During the past year, Wisconsin state legislators debated a series of bills aimed at closing low-performing public schools and replacing them with privately run charter schools. These proposals were particularly targeted at Milwaukee, the state's largest and poorest school district. Ultimately, the only legislation enacted was a bill that modestly…

This paper documents recent government policy changes and discusses the likelihood of their having significant, long-term impacts on policies to assist the educationally disadvantaged. It begins with an examination of traditional federal and state efforts to equalize educational opportunities through legal access guarantees, targeted categorical…

Since 1968, there has been a monumental amount of litigation concerning the financing of schools. This seventeenth chapter of a book on school law reviews cases dealing with fiscal equalization of state-supported programs. Many cases litigated since 1977 and two litigated before 1977 are dealt with. In 1973 in the "San Antonio" case, the…

Factors to be considered when developing a new formula for financing public education in Connecticut are discussed in light of the Horton v. Meskill ruling, which declared Connecticut's financing method in violation of the state constitution. Formulas used by other states that may be applicable to Connecticut are also examined. (SF)

The study described in this report was conducted to assess the probable impact of selected tax limitation measures on the revenues available to the Illinois community college districts and on revenue equity among these districts. First the report examines the major philosophical goals of community college finance (i.e., to achieve equal access to…

This study's purpose was to explore the premise that increasing state support for elementary/secondary schools increases equal student access to educational opportunity. Following a brief overview of the background of the problem, including a description of the so-called "Minnesota Miracle" or Omnibus Tax Law of 1971 with its provisions…

In the wake of court decisions in the cases of "Serrano v. Priest,""San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez," and "Robinson v. Cahill," Congress set aside funds as part of Public Law 93-380 for state departments of education to study the equitability of current educational funding arrangements. This…

The inability of Missouri community college districts--which serve 54% of the state's population but cover only 17% of the state's area--to enlarge their property tax support base, pass capital bond issues, or to increase operational levies gave rise to a legislative study of four major issues: existing laws covering community colleges; the…

This document begins with a summary of the state and federal educational issues of access, finance, workforce and economic development, welfare reform, and administration. The legislative program follows, with further discussion on these issues. The district intends to increase access to education by providing more financial aid, eliminating…

Every great war in which the United States has played a part has been followed by educational developments of supreme national importance. As the result of the Revolutionary War the Federal Government acquired a vast public land domain from which it has carved generous grants to the States. Those became the foundation of systems of free public…