions: What issues are prominent in the "new wave" of school finance litigation? and What are the core finance data needs of states seeking to address these issues? The materials…

Discusses research that addresses court decisions emerging during the third wave of school-finance litigation as related to children with special needs. Recent state supreme court decisions in Alabama, Wyoming, and Ohio address the constitutionality of the general and special-education finance systems. All systems were judged inequitable. Contains…

Clear funding/achievement relationships are emerging from the recent body of production-function research. Money does matter in producing educational outcomes. Factors such as small class size and teacher experience can drive up instructional costs. Schools cannot operate efficiently with scanty resources. Equalizing quality resource inputs is a…

Discusses need for reinventing state education finance systems to provide adequacy and equity aligned to standards-based reform. Provides initial specifications for "The New Finance." Examines in depth approaches for determining a base spending level considered adequate for the average child to reach high educational standards. (Contains…