Estimates frontier production functions for South Carolina's educational process, using data from 541 classes. Classes taught by teachers who received merit awards show greater mathematics and reading achievement gain scores, as do classes with fewer free-lunch students. There was a positive relationship between achievement and (larger) class…

If we are to reduce wastage in higher education, we must first understand, and then combat some practices found in educational institutions. Specifically, we must discourage: over-staffing, power politics, and statistical juggling. Each institution of higher learning, each community, each state, should examine objectively the possibilities of…

Resource allocation within education systems is approached from the perspective of economic theory and input-output processes. It is suggested that economic concepts of efficiency and productivity focus attention on factors affecting effective use of resources and should be systematically encouraged. (Author/MSE)

Examines some of the organizational dysfunctions that can result from an overdependence on the "rational-economic" decision-making approach. (Author)

In this paper, the author looks at the contribution of education to economic growth and examines the desirability of public vs private financing of education from the standpoint of economic efficiency and equity. The author sees expenditures on education as an investment in human capital, the contribution to output of such an investment depending…

Applies output budgeting techniques to the "production" of graduates at a British University. The cost per student graduated in 18 different disciplines is first divided among (1) capital and maintenance costs, (2) teaching costs, and (3) administrative and general expenditures. The potential cost savings from more efficient utilization…

A discussion of the current economics of the United Kingdom's higher education system outlines conceptual models used by economists for evaluating a system's efficiency and applies them to assess the effect of recent funding changes. It is concluded that increased emphasis on research is adversely affecting university teaching quality. (MSE)

In fiscal year 1995, about 26 million students in about 94,000 schools nationwide were served lunches each day through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). In response to concerns raised about the amount of food thrown away by students (called plate waste), the General Accounting Office (GAO) surveyed a random sample of cafeteria managers in…

Some of the issues surrounding school productivity are discussed in this ERIC digest. It presents the results of early research that explored whether there is a relationship between educational funding and student outcomes. Some of the reasons behind schools' productivity problems are presented, including problems with unstable governance and the…

Assesses effects of the financial reform of China's basic education system, focusing on issues of structure, resource mobilization, equality, and efficiency. While decentralized funding reforms have succeeded in achieving structural change and resource mobilization, the current system is marked by glaring inequalities and significant…

New methods of financing higher education used in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom are summarized and compared. The paper concludes that while these approaches are designed to improve efficiency, realize specific outcomes, and leverage additional funds from other sources, they may have unanticipated, unintended, and, in some…

This report argues that the academic performance of American students has not declined, but that schools and students are confronting new and higher demands. The fundamental challenge facing American primary and secondary education is how to increase productivity--how to make better use of its resources. In this document, the Consortium on…

Examines recent major proposals for improvements in elementary and secondary education from an economic perspective and assesses their likely effects. Suggests that efficient, effective, and equitable use of resources has not been fully considered in the preparation of the proposals. (PGD)

This book examines the institutional movement toward outsourcing support services, focusing on the development of outcome-oriented performance indicators and continuous self-assessment. Using 125 "lessons" based on support service theories, philosophies, and practices at George Mason University (Virginia), which collectively are termed…

Reviews the United States' fiscal situation and the outlook for local, state, and federal government support of education. Focuses on the impact of decentralization of education financing under a conservative government and on the influence of federal budget deficits on school finance. Includes suggestions for educators in seeking financial…