Over the next few years, educators and policymakers have committed to implementing an array of challenging, but potentially transformative, reforms--reforms that could go beyond rearranging furniture to fundamentally restructuring and improving teaching and learning. Facing this much simultaneous change would be difficult even without the…

Education Sector commissioned an earlier version of this collection of essays in conjunction with a March 2012 event "Getting to 2014: The Choices and Challenges Ahead." This updated version includes new essays and a revised introduction. The aim of these essays is to present ideas, elicit feedback, and encourage productive dialogue…

Examines extent to which all 50 states implemented performance assessment in making professional licensure decisions as of 2001-02; considers differences among various types of assessments and different uses thereof. Describes three challenges to low state implementation of performance-based licensure: costs; need to ensure validity, reliability,…

Defines professional development and its key components; reviews previous research on professional development costs; examines problems with current fiscal accounting codes; proposes a framework for capturing professional development costs composed of six elements: teacher time; training and coaching; administration; materials, equipment, and…

Describes Cincinnati public schools' teacher-compensation program composed of a knowledge-and-skills salary structure, a restructured teacher-evaluation system, and school-based-performance salary bonuses. Reports results of research on program operation during pilot phase and after first year of full implementation. Describes subsequent program…

Several new school finance reform issues are emerging that require further analysis. The first issue is the impact of previous school finance reforms especially regarding their fiscal, programmatic, and governance effects. More analysis is also needed of the effects of the composition of the property tax base and the structure of state…

Uses Cobb and Elder's theory of agenda setting in public policy arena to assess the politics and effects of school finance during the 1970s and 1980s. Four triggering mechanisms catapult issues to the formal policy agenda: unanticipated events, technological changes, ecological changes, and biases in resource distribution. Four categories of…

This paper examines past school finance reforms of the 1970's, current reforms in the 1980's, and future reforms in the 1990's. Fiscal inequities targeted in the reforms of the seventies resulted in major structural changes in the school finance systems of over 30 states. The reforms not only improved fiscal equity but helped increase…

Based on a study of how eight states have pursued educational reform, this booklet reviews new issues facing school finance as a result of the recent upsurge of interest in educational improvement. The booklet has four sections. The first section discusses changing state fiscal and political contexts within which reforms are being debated. Section…

The recommendation to require state certification of chief school business officers (CSBO's) is an attempt to strengthen the public schools' business function, to raise the CSBO's status, and to underscore the relationships between the business and program sides of school district operations. Although the CSBO has traditionally been viewed as the…

An overview of 1977 state reforms is presented here as well as current trends in litigation strategies, status of policy research on emerging issues, and prospects for 1978. The first section describes important finance reforms and modifications as well as recent court decisions in school finance and the changes that are emerging in school finance…

Reviews existing literature on school-based management (SBM) policy and research, highlighting methods to increase SBM's effectiveness. Offers new research directions, based on current knowledge and knowledge deficiencies. Future policy and research should look beyond delegation of budget, personnel, and curriculum decisions to schools and view…

Traditional school-finance systems need dramatic change to make them more supportive of the goals and strategies of standards. The shortcomings of current structures are reviewed, and suggestions are provided for changing finance structures, including a shift from fiscal equity toward educational adequacy. Elements to enhance a new system are…

Taxpayer unhappiness with increasing property taxes have prompted changes to Wisconsin's school finance system. In the midst of providing property-tax relief, the new tax base structure remains intact and allows school districts to exceed their revenue limits with a majority vote in districtwide elections. Debate is ongoing. (MLH)