The Planning Alliance for Community Empowerment, a public-private organization, was formed to address the need for coordinated, efficiently managed social services programs in rapidly growing Henderson County, North Carolina. For small rural towns and counties, planning organizations lead to greater availability of services and efficient…

Describes an institution-wide activity-based costing study conducted at a large, urban, public university. The program cost study provides campus-, school-, and department-level cost information for the full range of mission-critical activities in teaching, research, and service. It also includes allocation of all levels of overhead to…

School systems in urbanized or built-up areas have difficulties locating suitable sites for new buildings. Examples of the use of space in alternative locations include the Parkway Program in Philadelphia; the Work Place School in Alberta, Canada; the Metropolitan Learning Alliance in Minnesota; and the Schoolhouse Boat in Vienna, Austria. (MLF)

Explores differences between analyses of instructional resource allocation at district and school levels in Florida's 67 counties, concentrating on possible effects of noneducational student characteristics on deprivation of educational opportunity. Results revealed clear evidence of inequality for schools with high percentages of low…

Examines research into reforming the school-year calendar in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Discusses anticipated advantages, summer learning loss, and possible solutions. Describes the TARDIS (Time and Resource Distribution in Schools) Project. Planners must analyze learning needs and consult stakeholders before changing…

The principles of ratio analysis can help measure use of financial resources to achieve college mission by quantifying status, sources, and use of resources and the institution's relative ability to repay current and future debt. Business officers and boards can use these measures to measure institutional performance; ratios can also help focus…

Assesses effects of five large city school districts' fiscal dependence on educational spending in New York State. Results suggest that spending levels may be systematically lower in fiscally dependent districts. Recommends re-aligning resource allocation and school governance responsibilities and using matching grants to reduce spending…

Examines a specific program termination (in social work) to determine how universities interpret and apply the goals of their strategic plans. Finds that institutional actors hold different perceptions of the strategic plan goals and their relevance to the terminated program. Suggests that colleges and universities need to clarify strategic plan…

Discusses deans' responsibilities in financial management, including budget development, budget management, broker of resources, program review, and fundraising. Describes what deans need to know: categories of income, local tax assessment, financing new construction, and key accounting terminology. Looks at key challenges for deans and offers a…

The relationship between school funding and student achievement is not clear. Therefore, policymakers should concentrate more on how resources are distributed, rather than on how much money is available. They should also explore the importance of adequate resource levels and equitable distribution schemes. A sidebar outlines the characteristics of…

The Institute of Correspondence Education (ICE) of the University of Madras (India) is highly cost-effective when compared to the conventional system. The fact that a major portion of the cost is recoverable in student fees makes the ICE system more economical; however, the requisite level of resources has not been allocated for student-support…

Presents a simple framework for (1) demonstrating how households determine schooling investments through choice and voice; and (2) considering effects of decentralization on household behaviors, given information problems. Some aspects of decentralization may increase efficiency; others may be neutral or decrease efficiency. Further research is…

Examines the needs and concerns of college faculty members regarding the departmental ambience in undergraduate teaching and the difficulty of integrating research and teaching. The article advocates interdepartmental cooperation and resource sharing to foster positive change in faculty members' fields and to resolve the problems of faculty and…

Results of a national survey of college and university fiscal 1995 endowment investments found the average nominal performance (15.5%) far surpassing the previous year's return (2.9%) and higher even than double-digit returns in fiscal 1993 and 1994. Overall investment pool allocations are charted, and 460 institutions are ranked by endowment…

Recently, monies allocated to the additional educational needs (AEN) component of (Britain's) standard spending assessment (SSA) have decreased markedly. The strategy for determining the AEN weighting (to aid socially deprived and ethnic-minority students) is undermined by central-government spending constraints. Weighting should be determined by…