EdSource's annual public education budget report, "School Finance 2006-07: State Leaders Settle Up with Education," offers a comprehensive look at this year's funding decisions for schools, recent budget history, and how the state's schools are funded. In contrast with last year's budget battles, the process for 2006-07 notably lacked…

The manual is intended to guide attorneys and officials of school districts in the issuance and sale of school district bonds. Purchasers of school district bonds rely on the recommendations of accredited bond attorneys who render opinions concerning the validity and legality of bond issues offered for sale. This manual is designed to assist in…

Provides advice to help school districts pass bond referenda. Includes lists of why referenda fail and win and ways to develop a successful bond campaign including a referendum timeline. (MD)

Forecasts the effects of electronic voting on voting behavior and on campaign strategy in school finance elections, inferring these from Oregon's vote-by-mail experiments and from direct-mail campaigning and fundraising. Relates computerization to community education's role in raising school support. (MCG)

Describes how Highland Park, Illinois, school administrators and board members convinced their community that the Elm Place School -- the oldest school and the most symbolic of the community's cultural and social heritage -- needed facility upgrading and program improvements. Provides the procedures in acquiring their 68,000 square foot addition…

Two telephone surveys of registered voters in Toledo (Ohio)--one conducted a month before a school levy election, one a week before the election--enabled campaign workers to see if their strategies were effective and to make suggested changes. The levy passed with 52 percent of the vote. (Author/MLF)

A small district in New Jersey didn't wait for possible federal or state funds. Instead, it floated a special bond to cure its asbestos problems. (Author)

Available from: North-Holland Publishing Company, P.O. Box 211, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; $19.00 annual subscription.

Describes and analyzes a participatory approach to budgetary decision-making used by an exemplary high school. In spite of the budgetary forces dividing instructional departments, support units, and administration, an equitable division of resources provided to the school was consistently achieved each year. Includes 29 references. (MLH)

The results of a statistical analysis of 498 school districts are analyzed in terms of the fiscal responsibility of school boards. Since a method of budget approval is being examined, the criterion adopted (composite fiscal performance) is one that measures the performance of the school board in obtaining funds to operate the schools. Composite…

As a guide for those concerned with presenting the financial needs of the schools to the voting public, general research findings in the art of campaigning for school funds are summarized. Techniques, tools, and practices that have been used with success are reported, as well as the importance of understanding the attitudes of voters toward school…

School financial elections are won by analyzing what people know and need to know about the ballot issue; developing a ballot issue that is salable; then organizing, planning, financing, communicating, and finally evaluating to see what went right and what went wrong in the campaign. (Author/MLF)

The first part of this article deals with how to build an effective public relations program, which is essential in securing voter funding support. The second part outlines a step-by-step way to win funding issues. (Author)

The superintendent of the Durham County, North Carolina, schools explains the approach he took in gaining passage of a financial election. The method is that termed "voter crosspressure" in another article in this issue. (IRT)