The discrepancy between a city's financial obligations and its fiscal capacity to meet those obligations with reasonable effort is referred to in this paper as "municipal overburden." The literature concerning the causes and the impact of municipal overburden on school support for essential school services is analyzed. Attempted…

These models are based on the concept that school district decisionmakers seek an optimum balance between education program levels and tax burdens imposed on the community, subject to a budget constraint. A model is derived in which spending depends positively on community income and lump-sum grants and negatively on the relative price of…

This paper explores the ways in which community colleges in the United States are financed. It offers a historical overview of community college financing in the U.S., arguing that from their inception, they have operated on the premise of providing wide access to higher education through public funding at little or no cost to students. The paper…

The Family Independence Project (FIP) Interim Review Project in Washington was mounted in order to give preliminary information on the progress of the FIP program compared to Assistance for Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) site activity, for management planning, and to document short-term outcomes and trends for policy considerations. A…

State and local governments are primary funders of education and children's services, directly funding some programs and matching funding from federal or other sources for other programs. Spending on programs for children varies widely. This report brings together data from various sources that, taken together, show spending on children's programs…

This report analyzes data gathered through surveys of state administrators of child care and early childhood programs. The report is in three sections: (1) the state of child care and early education in the mid-1990s; (2) the relative level of commitment of each state in 1994; and (3) the likely impact of 1996 U.S. welfare reform legislation. The…

This study examines the philosophy, strategic principles, and public funding mechanisms that form the "Vermont model" of postsecondary education finance and involve a "high tuition, high aid" finance strategy as an alternative to the predominant practice of heavily subsidized student-related postsecondary costs through taxpayer…

By the late 1980s, fiscal crises, tax revolt measures, education reform, and other factors had prompted 28 states to institute state lotteries as a supplemental means of public finance. This paper presents findings of a study that examined whether or not lotteries enhance public education spending. Data for 1987 from all 50 states were compared…

This report presents recommendations for a Unified Higher Education Budget for Alabama for fiscal year 1995-96. The recommendations are designed to effect improvements in the allocation of scarce education resources. An introductory section analyzes higher education funding over the 23-year period that the state-mandated unified budget…

This paper examines the impact on higher education of funding shortfalls that are due to significant reductions of college budgets by state legislatures and that result in trimming of services and laying off of employees. First, an overview of national trends and statistics describes retrenchment as a key institutional response. A look at some…

These two booklets, one for parents and the other for human service professionals, were designed by the Delaware Valley Child Care Council to provide information about local day care services to low and moderate income families, families with income at or below the poverty level, and families who either receive or have received public assistance…

The National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) is a comprehensive study of how students and their families pay for postsecondary education. It includes nationally representative samples of undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional students who attend less-than-2-year institutions, 2-year institutions, 4-year colleges, and major…

This document reports findings of an audit that examined the New York State Education Department's administration and oversight of school-district construction practices and state building aid. The Department's Bureau of Facilities Planning must approve all school-construction project plans and specifications to ensure that facilities are designed…

The Library of Michigan administers the Public Library Personnel Certification Program for Michigan. This handbook clarifies the certification guidelines and terminology used by the Library of Michigan staff and explains the procedures to be used by public libraries. Information on the following is provided: the certification program;…

This report assesses the current status of international and global education at California community colleges (CCC), and provides a review of the literature in an effort to help inform future policy discussions and recommendations on funding and state support. There were five steps involved in this study: (1) creation of the Alliance on…