State and local government spending on public elementary and secondary education grew from $40.7 billion in 1970 to an estimated $256.3 billion in 1996, a more than 6-fold increase in 25 years. Even when adjusted for inflation and changes in enrollment, real per-pupil spending still increased 86 percent. This brief examines some of the underlying…

The state of education in the United States is examined by asking how much educational value schools add as children pass through them, and at what cost. This approach eases the problems that arise from differing background experiences as children start school. Issues related to academic achievement in the United States are studied through a…

This report presents information on how the United States compares with a selected group (N=34) of both industrialized and less developed nations in its spending on higher education and college participation rates. Highlights of the report include: in 1985 the United States spent the highest percentage (2.4%) of gross national product (GNP) on…

This bulletin focuses on four aspects of budget development and management in local school districts. Chapter 1 describes the general budget development process, highlighting variations some Oregon districts have found useful. The chapter outlines the responsibilities of educational agencies and district staff members at various levels and reviews…

The New Jersey State government could reduce pupil transportation aid payments to local school districts by between $35 million and $50 million by eliminating support for questionable expenditures and by using the funding formula adopted in the Quality Education Act of 1990. This report describes how these dollar savings can be achieved. The major…

This policy brief presents findings from Southwest Educational Development Laboratory research on resource allocation in 1,504 independent school districts in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas. Using 5 years' data from the federal Common Core of Data and the Census Bureau along with 3 years of student performance data from each state…

This report is designed to assist newly independent colleges in the United Kingdom to examine expenditures objectively and critically in order to promote the most effective use of all funds and resources. Chapter 1 looks at: the rationale for cost reduction; the importance of scanning the operating environment as part of developing an overall…