Assesses effects of five large city school districts' fiscal dependence on educational spending in New York State. Results suggest that spending levels may be systematically lower in fiscally dependent districts. Recommends re-aligning resource allocation and school governance responsibilities and using matching grants to reduce spending…

Examines a specific program termination (in social work) to determine how universities interpret and apply the goals of their strategic plans. Finds that institutional actors hold different perceptions of the strategic plan goals and their relevance to the terminated program. Suggests that colleges and universities need to clarify strategic plan…

Discusses deans' responsibilities in financial management, including budget development, budget management, broker of resources, program review, and fundraising. Describes what deans need to know: categories of income, local tax assessment, financing new construction, and key accounting terminology. Looks at key challenges for deans and offers a…

The relationship between school funding and student achievement is not clear. Therefore, policymakers should concentrate more on how resources are distributed, rather than on how much money is available. They should also explore the importance of adequate resource levels and equitable distribution schemes. A sidebar outlines the characteristics of…

The Institute of Correspondence Education (ICE) of the University of Madras (India) is highly cost-effective when compared to the conventional system. The fact that a major portion of the cost is recoverable in student fees makes the ICE system more economical; however, the requisite level of resources has not been allocated for student-support…

Presents a simple framework for (1) demonstrating how households determine schooling investments through choice and voice; and (2) considering effects of decentralization on household behaviors, given information problems. Some aspects of decentralization may increase efficiency; others may be neutral or decrease efficiency. Further research is…

Examines the needs and concerns of college faculty members regarding the departmental ambience in undergraduate teaching and the difficulty of integrating research and teaching. The article advocates interdepartmental cooperation and resource sharing to foster positive change in faculty members' fields and to resolve the problems of faculty and…

Results of a national survey of college and university fiscal 1995 endowment investments found the average nominal performance (15.5%) far surpassing the previous year's return (2.9%) and higher even than double-digit returns in fiscal 1993 and 1994. Overall investment pool allocations are charted, and 460 institutions are ranked by endowment…

Recently, monies allocated to the additional educational needs (AEN) component of (Britain's) standard spending assessment (SSA) have decreased markedly. The strategy for determining the AEN weighting (to aid socially deprived and ethnic-minority students) is undermined by central-government spending constraints. Weighting should be determined by…

It is argued that issues of accountability, competition, the technology, and internationalization of education suggest it is in the best interest of Australian higher education to adopt strategic management techniques being promoted for the public sector. This includes new emphases on staffing policies and practices, resource allocation and…

A study in England and Australia suggests that in science and engineering, where researchers within a research unit of any size re-form themselves into smaller groups (5-12), communication is efficient and productivity optimal, with little economy of scale for larger groups. In less tightly-organized disciplines such as mathematics and social…

Summarizes a study probing the relationship among leadership, effective planning, and resource management in four British secondary schools, highlighting environmental and school culture influences. Headteachers work along a continuum balanced between systems organization and an integrative culture. Schools with rational planning approaches are…

Discussion of fiscal management in the reformed higher education systems of Eastern/Central Europe begins with analysis of reform attempts in two British universities and relates them to Eastern and Central European issues. It is argued that institutions must adopt a holistic approach to managing change and for addressing various staff, structure,…

Examines distance education's efficacy in nine New York school districts affiliated with Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). Distance education enables small rural schools to expand their curriculum. Districts vary in utilizing distance education. Distance-education courses cost considerably more to offer than traditional courses.…

Reinterprets Betts and Shkolnick's results in an article appearing in this "EER" issue. The data do not allow accurate classification of tracked and untracked classrooms. There appears to be little difference in student performance and resource allocation between schools that formally and informally group students by ability. (MLH)