chapter 16 the road ahead in school finance this multimedia product and its contents are protected...

Chapter 16

The Road Ahead in

School Finance

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Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

•The passage of time means transformation

•For the past two decades—sixth period in evolution of school finance has occurred

•Different groups attempt to influence how educational funds are being spent

•No Child Left Behind Act and eroding local control—concept of federalism challenged by testing and oversight

•Continued emphasis on equity and more attention to adequacy

•Emerged socio-economic factors

increased bilingual nation

population growing older

school enrollment shifting to North and West


•changes in accounting, auditing and reporting of finance information

•change from personnel functions to human resource development

•increase of human capital

•court decisions testing issue of vouchers

•changing organizational patterns

•changing social patterns

•state funding patterns

•determination of who is responsible for financial support of schools

•equitable financing reforms and programs


The Future of Public School Finance•Renaissance Trends for U.S. Schools (Cetron & Gayle, 1990)

education viewed as key to economic growth

mismatch between literacy of work force and competency required for jobs available

wide spectrum of school finance initiatives and experiments will be undertaken

regional disparities of education sources will increase

number of public school enrollments will increase

15% jobs will require college diploma

more than 50% will require postsecondary education and training


equity and adequacy issues major problems

educational equity defined in terms of expenditures and providing “sound basic education”


•Data needed to analyze the future

demographics

interest rates

tax limitation measures

federal deficit/surplus

risk management and safety measures

benefits

personnel needs


Unresolved Issues

•useful innovative financing models with adequate, stable funding

•school finance systems linked to performance

•state funding of required assessment systems created by NCLB

•facilities management with increased/declining enrollments

•impact of special education costs

•increases flexibility with meaningful accountability

•implications of demographic and social changes

•technology

affect on learning

cost effectiveness

equitable access

•monitoring of charter and choice schoolsCopyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

Some Characteristics of Educational Structure

•U.S. federal system dependent on an informed citizenry

•education is a state function

•education enhances economic development—investment in human capital

•education protects individual freedom

•education no longer a privilege for those who can afford it

•public funds must meet the Agostini tenants and meet the Lemon test

•public funds cannot be used to prevent integration of minority groups

•weighted-pupil units are fairer measure of need

•support of education important social and economic progressCopyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008


Some Characteristics of Educational Structure (cont.)

•all but a few citizens should pay taxes for education

•ability-to-pay principle of taxation and benefit principle justifiable

•education—an investment in future generations

•adequate funds will not guarantee a good educational program, but inadequate funds will guarantee a poor program


School Finance Goals•support high-level education

•provide high degree of equity and equality

•provide greater state financial support

•clarify role of three levels of government

•increase attendance rate of minorities and close achievement gap between minorities and non-minorities

•provide school finance laws supporting rural and urban school districts

•eliminate adult and child illiteracy

•apply appropriate and legal allocations for nonpublic schools

•property tax improvements

•provide equitable practices for funding capital outlaysCopyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008

School Finance Goals (cont.)•eliminate for some districts fiscal dependence on other governmental bodies

•provide financial support for extension of school year

•provide free education to adults for cultural and economic reasons

•extends years of formal education to include early childhood programs

•solve problems of teacher-board negotiations

•educate people lacking an education or vocational skills

•prepare students to compete in worldwide economy


The Challenge•state and federal mandates

•ambitious reform agendas without provisions for professional development and improved teacher preparation

•recruitment and retention of the best new teachers

•school reform as a community-wide effort

•restoring public confidence in public education

•support of educational reform by citizenry

•demographic and social changes

•social problems


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