Vocational education funding strategies currently in use by each state were analyzed to provide insights into the strategies used by other states that might be useful in modifying Arizona's methods for funding vocational education. An extensive review of national studies concerning vocational education funding was conducted, and each of the states…

This final report discusses the outcomes of a policy research study designed to improve decision making during the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Issues were identified and policy briefs were developed on: (1) the federal financial formula for special education; (2) the role of economic and demographic…

School districts are central players in the child care delivery system: they operate a mix of child care centers and programs, serve a range of children of different ages, and fund their programs from a variety of federal, state, and local sources. This report provides a range of programmatic and fiscal information about the federal and state…

Youth violence and delinquency are problems that continue to challenge many communities across the U.S. For over a decade, Pennsylvania has been a national leader in confronting youth problem behaviors in a progressive and proactive fashion, investing heavily in supporting local community prevention coalitions and the use of proven-effective…

This policy brief shows that, while New Jersey has made a substantial investment in state-supported preschool programs, the link between preschool and elementary education needs to be strengthened. By adopting a broader view of early learning that aligns quality preschool with the early elementary years, policy leaders will reap a better return on…

A 1993-94 update on special education program activities and funding in Idaho is presented. After an overview of accomplishments in special education as a whole during 1993-94, activities supporting gifted and talented programs are identified, including a state guide for gifted education, regional planning meetings, curriculum workshops, and…

In Oregon, many schools and school districts are turning to private funding to help sustain and enrich the quality of education in their districts. Their vehicle of choice: the local education foundation (LEF). This report describes the nature of private fund raising for public schools and examines its uses as a partial remedy for budget…

A survey of employer training needs in Hawaii gathered information and data on the needs and preferences of employers in Hawaii regarding government assistance with training. A survey was mailed to a stratified random sample of 5,886 establishments; 1,650 returned usable responses. It obtained information on the training needs and deficiencies of…

This report identifies and discusses some key findings of a data base project that analyzed public finance of public education over 35 years in California. It seeks to understand the relationship between state policy, as expressed in the Master Plan for Higher Education, and financial support of higher education. Among findings highlighted are the…

This report is the result of a 1995 national mail survey of state special education administrators concerning mechanisms used by states to fund special education services for school-age children with disabilities and the costs to provide these services. All 50 states and the District of Columbia responded to the survey. Part 1 contains three…

Four years after passage of Public Law 99-457, a survey was conducted of 30 state Part H Coordinators regarding the financing of Part H services. Coordinators were asked to estimate the percentage of the state's total funding that came from each of 44 potential sources for financing the implementation of Part H. Every one of the 44 sources was…

This case study concerns the 1992 Maryland legislation which granted St. Mary's College, a Public Honors College, a lump sum budget and exemption from most normal state controls. In return, there was an institutional agreement to cap state tax support at an agreed upon level and to use money from tuition increases to fund low income students. This…

A tax increase is necessary to improve Illinois public schools, as this analysis demonstrates. When Illinois is compared to the rest of the United States, it has high wealth, low taxes, and low commitment to education. In fact, it has the financial capacity to have much better funded schools. Illinois ranked 12th nationally in average buying…

The three primary sources of funding for public education in America are the federal government, the state government, and the community. This paper presents an overview of trends in funding K-12 public education; the stability of local-funding sources; the value of public education as a factor in cost; political influences on school funding;…

Examining the methodology used to fund Iowa's 15 community colleges, this report reviews the history of the state's community colleges, highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the funding formula, and describes principles upon which sound funding should be based. Following a preface and executive summary, an introduction is provided to Iowa's…