Nine chapters focus on major areas and issues in educational finance. Chapter 1, "Turning-Point Election Periods in the Politics of Education" by Laurence Innaccone, reports on research on changes in the national political context. John F. Jennings in chapter 2, "Politics of Federal Aid," discusses social, economic, and political influences on leadership options. In "State-Level Politics and School Financing," Susan Fuhrman analyzes political developments in the 1970s and 1980s. Tyll van Geel takes a theoretical approach in chapter 4, "The Courts and School Finance Reform: An Expected Utility Model." Patricia R. Brown and Richard F. Elmore use a model of political choice in chapter 5, "Analyzing the Impact of School Finance Reform." In "Earthquakes or Tremors? Tax and Expenditure Limitations and School Finance," Mary Frase Williams reviews research on the politics and impact of limitation efforts. In chapter 7, Chester E. Finn, Jr. examines "The Politics of Public Aid to Private Schools." Joseph M. Cronin's "Financing Urban Schools" discusses the effects of demography, litigation, retrenchment, state fiscal controls, and federal aid cutbacks. Chapter 9, "The Politics of Declining Enrollments and School Closings" by William Lowe Boyd, reports research results on decision-making processes and conflict management in closing schools. An index is included. (RW)