Chapter 1 – Misconceptions about School Finance
This chapter examines five misconceptions about education and spending. Most people believe only what they hear or read in the media about education – and most of that is not positive information. This chapter should equip the reader to answer questions about education spending in such a way that commonly held misconceptions can be “straightened out” in a manner that brings out the teacher in you.
Any book takes – at minimum – several years to write. This text is no exception. In that time frame, new data may become available that is more current to the topics discussed. Listed below are some of the websites that will help you stay current with your study of school finance.
The EducationFinanceStatisticsCenter contains a wealth of information about education finance statistics. It also includes a section on school finance litigation.
Education Finance Association’s stated purpose (from its website) is “to facilitate communication between and among the various groups and individuals in the school finance field, including academicians, researchers, policy makers, administrators, and teachers.”
Digest of Education Statistics is part of the NationalCenter for Education Statistics and has an abundance of information using tables and charts about education and finance for years 1996-2003.
NationalCenter for Education Statistics contains valuable information – especially in the ED Stats at a Glance and the Quick Tables & Figures.
U.S. Census Bureau maintains a website that contains education finance information for elementary and secondary schools in all fifty states and the District of Columbia.
Council for Exceptional Children maintains a website that links to other websites with information on special education finance and other areas.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development plays an important role in publication of information dealing with social and economic issues. It offers an international perspective. This site links with education and education finance issues.
National Education Association maintains a website with education and finance statistics.
American Educational Research Association maintains a website for one of its special interest groups, Fiscal Issues, Policy, and Educational Finance. It contains a plethora of information and links to other related sites of interest.
to the website, Access is a national initiative of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity, an education advocacy group. It seeks to strengthen the links between school finance litigation, public engagement, and the standards-based reform effort. Data on states’ finances are available.
A class assignment to coincide with this chapter would be to have students share facts about common misconceptions about education finance with a community group and write about the encounter. The encounters could then be shared in class.