This booklet contains a brief analysis of four "real life" alternatives (Minnesota, Michigan, Kansas, and New York) for State systems of funding schools, along with a concise conceptual framework for approaching the study of school finance reform. Because the booklet was prepared as a practical guide for State legislators, the authors avoid highly theoretical discussions of school financing systems and focus on concrete issues of reform within the context of the political atmosphere of each State. The authors see the publication as a guide for interested legislators to better understand the school finance controversy now ranging across the nation and also as a valuable tool for policymakers that should assist them in making better choices when responding to that controversy. (Author)