Funding public schools is one of the most important functions of states in the United States, provinces in Canada, and local governments in both countries. These two volumes present descriptive information about how state and provincial school-finance systems operated during 1993-94. The volumes consist of two major parts: United States Overview…

This book reports on finances, students, faculty/staff, and intercollegiate athletics at Idaho's institutions of higher education. Most information concerns the state's public four-year colleges and its three universities with selected data on institutions providing vocational education and Idaho's two community colleges. Most of the data come…

New Mexico has a long history of funding public education through state revenues distributed by formula funding. K-12 education in New Mexico relies on central state funds rather than on local property taxes. This paper presents a history and overview of the current funding formulas for K-12 and higher education, as well as other funding sources…

In 1992, economic recession and the resulting drop in anticipated revenues placed the Illinois educational system in a state of financial crisis. Two related developments included delayed state aid payment and a 3-percent budget recision. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the effect of the decline in funding on Illinois public…

In 1996, the Florida State Board of Community Colleges conducted a review of English as a Second Language (ESL) programs in the state's community colleges to determine the status of instruction for degree-seeking Limited English Proficient (LEP) students and make recommendations for institutional and state-level policies. The process included a…

In 1994 Arkansas's school-finance system was declared unconstitutional. A compromise plan was drawn up during the following year to appease both the state legislature and the governor. This paper discusses the confusing and contradictory aspects of three pieces of the state's school-finance legislation: Act 916, Act 917, and the Biennial…

A 1991 study conducted by the Ohio Legislative Office of Education Oversight examined the Career Education program funded through the Ohio Department of Education. During the 2 years studied, the Career Education program was funded for $11.5 million in 60 local programs serving 365 school districts in grades K-12. (Career education is not a course…

This article reviews the development of state funding formulas or guidelines for public higher education. Originally viewed as a means to distribute public funds in a rational and equitable manner, they now are complicated methodologies. Funding formulas are all-inclusive or itemized; most states use the itemized approach. There are three…

This paper provides a historical review of equity in funding education in Alberta. It describes government attempts to address fiscal inequities and shows how the introduction of full spending in 1994 addressed many of the equity problems in Alberta. Full provincial funding of education has proved an overall success, but it faces the following…

This report summarizes Colorado student aid program expenditures for 1994-95. It briefly describes the following program types: need-based grants, merit-based grants, Colorado work-study, diversity grants, required federal matches, Colorado nursing scholarships, and categorical programs. Highlights of the report reveal the following: state…

This paper provides background information on the goals, application process, and funding of the Ohio SchoolNet Plus initiative. Through SchoolNet Plus, school districts are allocated funds to provide one computer workstation for every five children in grades K-4, as well as funds for software and professional development for teachers. Since the…

This report describes a financial and governance crisis that occurred in the California Community Colleges between 1981 and 1987. Following prefatory materials, chapter 1 provides an overview of the system, describing growth between 1950 and 1980, funding, governance, and the colleges' mission. Chapter 2 presents background to the crisis up to…

This report provides an overview of the importance of State Chapter 1 funds to schools in the most impoverished neighborhoods of Chicago (Illinois), schools that serve the city's most disadvantaged children. It documents the central role of programs in Chicago schools paid for with these funds, underscoring the importance of finding ways to…

This report provides longitudinal data on enrollments, finances, programs, and staff for the 16 campuses of the Wisconsin Technical College System, covering the period from 1985 to 1995. The following tables are provided: (1) systemwide headcount enrollment by the aid categories of college parallel, postsecondary (i.e., associate degrees and…

A process description and preliminary evaluation are provided for the Weed and Seed initiative in Springfield (Illinois). This initiative involved local, state, and federal resources in projects that included (1) facility improvement, (2) drug prevention, (3) youth education and child care, (4) jobs and vocational training, (5) resident…