The Interim Financing Program in California allows school districts to sell tax-exempt obligations for approved school construction projects and obtain reimbursement from the state at some future date. (MLF)

Political efforts to desegregate schools fail when political opposition interacts with an institutional structure that ambiguously divides educational authority. Both factors explain failure of Yonkers, New York, to desegregate its schools during the 1960s and 1970s. This article cautions against abandoning school desegregation efforts and demands…

Argues that contracting with private providers to educate students should be an option for school boards. Cites results from two surveys regarding whether school boards operated under powers enumerated in state law or under "broad powers" that gave boards more latitude in pursuit of defined goals. (MLF)

Reports on a study that provides a nationwide empirical test of the claim that lotteries enhance public education spending. Findings reveal that state per capita income is by far the most powerful determinant of school support. Lottery status of the state does not explain a significant amount of variation in support and effort for education. (MLF)

Comparison of the psychological types, as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), of 966 students at a public residential magnet high school for academically talented students with other gifted and traditional high school students found both magnet school students and gifted students showed a particular MBTI distribution. (DB)

This article investigates the rising costs in special education and discusses results from a study of 34 states that indicate federal funding for special education has changed relatively little, state share of funding has decreased, and localities are shouldering an increased financial burden (from 37 to 45 percent). (Contains references.) (CR)

In districts big and small across the U.S., students, teachers, and administrators alike have come to appreciate the benefits of wireless technology. Because the technology delivers Internet signals on airborne radio frequencies, wireless networking allows users of all portable devices to move freely on a school's campus and stay connected to the…

This paper is set against a history of school funding policies in Australia that begins with the first public policy recognition of the disadvantages experienced by government and non-government schools in the 1973 Schools in Australia (Karmel) Report. The paper traces a history of school funding policy linking it with the current backlash against…

The qualitative study presented in this article explores motivations for school board membership and conceptions of power held by school board members. The findings of the study suggest a relationship exists between the way board members define power and the type of motivation board members have for service. The implications of these findings for…

The Business Academy Bexley is one of the first purpose-built, part-privately funded independent state schools in Europe. As part of the United Kingdom's new approach to raising educational standards in areas of social deprivation and low educational attainment, Bexley was designed to facilitate integration among its students and with local…

To substantially raise student achievement, the U.S. must address serious problems in educational leadership. Most analysts support proposals for the initial training and professional development of all principals and superintendents across the board. This type of widespread help is needed, but in the author's view, it is important to concentrate…

In 1885, following a period of severe economic depression and social unrest in colonial Canada, state teachers in rural Perth County, Ontario met and formed the nucleus of what could clearly be described as a teachers' union. The idea spread quickly, and within six months the founding convention of a province-wide union was held in Toronto.…

"The 2007 Legislative Briefing" is a topical summary of actions during the 2006 legislative sessions that affect education in the 16 SREB states. Topics include state budgets and the economy, tax and revenue, school finance, teacher compensation, licensure, certification and evaluation of teachers, strengthening elementary and secondary…

As of January 1996, 20 states had enacted charter school laws. This brief summarizes the history of charter school laws and updates their current status across the country. The brief presents the findings of various charter school research projects conducted at the state and national levels. When substantive changes have been made to existing…

This document presents findings of a study conducted by the Commission on Educational Excellence for Connecticut, which examined current policies and practices in the state's public education system and recommended changes that would establish and maintain a world-class education system with opportunity available to all students. The Commission…