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School Finance

EDL 653

Syllabus

Course Description

This course gives students a comprehensive overview of the current status of school finance. The course covers the economic value of education, financing education equitably and adequately, how schools have been funded historically, the role of the state and federal government, the influence of the courts, administering the school budget, accounting and auditing, human resources, and what is ahead in school finance. The students will be directed to a wide variety of websites which will expand and refine information presented in the text. Additionally, students will interact with the course instructor through email and the discussion forum. They will interact with each other in the discussion forum.

Objectives:

  1. Recognize why good education is good economy.

  2. Examine the necessity of financing education adequately and equitably.

  3. Compare and contrast the different patterns of school finance systems.

  4. Generate a list of the sources of tax and non-tax revenues.

  5. Recognize why education is a state function and how that function has developed over the past two hundred years.

  6. Appraise the role and interest of the federal government in education.

  7. Point out how state and federal courts have impacted the financing of education.

  8. Debate the issue of using public funds for non-public schools.

  9. Assess the financing of school facilities.

  10. Propose how to create and administer the school budget.

  11. Justify the importance of accounting and auditing.

  12. Examine the business aspects of the school system.

  13. Express how human resources is interdependent with and affects school finance.

 

Text:

Financing Education in a Climate of Change, 10th edition, by Brimley, V., and Garfield R., 2007.Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Additionally, students also are required to use the latest update of Funding for Florida School Districts, Florida Department of Education, Tallahassee, FL. (2008). http://www.fldoe.org/fefp Students will also have additional selected reading assignments from research via each module.

 

Grading Criteria

A = 93-100

B = 88- 85

C = 77-84

 

Student Requirements

Students are expected to complete all assignments, projects, and forum postings. Students are expected to reply in the forums as indicated by instructor. The work is expected to be the original work of the student except where properly documented.

 

Module Topics

Module 1: The Societal Contribution of Education

  1. The Economic and Non-Economic Benefits of Education

  2. Taxation and Education

  3. Demographic and Social Changes

  4. The Consequences of Not Educating People

 

Module 2: Equity and Models of Educational Funding

  1. Historical Influences on Equity

  2. The Equity Principle

  3. District Power Equalization

  4. Weighting Factors

 

Module 3: State Models of Funding Distribution

  1. Florida’s Model of Funding

  2. Other State Models

 

Module 4: Sources of Revenue for Public Schools

  1. Taxes for Education

  2. Other Sources of Revenue

  3. Characteristics of a Tax System

  4. Federal Interest and Expenditures

 

Module 5: A History of Educational Funding

  1. Early Development of State Responsibility

  2. Land Grants

  3. Early Taxation Patterns

  4. Stages of School Finance

 

Module 6: Methods of Calculating Needed Revenue

  1. Two Primary Methods: Average Daily Attendance (ADA) and Average Daily Membership (ADM)

  2. Florida Full Time Equivalent method of student enrollment/attendance calculation

  3. Other State’s Calculations

 

Module 7: The Influence of the Courts

1. Court decision guidelines \

  1. Landmark Cases

  2. Principals Established by Court Decisions

  3. Choice, Vouchers, Charter Schools, and Tax Credits

 

Module 8: Administering the School Budget

  1. Budgeting and Administering the School Budget

  2. Systems of Budget Administration

  3. Internal Account Management

 

Module 9: Financing Facilities, Accounting and Auditing, Public Funds and Non-public Schools

  1. Capital Outlay Plans

  2. Impact Fees

  3. Principals and Forms of Accounting

  4. Auditing

  5. Child Benefit Theory

  6. Objections to Private Choice, Vouchers, and Tuition Tax Credits

 

Module 10: Business Aspects and Human Resources

  1. Supplies, Equipment, and purchasing

  2. Transportation and Food Service

  3. Human Resource Issues

  4. Salary and Payroll

  5. Final Exam

 

Assignments:

  1. Students are to complete eight reflections on module topics.; 40 points (5 pts each)

  2. Students are to interview a school principal or finance officer and gather data for issues related to trends in public school finance. Students are to prepare a summary of their findings. Students are to submit their interview summary in week 6. 16 points.

  3. Students will post to five selected forums. 25 points (5 points each)

  4. Students are to complete a final position paper. Maximum points 20.

 

References

Brimley, V and Garfield, R. (2008) Financing Education in a Climate of Change. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.

Funding for Florida School Districts. (2008) Florida Department of Education. http://www.fldoe.org/fefp/pdf/fefpdist.pdf

Finance and Program Cost Accounting and Reporting for Florida Schools. Chapter 7: School Internal Funds. www.fldoe.org/fefp/pdf/red7.pdf

Teacher Education University reserves the right to adjust and adapt this syllabus as necessary.

 





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