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School Finance: Options for Improving Measures of Effort and Equity in Title I

HEHS-96-142 Published: Aug 30, 1996. Publicly Released: Aug 30, 1996.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the measures of equity and effort included in the Title I Education Finance Incentive Program, focusing on: (1) several options for improving these measures; (2) the characteristics of states with higher levels of equity and effort; and (3) alternative ways of using these measures in allocating title I funds.

Recommendations

Matter for Congressional Consideration

Matter Status Comments
If Congress decides to fund the title I Education Finance Incentive Program, it may want to improve the effort and equity measures and the way they are used in the allocation formula by reducing the floor on the effort factor so that low-effort states are rewarded for increased effort.
Closed – Not Implemented
Congress has not funded the Education Finance Incentive Program.
If Congress decides to fund the title I Education Finance Incentive Program, it may want to improve the effort and equity measures and the way they are used in the allocation formula by modifying the effort factor to eliminate the penalty on states where a high percentage of the population is school-age.
Closed – Not Implemented
Congress has not funded the program.
If Congress decides to fund the title I Education Finance Incentive Program, it may want to improve the effort and equity measures and the way they are used in the allocation formula by using, in the effort factor, a more comprehensive measure of states' revenue raising capacity, such as the total taxable resources indicator published by the Secretary of the Treasury.
Closed – Not Implemented
Congress has not funded the program.
If Congress decides to fund the title I Education Finance Incentive Program, it may want to improve the effort and equity measures and the way they are used in the allocation formula by including in the effort and equity factors a bonus for improvement over time.
Closed – Not Implemented
Congress has not funded the program.
If Congress decides to fund the title I Education Finance Incentive Program, it may want to improve the effort and equity measures and the way they are used in the allocation formula by expanding the needs component of the equity factor to include children with limited English proficiency and children with disabilities.
Closed – Not Implemented
Congress has not funded the program.
If Congress decides to fund the title I Education Finance Incentive Program, it may want to improve the effort and equity measures and the way they are used in the allocation formula by adjusting the equity factor for differences in the cost of educational services across each state's districts.
Closed – Not Implemented
Congress has not funded the program.
If Congress decides to fund the title I Education Finance Incentive Program, it may want to improve the effort and equity measures and the way they are used in the allocation formula by basing the allocation formula on the number of poor school-age children rather than all school age-children.
Closed – Not Implemented
Congress has not funded the program.

Full Report

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Topics

Disadvantaged personsEconomically depressed areasEducational grantsElementary educationSecondary educationSupplemental appropriationsEducation financeStudentsSchool districtsEnglish proficiency