This text presents the realities of school finance policy, issues, and applications to prepare educational leadership candidates for their future roles as school principals, superintendents, and other administrative positions. Authors William Owings and Leslie Kaplan provide guidance to help administrators understand the general finance and appropriation structure of federal, state, and local government as well as how to formulate and manage school budgets. They also go beyond coverage found in other texts by providing critical analysis and unique chapters on misconceptions about school finance, demographic issues, spending and student achievement, and future trends. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.

Designed for aspiring school leaders, this text presents the realities of school finance policy and issues, as well as the tools for formulating and managing school budgets. In an era of dwindling fiscal support for public schools, increasing federal mandates, and additional local budget requirements, educational leaders must be able to articulate sound finance theory and application. The authors move beyond coverage found in other texts by providing critical analysis and unique chapters on misconceptions about school finance; fiscal capacity, fiscal effort, adequacy, and efficiency; demographic issues; and spending and student achievement. Examining local, state, and federal education spending, this text gives readers the foundation to understand school finance and knowledgeably educate colleagues, parents, and other stakeholders about its big-picture issues, facts, and trends. The new edition of American Public School Finance will help educational leaders at all stages of their careers become informed advocates for education finance practice and reform. New in this edition: Expanded coverage on school choice Discussion of new standards and law Updated exploration of student demographics and its impact on learning Advanced pedagogical features such as connections to the latest Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), Focus Questions, Case Studies, and Chapter Questions/Assignments Complementary electronic resources designed to deepen and extend the topics in each chapter and to provide instructors with lecture slides and other teaching strategies.

This nationally recognized school finance expert has teamed up with a CHOICE award winning author to write a comprehensive book on managing school financial resources to increase student performance. Everything you need to know on school finance are covered: budgeting, planning, school based budgeting, school business management, sources of revenue, facilities, human resources, auxiliary services.

A master story-teller, Dr. Jose A. Cardenas, offers us an insider's view of the 28-year history of school finance in Texas. Dr. Cardenas is the founder & director emeritus of IDRA & is the only person who has been actively involved in the entire school finance reform effort since the early days of the RODRIGUEZ VS. SAN ANTONIO ISD litigation when he was superintendent of the Edgewood Independent School District. More than a history, this book provides a blueprint for persons interested in bringing about future reform in schools & other social institutions. Beginning with a description of the Texas system in 1950, the account covers court cases, legislation, & advocacy efforts & concludes with the status & future of school finance reform. Personal vignettes sprinkled throughout offer glimpses of those special untold moments that impacted history. Much of this volume - including the myths of school finance & lessons learned - relate to reform efforts in other states as well. Dr. James A. Kelly, president of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, provides a foreword, "Fighting the Good Fight," describing Dr. Cardenas as a trailblazer & pioneer. (ISBN 1-878550-63-2; 1997; 387 pages; hardback) Distributed exclusively by the Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA); 210-684-8180; FAX: 210-684-5389; E-mail: [email protected]; URL: www.idra.org.

Making Sense of School Finance: A Practical State-by-State Approach thoroughly and clearly describes complex school finance concepts regarding local, state, and federal revenue along with authentic accounting processes in a straightforward manner for public, nonpublic, and charter school leaders. This logically organized resource delivers content on a specific state basis in succinct, easy-to-follow chapters that uniquely applies to each reader’s actual situation and location. Figures for each state funding model with real allocations, by example, illustrate respective funding model formulas, and the numerous tables in the text differentiate substance by jurisdiction (states and the District of Columbia). Practical subject matter to increase and acquire additional funding in this book that includes private and public grant application writing is vital reading for aspiring and practicing school officials. Above all, this text expands the reader’s comprehension of school finance topics beyond knowledge acquisition into knowhow applications through genuine, end-of-chapter projects and scenarios for discussion with colleagues. Applying the principles from this book remains an absolute necessity to position your school and district for a strong financial future.