Funding education with property taxes has always been controversial. This paper examines taxation and the sources of revenue for education. The historical context in which tax and revenue sources have supported education in the United States is described. Also discussed are state tax-policy goals and education funding, and the embattled role of…

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant, and the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funds that states are required to spend in order to draw down their full TANF allocations, are potential funding sources for youth corps. Youth corps address the goals of the new welfare law and are eligible to receive TANF funds. TANF and MOE funds…

This Digest discusses efforts to achieve financial equity in education. It describes the extent of financial disparity and how, after 3 decades of litigation, such disparities among districts and among states remain high. In New Jersey alone, the per-pupil expenditures ranged from $5,900 to $11,950. Even with such inequities, some promising…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study designed to identify the reasons that individuals with disabilities use the assistive technology loan programs offered by state assistive technology projects. The study aimed to identify the types of devices that were purchased through the loan programs and the effects of these devices on the lives of…

This report summarizes survey findings on Connecticut high school designs meeting future educational demands as well as state funding issues that are creating reimbursement difficulties, and presents an overview of specific problems and solutions the survey identified. Problem areas within the curriculum are highlighted and include scheduling;…

This publication was undertaken by the National Center for Education Statistics in partnership with two private entities, the American Education Finance Association (AEFA), which contracted for the information collection, and the National Education Association (NEA), which funded the effort. Education finance researchers from the University of…

This report describes a survey of homeless families from shelters in Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. The typical family included a 32-year-old single woman with two young children who was more likely to be African American, had a high school education, and had a 50-50 chance of being employed. Most children attended preschool, most were…

This report provides an overview of California's current process of supporting K-12 school capital outlay, identifies its shortcomings, and offers a conceptually different approach, or blueprint, for providing state school construction support. The report also outlines a model program, consistent with this blueprint, which the state legislature…

This paper provides a brief overview of the elementary and secondary school-finance system. The scope of the school-finance enterprise is large. On any given day, about 20 percent of the country's population participates in precollegiate education programs of some sort. The states provide nearly half of all school revenues, which come from…

This is a collection of papers from a 2001 symposium at Harvard University entitled "State Merit Aid Programs: College Access and Equity." After a Foreword by Gary Orfield, the seven papers are (1) "State Merit Scholarship Programs: An Introduction" (Donald E. Heller); (2) "Merit Scholarships and College Access: Evidence…

This report examines recent trends in the provision of state aid and the impact of these trends on college access. It also examines the funding sources for state scholarships, and how the current fiscal crisis facing many states is likely to impact college access and opportunity across the United States. The evidence is fairly conclusive regarding…

This report is a collection of five state case studies comprising a major component of the first phase of the project, "Changing Direction: Integrating Higher Education Financial Aid and Financing Policies." The project explored state-level strategies to better align financing and financial aid policies and support more informed decision…

This study was designed to: determine outcomes from projects supported by grants made to campuses and community based organizations through the state funded Postsecondary Service Learning Grant program from 1989-2001; develop indicators to help campuses and evaluators define campus civic engagement; and document the current status of civic…

This overview examines California's various State Allocation Board's funding programs for the construction, modernization, and maintenance of local school facilities. Funding information is provided for each program as are explanations of the school facility program construction process and the lease purchase program. The organizational chart for…

This study explores the types and extent of federal and state aid to Catholic elementary education. It examines the situation in Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio and provides case studies of Catholic elementary schools in Detroit, St. Louis, and Toledo. In Ohio, probably the most generous state with respect to nonpublic schools, the elementary school…