The educational achievement distribution of Israeli students is characterized by a low level of achievement with a wide achievement gap between high and low achievers compared with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD average. In fact, Israeli student achievement is characterized by the widest gap among the OECD…

In 2003, the New York State Court of Appeals, the highest court in New York, upheld a trial court decision that funding for public education in New York City was unconstitutional and decreed that the state needed to increase operating aid to school districts by $5.6 billion per year ("Campaign for Fiscal Equity, Inc. v. State of New York…

In Pennsylvania as in many other states, employee pension costs are a significant source of financial pressure for school districts (Zeehandelaar and Northern 2013, Pennsylvania Public Employees' Retirement Commission 2013). In order to gain greater insight into the nature of Pennsylvania school districts' financial burden related to pension…

In 2008, the Indiana legislature passed and the governor signed into law House Enrolled Act No. 1001, now referred to as Public Law 146-2008, which capped Indiana school districts' ability to raise revenues from the local property tax without local voter approval. To phase in the impact of the law, the state provided school districts with levy…

The purpose of this article was to present the results of a study that analyzed Pennsylvania local school boards' taxing authority, pre- and post-enactment of Special Session Act 1, "The Taxpayer Relief Act," in 2006, in terms of its percent share of school districts' total budget in order to better understand the impact of the new…

Indiana has a long history of school funding issues and distribution formula revisions. The most recent modifications to the formula were made between 2005 and 2009. One of the more controversial revisions was the removal of the minimum guarantee from the formula. As a result of these changes, three school districts filed a lawsuit challenging the…

Indiana's school funding formula was developed in response to a lawsuit challenging the state's educational system's constitutionality. A reward-for-effort formula sets each school corporation's per-pupil noncategorical revenue, general fund property tax rate, and percentage of state aid. Funding for alternative education is planned for 1997. (MLH)

Explains the conflict between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of Arizona regarding educational organization and funding. Describes Arizona's history of educational reform from 1990 to 1997, the legal and political challenges to reform initiative, and the state of education in 1997. Predicts that the reform issue will not soon be…

The decade from 1987 to 1997 saw two unsuccessful attempts to reform Illinois's school finance system from a constitutional perspective. In 1997, prospective reforms will probably be limited by partisanship, revenues and anti-tax sentiment, regional antipathies, fragmentation, and pressures for property tax relief. (MLH)

Explains problems with complex system of educational finance in California. Addresses issues such as diversity, per pupil expenditure, and equity at district and school level; problems with special education, pupil transportation, supplemental grants, and "mega-item;" and brief history of California's school financing--including Serrano…

The Education Improvement Act instigated funding allocation reform, equalization and equity, system accountability, systemwide report cards, value-added assessment, and governance reform. The most dissatisfied educators are those in large, wealthier urban systems. Horizontal equity, accountability, and test results have improved throughout the…