Two years ago a fiscal equity analysis assessed the current Virginia equalization formula over its history (fiscal year 1975-fiscal year 2003). The findings indicated by accepted equity statistics were that the level of equity improved from fiscal year 1975 through fiscal year 1994 and leveled off from fiscal year 1994 through fiscal year 2003.…

Discusses four categories of problems getting the greatest attention among those interested in reforming school finance: fiscal neutrality, cost differentials, individual needs, and municipal overburden. (Author/DN)

This document, part of the NEFP series, explores the school financing issues raised by the necessity for bringing about educational equality in America. The report analyzes the impossibility of true equality in educational services while such gross variation exists in school districts' fiscal capacities, educational needs, and program costs. This…

Addresses significant components of Connecticut's new education finance law: the guaranteed tax base, educational need, the minimum expenditure requirement, and educational equity. (Author/IRT)

Part of the monthly Saturday Review supplement, "Education in America," sponsored by the Charles F. Kettering Foundation.

If taxes are higher in one town than in another it does not necessarily mean that residents of the low-tax town are better off; they may have had to pay high property prices to live in the more desirable low-tax town. It is incorrect to believe that property wealth differences are the only reason for spending disparities across towns. A more…

Florida's new school finance formula is characterized by a three mills power equalization scheme on top of a Strayer-Haig foundation plan. Finance legislation is predicated on the intent to equalize educational opportunity while increasing the authority and responsibility of districts for deciding matters of instructional organization and method.…

The purpose of the study discussed in this paper was to determine the existence of both a simple wealth neutrality and of a conditional wealth neutrality in special education finance in the state of Illinois. These two concepts are used to determine the presence of equity in public school funding. The research design involved the classifying of…

Published prior to the U.S. Supreme Court decision on the case, this report puts into perspective the questions and problems before the State of Texas in resolving the issue raised by Rodriguez vs San Antonio. The document reviews the key elements of the decision in the Rodriguez case and considers alternative approaches that comply with the…

Summarizes 16 state court decisions in 15 states concerning equity in statewide school finance systems, in the aftermath of the Supreme Court's San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez" decision. Finds that some state legislatures and courts reformed their finance systems, while others let inequalities continue. (RW)

Based on a definition of equity that includes both equality in expenditure per pupil and fiscal neutrality, this paper examines equity in Illinois school finance and makes recommendations for its improvement. Following a brief introduction outlining deterioration of equity since 1977, part 2 describes further reasons for this deterioration. The…

The Serrano decision has caused policy makers in California to search for departures from the current system of public school finance. Citizen and legislative evaluation of alternative finance systems is being confused by the employment of diverse interpretations of Serrano. Although the Court's decision may appear to indicate clear-cut methods of…

Two particular features of the Virginia education system were analyzed in light of a present constitutional requisite for equalized educational funding. The Virginia Quality Standards for Education were analyzed as to their impact on equalization of educational spending throughout the State. Particular attention was given to requirements for…

This report is one of a series on education finance undertaken to document existing disparities in expenditures for education, to analyze the sources of the disparities, and to describe and evaluate the gains and losses that would occur in differing types of school districts under alternative fiscal policies. This study shows that North Carolina's…

This report is designed to familiarize the reader with current changes in State systems of public school finance. It describes in summary form the major school finance changes made in 1973 by Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Utah, and Wisconsin. State legislative sessions in these States produced…