Longitudinal data for 1973-81 for Illinois elementary school districts indicate that the higher the percentage of state aid to K-12 education, the greater the degree of wealth neutrality or equity in educational finance. Further longitudinal studies are needed, however, before the relationship can be considered proven. (RW)

Empirical studies of the school finance reforms of the 1970s have not indicated that equity has been satisfactorily achieved in all cases. The methods of equity analysis used and the data bases analyzed in those studies have differed enough to prevent ready comparison or the formulation of overall assessments of the effects of school finance…

Describes the political values operating to allow the Illinois finance reform legislation to be passed in 1973, outlines the legislation and subsequent amendments to the reform, and discusses evaluative research done on the reform. (Author/IRT)

This paper examines the impact of Illinois' present system of state aid to education in light of the rationale for its adoption, and argues that the stated purposes of the present system would be better realized through the adoption of a "two-tiered" finance system. The present Illinois system consists of the Strayer-Haig system of…

Dividing the number of students in average daily attendance (ADA) in a district into that district's assessed value can result in a distorted view of the district's actual wealth if the number of students in nonpublic schools is not taken into consideration. To attempt to see what this means to communities, three Illinois districts in which both…

Discusses the Illinois grant-in-aid formula for school finance and argues that an income factor needs to be included in the measurement of fiscal effort if the state wants to retain its concept of "equal expenditure for equal effort." (JG)

It is asserted that conventional school finance analysis must address itself to the social realities of politics and dealing with state legislatures, thus disputing some of the theses offered by Daniel C. Morgan in a previous article. (EH)

Recent legal action and research raise doubts about the advisability of measuring fiscal effort in the Illinois general grant-in-aid program by using the simple school district tax rate for operational purposes. Various logical, and perhaps legal, considerations might be sufficient to compel adjustment of the measurement of effort. Beyond these…

This paper examines the challenges and problems involved in studying the Illinois school finance system, based on the experience of the Center for the Study of Educational Finance in studying the 1973 Illinois school finance reform. The first major section of the paper outlines the major variables in the 1973 Illinois reform and discusses problems…

This paper uses the year 1972-73 as a base line in evaluating the progress of Illinois toward certain "equity goals." In determining the equity goals, two dimensions are studied--disparity and wealth neutrality. One measure of disparity is the permissible variance in school district expenditures expressed in the coefficient of variation,…

The current method of financing education in Illinois is explained and reasons are advanced for changing it to afford property tax relief by a more equitable formula. The proposed plan and the arguments supporting it are then offered. The plan increases the state basic support level per student to $1,400, and the state assumes the full cost of the…

This paper reviews previous research on school finance reform in Illinois and examines the impact of various types of finance reform on suburban school districts as compared to urban and rural districts. The paper is divided into two parts. Part 1 reviews data from three previous annual evaluations of the results of the Illinois school finance…

Fiscal data were analyzed for a nine-year period (1963-1971) for all school districts in Illinois. Two hypotheses were tested relative to two different definitions of equalization -- "permissible variance" and "fiscal neutrality." Support was given to the notion of increasing interdistrict equality relative to expenditures and tax effort. Support…

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…

In response to the likelihood of some form of tax limitation in Illinois in the near future, this study discusses a tax limitation measure that was proposed to the 81st Illinois General Assembly, the Taxpayer's Rights Amendment (also known as the Totten Bill), and compares it with measures recently passed in other states, with emphasis on…