Performs empirical tests of the Mexican federal government's state-level education expenditures and examines changes in allocation patterns by comparing 1980 and 1990 cross-sections. Unlike other Latin American countries, where formulated grants are made to subnational jurisdictions, the Mexican allocation pattern seems neither rational nor…

Using a supply-demand framework, a six-equation model is specified to generate hypotheses about the relationship between state aid and student performance. Theory predicts that an increase in state or federal aid provides an incentive to decrease local funding, but that the disincentive associated with increased state aid is moderated when federal…

Within the literature on special education administration in rural areas three topics emerge: difficulties associated with bringing special education programs to rural areas; need for research pertaining to special education in rural areas; and a concern with cooperative arrangements as a means of providing special education programs in rural…

Matrix organization focuses on the shift from cost center or process input planning to product output or results planning. Matrix organization puts the personnel and the resources where they are needed to get the job done. This management efficiency is brought about by dividing all organizational activities into two areas: (1) input or maintenance…

A step-by-step method for designing and improving evaluation methods is presented for educators who are in the position of evaluating an educational gathering of adults. This method is to insure that evaluation instruments are: (1) accurate enough to provide valid data; (2) short enough to be filled out by a large group of evaluators in a hurry to…

Cost analysis for internal management of higher education institutions is of interest because of the steady state of higher education, concern over management practices, and the expectation that higher education institutions should be more responsive to social planning and public policy concerns and objectives. The nature of the institutions that…

Discussed in this report is the MacArthur/Spencer Special Project on Educational Finance conducted on the campuses of the Illinois State University. This 5-year research effort is designed to conduct research into equity, adequacy, and efficiency aspects of educational finance in Illinois. When possible, conclusions and generalizations are…

The adoption, use, and refinement of an operational model for comparing academic programs and evaluating their needs in 200 postsecondary institutions of all types are discussed. The study was conducted in 1975-76 of all 5,375 degree programs in Pennsylvania. To aid in using the model, the following areas are reviewed: (1) the data items included…

Phase 1 goal of a project was to provide the theoretical and methodological base for formulation of a prototype model of a comprehensive and effective system of disseminating vocational education improvement products. Major activities were divided into five categories: literature reviews, conferences and workshops, consultations, questionnaire…

The study examines military manpower procurement for peacetime. It considers the broad alternative systems of conscription and voluntarism and develops models of demand and supply for military labor to show how these are affected by the choice of procurement system. Empirical applications are made using evidence from Australia, Canada, Great…

This paper, on the returns on investment (ROI) in training, introduces some practical examples for enterprises or organizations wanting to find out whether the money they have spent or intend to spend on training is necessary. It provides strategies for researchers who would like to undertake research in this area. The paper begins by examining…

Many colleges and departments at Tennessee Technological University, as well as most other major universities, are progressing toward more interactive instructional materials. The benefits of implementing instructional technology are numerous and diverse. However, because of increasingly austere budgets, a focused and cost-effective approach to…

In recent years, state legislatures, state education departments, and advocacy groups in more than thirty states have sponsored education adequacy studies, which aim to determine objectively the amount of funding needed to provide all students with a meaningful opportunity for an adequate education. Based on a detailed analysis of judicial and…

Using a model of rational student choice as its foundation, this study examined whether state policies toward higher education encourage junior colleges and universities to admit too many students. The optimal-size decisions of budget-maximizing junior colleges and universities were derived and compared to the optimal-size decisions of a social…

This document is the second in a series of three documents, which together contain 27 case studies on the uses of cost analysis in educational planning. The case studies are presented to help planners and administrators see how cost analysis can be used to improve the efficiency of their educational systems, or to get the best value existing…