Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction 1
Brandon L. Wright
PART I: WHERE WE ARE 9
1. American Schools Look to a Challenging Funding Future 11
Matthew Ladner
2. How to Address the Rising Cost of Employee Benefits 19
Chad Aldeman
3. The Relationship Between School Funding and Student Outcomes 35
Adam Tyner
PART II: THE WAY FORWARD 53
4. Schools and Systems That Are Getting More Bang for Their Buck 55
Michael Q. McShane
5. How the “Would You Rather” Test Can Help with School Finance Decisions 69
Marguerite Roza
6. Rethinking School Staffing 89
Bryan Hassel and Emily Ayscue Hassel
PART III: GETTING STARTED 111
7. Bridging the Technological Divide (for Good): How Public Education Leaders Can Successfully Integrate Technology, Without Breaking the Bank 113
Scott Milam, Carrie Stewart, and Katie Morrison-Reed
8. Breaking the Vise of Declining Enrollment 125
Karen Hawley Miles
9. Cost-Effective Special Education: Good for the Budget, Great for Kids 145
Nathan Levenson
Conclusion 161
Frederick M. Hess
About the Contributors 169
Index 173