Next Needed Steps in the Evolution of American Education Finance and Policy: Attenuating a Judicially Imposed Policy Distraction, Activating a Balanced Portfolio of K-12 School Reforms, Advancing Rationality as a Goal in Pursuing Productivity, Advocating Change in a Responsible and Effective Manner

Abstract

This article asserts that although there has been a consistently increasing demand on both the national and state levels for alignment of resources (inputs) to improved student outcomes (outputs), the lack of a systematic and well-defined policy portfolio has limited reform effectiveness. This article specifically examines the overreliance on standards and curriculum as reform mechanisms and the often distracting and unproductive judicial interventions connected to equity and adequacy litigation.

Peter J. Witham was instrumental in undertaking the research for this paper.

Notes

¹The remaining approximate 10% of operating school revenues stems from federal, philanthropic, charitable, and ad hoc individual payments to school districts.

² Figure 2 was assembled by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) in 2006. The data stem from U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Biennial Survey of Education in the United States, 1919–20 through 1955–56; Statistics of State School Systems, 1957–58 through 1969–70; Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education, 1970–71 through 1986–87; The NCES Common Core of Data, “National Public Education Financial Survey,” 1987–88 through 2002–03.