Designed for aspiring school leaders, this text presents the realities of school finance policy and issues, as well as the tools for formulating and managing school budgets. In an era of dwindling fiscal support for public schools, increasing federal mandates, and additional local budget requirements, educational leaders must be able to articulate sound finance theory and application. The authors move beyond coverage found in other texts by providing critical analysis and unique chapters on misconceptions about school finance; fiscal capacity, fiscal effort, adequacy, and efficiency; demographic issues; and spending and student achievement. Examining local, state, and federal education spending, this text gives readers the foundation to understand school finance and knowledgeably educate colleagues, parents, and other stakeholders about its big-picture issues, facts, and trends. The new edition of American Public School Finance will help educational leaders at all stages of their careers become informed advocates for education finance practice and reform. New in this edition: Expanded coverage on school choice Discussion of new standards and law Updated exploration of student demographics and its impact on learning Advanced pedagogical features such as connections to the latest Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), Focus Questions, Case Studies, and Chapter Questions/Assignments Complementary electronic resources designed to deepen and extend the topics in each chapter and to provide instructors with lecture slides and other teaching strategies.

Spending on K-12 education across the United States and across local school districts has long been characterized by great disparitiesâ€"disparities that reflect differences in property wealth and tax rates. For more than a quarter-century, reformers have attempted to reduce these differences through court challenges and legislative action. As part of a broad study of education finance, the committee commissioned eight papers examining the history and consequences of school finance reform undertaken in the name of equity and adequacy. This thought-provoking, timely collection of papers explores such topics as: What do the terms "equity" and "adequacy" in school finance really mean? How are these terms relevant to the politics and litigation of school finance reform? What is the impact of court-ordered school finance reform on spending disparities? How do school districts use money from finance reform? What policy options are available to states facing new challenges from court decisions mandating adequacy in school finance? When measuring adequacy, how do you consider differences in student needs and regional costs?

Making Sense of School Finance: A Practical State-by-State Approach thoroughly and clearly describes complex school finance concepts regarding local, state, and federal revenue along with authentic accounting processes in a straightforward manner for public, nonpublic, and charter school leaders. This logically organized resource delivers content on a specific state basis in succinct, easy-to-follow chapters that uniquely applies to each reader’s actual situation and location. Figures for each state funding model with real allocations, by example, illustrate respective funding model formulas, and the numerous tables in the text differentiate substance by jurisdiction (states and the District of Columbia). Practical subject matter to increase and acquire additional funding in this book that includes private and public grant application writing is vital reading for aspiring and practicing school officials. Above all, this text expands the reader’s comprehension of school finance topics beyond knowledge acquisition into knowhow applications through genuine, end-of-chapter projects and scenarios for discussion with colleagues. Applying the principles from this book remains an absolute necessity to position your school and district for a strong financial future.

This nationally recognized school finance expert has teamed up with a CHOICE award winning author to write a comprehensive book on managing school financial resources to increase student performance. Everything you need to know on school finance are covered: budgeting, planning, school based budgeting, school business management, sources of revenue, facilities, human resources, auxiliary services.

This third edition of this book explores traditional economic and political models and contemporary issues that affect the social, political, and economic state of schools. Like the previous two editions, this edition takes a balanced approach to understanding school finance issues by using paradigms of both the economist and the political scientist. Part I begins with a discussion of the educational decision-making process in a political-economic system divided between public and private sectors. Part II examines the sources of money that society devotes to support public education. Part III focuses on the merits and structures of general and categorical aid programs at state and federal levels in the United States. Part IV examines the potential of school finance policies to achieve high standards. Part V examines how changing the incentives provided by financial rewards in state policies and by teacher compensation within districts might improve school and student performance. Part VI concludes with a discussion of some implications of the systemic-reform movement on the changing policy context. (Contains a name index and a subject index.) (WFA).