The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) requires states to have statewide accountability systems to help provide all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps. These systems must meet certain federal requirements, but states have some discretion in…

This publication outlines the characteristics of the five kinds of Wisconsin school districts: the common school district, the union high school district, the city school district, the unified school district, and the city of the first class. The report discusses general characteristics, annual meetings, school board duties and powers, mechanisms…

The second of two articles addresses recent school finance litigation raised in five states. These decisions appear to have strengthened the concept of education as a state responsibility, so much so that the likelihood of significant reversal toward increased local autonomy appears to be improbable. (MLF)

Outlines the legal basis of dominion-provincial relations and of provincial-local relations in education, and compares these with relations between governments in the United States in five separate areas. (Author/IRT)

If a charter-school act permits too much freedom from state regulations, it may create private schools ineligible for state funding. In "Council of Organizations about Parochiaid v. Governor," the Michigan courts ruled on levels of state control necessary for charter schools to be considered public. At least 13 states would fail the…

Pennsylvania's school districts and area vocational-technical schools are required to submit long range plans to the Pennsylvania Department of Education every 5 years. These plans are intended to direct resources toward improvement of educational programs and services, school management, and student achievement. The planning process is to include…

Proposed changes in Pennsylvania state funding for and regulation of public education are presented in this pamplet by the state's governor and secretary of education. The funding proposal calls for a new local education block grant, totalling $127 million, in the state budget. The funds are to be distributed to school districts for basic…

The document deals with two major issues relating to the individualized education program (IEP) process in Utah--compliance with P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act) by local districts and the state's role in monitoring such compliance; and the development, implementation, and review of IEPs and the state's position with…

This paper summarizes the main provisions of Kansas' School District Finance and Quality Performance Act (SDFQP). The paper discusses state financial aid and how this is affected by decreasing enrollment, program weight, low-enrollment weight, correlation weight, transportation weight, at-risk pupil weight, school-facilities weight, and ancillary…

An inquiry was conducted to evaluate which level of government in Nebraska should be responsible for funding the education of wards of the state and the court. The document presents an overview of Nebraska legislative history and the state-aid framework. LB 3, passed in 1992, was an attempt to eliminate the tuition charge to the state for all…

A summary outline of examples of Minnesota statutory curriculum requirements is contained in this information brief. Information is presented in the following six categories: (1) curriculum requirements that all school districts must meet; (2) directions to the state board of education and the state board of teaching to develop curriculum or…

Despite their autonomy in school governance, school districts are creatures of state legislatures, and changes in school district organization are necessary to keep pace with changing needs. Accordingly, the types of Wisconsin school districts are described, and state statutes governing each type of district are provided. The first type--common…

The 1980 New York State regulations for Sections 207 and 4403 of the Education Law are concerned with the education of handicapped children. Individual sections focus on the following aspects: definitions, excess cost aid to school districts for the education of pupils with handicapping conditions, the local committee on the handicapped,…

This volume contains the recommendations made to the Minnesota legislature by the Advisory Council on Fluctuating School Enrollments. Volume II serves as an appendix to this first volume and contains the data and information on which these recommendations were based. Volume I's recommendations center around the effects of fluctuating enrollments…

This document defines the conditions under which the State of Maine will subsidize school building construction projects. The document identifies several stages of approval that must be secured, including site approval, concept approval, local voter approval, and funding approval. A flow chart identifies how the project will proceed and the…