Early care and education (ECE) programs can provide a lifetime of benefits to children and families, but a lack of public support leaves these valuable services vulnerable to collapse during economic downturns. The COVID-19 pandemic was a particularly intense emergency for ECE providers: closures due to illness or shelter-in-place ordinances…

On May 4, 2017, the United States House of Representatives narrowly passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA) as a repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Independent analyses of the AHCA show that it would leave 23 million more people uninsured by 2026, and make coverage less comprehensive and affordable for millions more. Many…

With just months to go until the nation's overhauled K-12 law goes into effect, state policymakers are still scrambling to firm up the infrastructure for their education systems, under the new blueprint laid out in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). They're doing it at a time of political change and policy uncertainty at the national level,…

Congress charged the Advisory Committee in the "Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008" with monitoring and reporting on the condition of college access and persistence for low- and moderate-income students. The law requires provision of analyses and policy recommendations regarding the adequacy of grant aid from all sources--federal, state, and…

Five State courts have handed down decisions which may have nation-wide impact on the manner in which tax revenues are raised and allocated for public education. (DM)

Despite an upsurge of public interest in the arts, cultural organizations in the United States are experiencing a grave financial crisis. This paper cites facts and figures that indicate traditional funding sources are inadequate to withstand the pressures of spiraling costs and dwindling resources, state arts appropriations are discouragingly…

The major issue covered in this report involves the unequal distribution of GI Bill education benefits in different states. It is noted that since differences in state tuition charges are not recognized, veterans in Eastern and Midwestern high-tuition states have a harder time using education and training opportunities than veterans in Sunbelt…

P.L. 874 and 815 have operated to help relieve the burdens imposed on public school districts. These burdens reflect the tax-exempt nature of federal property. In 54 districts examined in this regard, it was found that the payments under P.L. 874 exceeded or fell short of meeting the burden by more than 10 percent in 80 percent of the districts.…

Factors contributing to the current student financial aid crisis in higher education are outlined, including rising tuition costs, federal tax law changes, and a policy shift from grants to loans. Federal and state responses to the crisis are examined, and their relative merits are discussed. (MSE)

This report addresses financial problems faced by the four medical schools belonging to the State University of New York (SUNY) which operate their own teaching hospitals and conduct graduate medical education (GME) programs. These hospitals necessarily have higher costs than do nonteaching hospitals. Prior to 1997, the higher costs were absorbed…

Current levels of federal and state support to increase access to higher education and the barriers now being faced are considered, based on a Higher Education Research Institute report. The postwar transition from elite to mass to universal higher education has been accompanied by major changes in government support. State governments have…

The Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR) has developed a plan for a massive rearrangement of financial responsibilities among Federal, State, and local governments. (Author)

The Advisory Commission for the Study of Public Support for Postsecondary Education in Maine reviewed the financial problems facing Maine's private higher education institutions and the impact of increasing student costs at Maine's public institutions. The text of the state legislation creating the Commission is presented, along with a summary of…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 poses unique challenges for rural schools and districts. Small schools are more likely to be labeled as needing improvement due to the volatility of annual test scores for small student populations. Rural districts are limited in their capacity to provide parents with school choice, and rural districts face…

Kansas and the Federal Government are debating whether or not federal impact aid for a school district should be deducted in some way from the formula that determines how much State aid that district properly should receive. (Author/DN)