Although the current educational restructuring movement in the United States may be designed to improve schooling, it is also a political reform designed to shift the locus of authority over allocation of this service. This political theme is developed in the context of the historical shift from decentralized to centralized delivery of urban…

In Spring 1991, the LRC (Learning Resources Center)/library at Parkland College (PC) was quantitatively assessed in terms of staff size, collection size, budget allocation, circulation, and space allocation. Adequacy indicators from fiscal year (FY) 1991 and FY90 were compared to those from FY88. In addition, PC's LRC/library was compared to…

Data on 1982-1983 state support for elementary/secondary and higher education are presented. The objective is to provide policymakers information on how funding decisions vary and to promote self-analysis of how well each state is doing. Data and narrative analysis of regional trends cover: demographic characteristics, state support for…

As part of on-going research on rural public service provision, researchers illustrated the use of a methodologically rigorous tool (a "tradeoff game") for eliciting community preferences for municipal public services. The trade-off game allowed adults in 122 households in Erin Township, Wellington County, Ontario, to assess 13 currently…

Many countries, particularly those in the developing world, are seeking to orient their health services toward a more equitable and efficient utilization of resources. A detailed analysis of the financing of health services is an important step in such an undertaking. This manual sets out a methodology for carrying out such an analysis and…

The project described in this paper was designed to test specific ways of improving the dissemination of school finance information in two big city school districts (St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri), in order to enable them to compete more effectively for State aid. Part I presents the political and fiscal environment in which Kansas City and…

The sources and amounts of funds available for Illinois pre-kindergarten through post-secondary educational programs are explained in this monograph. The publication contains a summary of fiscal year 1984 appropriations and fiscally related legislation, as well as a brief explanation of state revenues and sources of local revenues. Chapter 1…

Since 1965, Washington has recognized that small schools need special financial consideration if their students are to receive educational opportunities comparable to those in larger districts. In 1977, after school districts brought suit against the state for failing fully to fund basic education, the state legislature passed the Basic Education…

This study of the potential labor market consequences of government mandating of employee benefits suggests that mandating benefits will increase benefit coverage and generosity for insurance coverage will not be helped; even when mandating benefits does improve benefit provision, there will be other offsetting effects, including wage and other…

This report itemizes the Austin (Texas) Independent School District's (AISD) expenditures of federal funds for 1988-89 that were designed to supplement the school district's efforts directed at drug and alcohol abuse education and prevention. Some funding was used to determine the extent of the drug problem in the district, what curriculum and…

The history of equity concerns in Texas public school finance, spanning over a century, is reviewed in this report. Three issues related to three reform eras are discussed: equitable availability of public schooling, equal resources for schools, and school effectiveness. State responses to the issues included equalization of opportunities in rural…

This 5-year strategic plan for the Minot State University's Memorial Library includes: (1) a chart showing the organization of the Minot State University Institutional Planning and Leadership Organization and committee members; (2) a profile of the community served by the library; (3) an assessment of the library's current performance from the…

State budgeting for higher education is a complex, multifacted process which is influenced by conditions outside both state government and higher education including the historical traditions, political culture, economic and demographic aspects of a state. Noted is the need of higher education to compete with other policy areas for resources and…

The impact of higher education leaders on policy and program implementation at the state house and the priorities of 32 governors were studied in 1986. The report is based on survey responses from these governors plus supplementary interviews. Interviews were also conducted with a recent former governor, a state legislator, and a congressman to…

The importance of a state role in assessing and improving undergraduate education and possible initiatives that states can pursue are discussed. Two roles for states are identified: (1) state regulatory and funding mechanisms should create an appropriate climate and concrete incentives for inducing institutional self-improvement; and (2) state…