Al Ramirez writes on the subject of how the public schools in the United States are financed and how other funds are raised for educational programs in elementary and secondary schools. A context for public school finance is provided throughout the volume by grounding each topic in historical, policy, political, and common practice, so the work spans both the theoretical and practical aspects of the subject matter. The text is written primarily for graduate students in programs for education leadership, administration, policy studies, public administration, public finance and public accounting. The content will also serve as a resource for practitioners and education policy leaders, e.g., school board members, foundation program officers, legislators, and policy analysts at the local, state and national levels. Each chapter is structured so as to enhance the book's value to pre-service students preparing for entry-level school administration positions as well as candidates for advanced degrees who need more research based theoretical content on school finance. The author recognizes that each state has its own unique funding approach and guides readers to state resources that supplement the books content.

This essential resource provides a roadmap for redirecting school funds in ways that will dramatically improve student performance. Lead author Allan Odden3⁄4one of the nation?s foremost scholars in school finance3⁄4offers a vision of finance reform that will give local schools more control over their budgets and ultimately boost student performance. Allan Odden and Carolyn Busch look at the inefficiencies in current education spending, examine varied approaches to school-based financing, and offer recommendations for restructuring financing systems to meet ambitious reform goals. In addition, they propose ways to make funding more equitable across districts, outline the various elements that make school-based management work, and describe the key roles and responsibilities for the district even in a decentralized system. Financing Schools for High Performance is filled with examples of creative finance structures, formulas, and actual school budgets that support student learning and rigorous instructional programs. It will prove to be an indispensable aid for state, district, and school-level administrators.

The United States annually spends over $300 billion on public elementary and secondary education. As the nation enters the 21st century, it faces a major challenge: how best to tie this financial investment to the goal of high levels of achievement for all students. In addition, policymakers want assurance that education dollars are being raised and used in the most efficient and effective possible ways. The book covers such topics as: Legal and legislative efforts to reduce spending and achievement gaps. The shift from "equity" to "adequacy" as a new standard for determining fairness in education spending. The debate and the evidence over the productivity of American schools. Strategies for using school finance in support of broader reforms aimed at raising student achievement. This book contains a comprehensive review of the theory and practice of financing public schools by federal, state, and local governments in the United States. It distills the best available knowledge about the fairness and productivity of expenditures on education and assesses options for changing the finance system.

In 1994, Congress passed the Improving America's Schools Act. Thereafter came the AMERICA 2000 and GOALS 2000 plans, and the President's ten point proposal, "A Call to Action," recommending costly national tests, And now we are witness to school vouchers, a burgeoning number of charter schools, and the privatization of school districts. The common link among these educational policies, recommendations and changes is finance. This book explores the all-important subject of educational finance through scrutiny of both the past and present. This comprehensive book examines school finance, encompassing the historical, economic, and legal perspectives. An excellent reference guide, the book is written simultaneously in both a scholarly and reader-friendly manner. Other topics covered include lotteries, choice, vouchers, risk-management, business issues for principals, and the equity issue as it relates to the individual school. Educational administrators, teachers, school board members, legislators, and business administrators.

Diverse economic, social, and legal concerns have brought renewed attention to the problem of financing public schools. The primary economic concern is preparing students to compete successfully in the international marketplace. The change in demographics of the United States also is a major social concern for education. Legal concerns focus on school financing systems that are equitable to students and taxpayers, and on providing adequate school funding. Despite complex state school-financing formulas, questions remain about what to fund, spending levels, revenue sources, and support from different levels of government. The answers to funding questions must be reached within the context of how schools function as well as the demographic, political, economic, social, and legal factors influencing school funding. This book is intended to help both educators and the general public better understand public school finance. Chapter topics include the context for public school finance, demographics and education, school finance policy goals and outcomes, state school finance equalization systems, the courts and school finance, taxation and sources of revenue for schools, and issues in public school finance. References accompany each chapter. (JPT)

Financing Public Schools moves beyond the basics of financing public elementary and secondary education to explore the historical, philosophical, and legal underpinnings of a viable public school system. Coverage includes the operational aspects of school finance, including issues regarding teacher salaries and pensions, budgeting for instructional programs, school transportation, and risk management. Diving deeper than other school finance books, the authors explore the political framework within which schools must function, discuss the privatization of education and its effects on public schools, offer perspectives regarding education as an investment in human capital, and expertly explain complex financial and economic issues. This comprehensive text provides the tools to apply the many and varied fiscal concepts and practices that are essential for aspiring public school administrators who aim to provide responsible stewardship for their students. Special Features: "Definitional Boxes" and "Key Terms" throughout chapters enhance understanding of difficult concepts. Coverage of legal, political, and historical issues provides a broader context and more complex understanding of school finance. Offers in-depth exploration of business management of financial resources, including fiscal accounting, school facilities, school transportation, financing with debt, and the nuances of school budgeting techniques.