Since publication of "A Nation at Risk" in 1983, state and local expenditures for education have increased significantly, from $108.4 billion a decade ago to $210.4 billion by 1991-92. On average, per-pupil spending for 1991-92 was more than $1,250, or 30 percent, above the level required to keep pace with inflation during the 1980s. State…

Rural education is characterized by diversity, isolation, and small enrollments. Because of these characteristics, equity in rural school finance is very difficult to achieve. Lacking a workable taxonomy which can accommodate the variations in rural reality, there is neither the information to accurately assess the adequacy of educational programs…

Achieving a state education finance program that is fair to students, taxpayers, teachers, and school districts is complicated by varying student needs and different property tax rates and school expenses among districts. Attempts at equitable allocation of state aid funds and other educational resources should be guided by the principles of…

Problems associated with state support for community colleges are discussed with particular emphasis on situations where local college districts are responsible for providing a portion of total institutional revenue. Three of these problems, relating to the equity and efficiency of how state aid is distributed, are: (1) the integration of direct…

The purpose of this paper is to explore funding issues related to charter districts. It begins with definitions of charter school and charter district. It continues with a brief discussion of public-school finance and some of the policy issues associated with distributing state funds to school districts, allowing school districts to generate…