The courts have produced four questionable outcomes in their interventions--fragmentation of tax systems, confusion, failure to produce workable plans, and conflict over interpretations of vague court language. (Author/IRT)

Seven knowledgeable persons discuss their views on the relationship between finance reform and local control. (IRT)

Seven people knowledgeable about school finance discuss the effects of finance reform at the state level. (IRT)

Examines eight practical issues that must be resolved before vouchers can be instituted in the schools. Concludes that a limited voucher system (one that excludes nonpublic schools) might work as a way to equalize school finance. (Author/IRT)

Describes the impact of California's Proposition 13 on the finances of one California school district. (IRT)

Because of a tax-rate drop and problems associated with the state's new equalization plan, New Trier is facing severe cutbacks in its two high schools. (IRT)

The administration's proposal to end state and local tax deductions could cost public schools $24 billion in funding cuts and has far reaching ramifications for public education. Projections of state-by-state losses are presented as well as projections of tax liability increases to individuals and businesses. (MD)

Abandoning its disjointed strategic plan, the Phoenix (Arizona) Union High School District concentrated on improving student achievement and utilization of fiscal and human resources. These goals were achieved by replacing adversarial collective bargaining with interest-based negotiation and working toward higher graduation rates and lower dropout…

Recent legislative and judicial trends require both adequate and equitable school funding. Legislatures and governors must decide how much funding is needed to generate expected achievement levels. So far, expectation for adequacy has outstripped technologies for calculating it. Ohio's empirical studies and Wyoming's "professional…

Asserts that high wealth districts pay less and receive more while citizens of low wealth districts are strapped with a high tax rate that yields a low return of education, and that it is not the case that low wealth districts are mainly high income, white suburbs. (Author/IRT)

The New Jersey legislature revised the school funding formula by eliminating $250 million in state aid over 4 years to 150 suburban districts and sending nearly $1 billion more to 30 less affluent districts. Contends that the method will ensure mediocrity and stifle innovation. Proposes three other funding formulas. (MLF)

Outlines a plan for state funding that leaves local control on educational matters. (IRT)

Tenure has lost public legitimacy. Of 30 states reforming civil-service systems or proposing reforms, Georgia has gone the farthest. Since 1996, new state government hires have been "at will" employees. Erosion of private-sector union strength may aid antitenure political leaders' efforts. A sidebar outlines states' actions. (10…

Examines some causes and basic principles of the current movement toward school finance equalization and points out some of the problems inherent in most equalization plans. (JG)