Reviews major issues surrounding funding of Nebraska's public schools and presents an alternative funding system sustaining the goals of local control, tax equity, and flexibility for program quality. The new formula would add an economic factor to the weighting of pupils and alow local tax flexibility for districts losing state funding. (MLH)

While the United States and European nations share similar goals for higher education, a recent study of student financial assistance shows they have chosen strikingly different ways to pay student college expenses. Cost arrangements are found to reflect the country's cultural roots and educational and economic objectives. (MSE)

A major lobbying and advertising effort on behalf of women's athletics of the University of Minnesota, one of the few major sports-playing institutions where the women's athletic department operates independently from the men's program, is described. (MLW)

This article discusses the problem of adult illiteracy and offers guidelines to assist librarians in developing adult literacy programs based on results of the Los Angeles Public Library's Library Adult Reading Project. Federal and state funding, partnerships, plan of action, personnel, materials, operations, and equipment are covered. (EJS)

A statewide performance funding initiative provided a strong incentive to examine student outcomes. The result has been a systematic program of data collection and dissemination that has significantly affected both the curriculum and the university's budgeting process. (Author/MSE)

Evaluates estimates of full-value-equalization rates, using a study of 20 New York cities and their school districts to (1) show that these estimates contain significant errors, (2) discuss how these errors affect intergovernmental relations, and (3) analyze how they affect equity in financing local schools. (MCG)

A national survey reveals state education agencies are contributing to the growth of educational computing by mandating computer use in schools and inservice and preservice training for teachers. They also allocate funds and provide a coordinating role where local user groups have initiated school programs. (MBR)

Presents a practical viewpoint of the economic necessities of funding education and a general model for restoring economic stability. This involves a fixed "Basic Education Budget" not subject to voter approval, an "Index for Fixed School Costs" based on socioeconomic status of the community, and increased community…

The increasing dependency of community colleges on state funding has led to a parallel increase in state intrusion into institutional decision making. If trustees are to head off this intrusion, they must carefully develop sound institutional goals and priorities and must become active lobbyists on their behalf. (DC)

This report presents annual data on the amount of financial assistance--grants, loans, and work-study--available to help students pay for postsecondary education. The College Board began this data series in 1983 to track the value of such aid over time from federal, state, and institutional sources. This year, information on federal education tax…

This paper examines the forces behind political integration through the lens of school district consolidations, which reduced the number of school districts in the United States from around 130,000 in 1930 to under 15,000 at present. Despite this large observed decline, many districts resisted consolidation before ultimately merging and others…

Every Year, thousands of American children enter school already behind. Although most Americans are aware of that fact, what they often don't know, is that instead of organizing our educational systems to make things better for these children, we organize systems of public education in ways that make things worse. This report is unique among…

Washington's research university branch campuses were created in 1989 to increase opportunities for students in several regions of the state to complete their baccalaureate and graduate-level studies at public universities close to their homes. Currently, the University of Washington operates branch campuses in Bothell and Tacoma. The Bothell…

This report not only proposes a method to determine how much money is required to give Wisconsin's children an equal opportunity at educational proficiency, it also explores ways the money should be distributed. The first two chapters summarize the current situation regarding school finance and the history of the current fiscal crisis, paying…

Parents in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, have more tax-supported educational choices than parents in other cities. Most programs were enacted during the 1990s. Opponents believed these programs would harm the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), but 11 years of data show positive trends. MPS enrollment increased by 4,576 students since 1990. Real spending per…