Public School Finance

ELS 753/853

Public School Finance

3.0 Credit Hours

Spring, 2011

Instructor:Dr. William Owings, Professor and Graduate Program Director

168-4 EducationBuilding

757.683.4954

Office hours – Tuesdays, 1:00 – 4:00

Meetings:Tuesdays, 4:20 – 7:00; web-based format.

Text:Owings, William and Kaplan, Leslie (2006). American Public School Finance, Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Modules begin on Wednesday (12:01 a.m.) and end on Tuesday of the following week (12:00 p.m.) Day names and numbers may be used interchangeably. Please refer to the chart below

Day 1 / Wednesday – module start day
Day 2 / Thursday
Day 3 / Friday
Day 4 / Saturday
Day 5 / Sunday
Day 6 / Monday
Day 7 / Tuesday – module end day

Synchronous Meeting Link:

All synchronous meetings will be held at the following weblink:

which can be found in the Synchronous Mtgs. Folder on Blackboard.

All students must purchase LiveText and upload the second case study for grading.

Description:Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits. Prerequisites: ELS 600. This course includes the study of the way today’s public schools are financed, including an analysis of the sources of revenues, the distribution of revenue, and the budgeting and expenditure of revenue. Students will learn the fiscal management skills and understandings necessary to manage the finances of a school or school system, including the study of system and school procedures related to budget planning, budget management, internal school account management, inventory control, and purchasing procedures.

Purpose: The purpose of this course is to familiarize the student with how schools are financed, how the budget is organized and managed, and sources of revenue. Special emphasis will be given to the history, legalities, ethics, and trends of financing public education. Issues of equity, taxation, and politics will be addressed. The finance and budgeting function of VirginiaPublic Schools will be emphasized as they impact local budgets and national legal constraints. Students will be required to research budget and financing practices in one school division in each of the salient areas of the course and be prepared to discuss those practices with the class. A major emphasis of the class will be for each student to complete a research project that will be of use to a local school or school division.

Performance Evidence:

ISLLC Standard 3.1: Manage the organization. Candidates will review school building and school division budgets, follow revenue and expenditures, and write a reflection paper as a case study.

ISLLC Standard 3.2: Manage operations. Candidates will review a school and division budget following revenue and expenditures and write a reaction paper including ideas regarding managing operations through budget monitoring.

ISLLC Standard 3.3: Manage resources. Candidates will review a school and division budget following revenue and expenditures and write a reaction paper including ideas regarding managing operations through budget monitoring.

ISLLC Standard 4.1: Collaborate with families and other community members. As a part of the field-based project, candidates are required to hold a community meeting discussing school finance.

ISLLC Standard 5.3 Acts ethically. Candidates will review a school and division budget and write a reaction paper involving the responsibility to act ethically with public school funds.

ISLLC Standard 6.1: Understand the larger context. Candidates will complete a service project that will benefit the financial operation of the school division at large. Emphasis will be placed on the school building level.

ISLLC Standard 6.2: Respond to the larger context. Candidates will analyze the Virginia Funding Formula and discuss it merits and shortcomings.

ISLLC Standard 6.3: Influence the larger context. Candidates will review the Virginia Funding formula and make written recommendations for improving the model.

Course Requirements:

1. LiveText. The purchase and/or use of LiveText (Approved Web-based Portfolio Assessment system) is required for this course. This must be purchased either from the ODU bookstore or You do NOT need the subscription with Unitedstreaming. Make sure to register with your official ODU name and your UIN.

1. Class Participation. Participants are expected to read, prior to class, the appropriate text chapters and view the accompanying lectures for each chapter found in Blackboard under Modules. Refer to the Tentative Schedule in the syllabus for the specific module assigned for each class meeting.
2. Culminating Project. Students will be required to conduct a service field-based research project/paper for this class. The final product should be approximately ten (10) pages in length excluding any bibliographic information or appendices. The project will be developed in conjunction with the instructor in an area of comparative salary structures that will benefit a local school or school division in the finance function. The project will be presented to the class using a PowerPoint presentation where possible lasting approximately 10 minutes. The class project should be included in your portfolio that will be turned in prior to graduation.

Case studies.

a.The first case study will involve an analysis of current local school division budgets as informed consumers of education finance.

b.The second case study will involve candidates applying their understanding of the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context in explaining and analyzing the Virginia Funding Formula and making recommendations for restructuring the State Funding Formula. The rubric for assessment of this paper is provided in the syllabus. Submit this project in LiveText as directed by the instructor.

c.The third case study will involve candidates demonstrating understanding of fiscal effort. Students should complete the case study on page 199 in the text.

1. Interview of Chief Budget Officer. Participants, working independently and/or in groups, will develop a set of questions to be used to interview the chief budget officer of a school division. The questions should be based on topics of interest to the participants and topics discussed in class. The idea is to get the perspective of a local practitioner regarding budgeting and funding of education. Interview questions may be selected from a list of suggested questions provided by the instructor. Upon completion of the interview, each participant will independently prepare a 4-5 page paper analyzing the data collected and reflecting on the interview results.
2. Final exam. This will involve the presentation of the research projects to the class. Presentations should include an overview of the project, what was done to study the issue, and the recommendations that will be made as a result of the study.

Embedded Learning Strategy Clock Hours (activities embedded within course requirements)

12 Hours

-School budget analysis

-Division budget analysis

-Chief Budget Officer interview

-Culminating project

The format for all work to be turned in should in Word, 12 point Arial font. Do not use WordPerfect or Word Pad as I do not have these programs on my computer. This and other related topics will be reviewed in the initial class meeting. Explanations for grading each assignment will be given prior to the assignment being made.

Grading: Weighting of grades will be based on the following scale:

Research Project30 points (written document)

Analysis of Budget20 points (major case study)

Case Studies20 points (two case studies, ten points each)

Participation20 points (includes homework)

Final Exam10 points (presentation of study)

Total100 points

The final course grade will be based on the following point scale:

90-100A

80-89B

70-79C

Below 70F

Accommodating students with special learning needs: In accordance with university policy, students with documented sensory and/or learning disabilities should inform the instructor so that their special needs may be accommodated.

Attendance: Students are expected to attend each class session. Absences in excess of two may result in the final grade being lowered by one grade for each absence in excess of two.

Honors Pledge: Each student is expected to abide by the honor system of OldDominionUniversity. “I pledge to support the honor system of OldDominionUniversity. I will refrain from any form of academic dishonesty or deception, such as cheating or plagiarism. I am aware that as a member of the academic community, it is my responsibility to turn in all suspected violators of the honor system. I will report to the Honor Council hearings if summoned.”

By submitting your work you are pledging to the honor system.

Office Hours: Tuesdays andThursdays, 1:00 – 4:00 and by appointment, Education Building, Room 168-4. Virtual appointments may be made on request. Phone: 757.683.4954, e-mail:

Course Sequencing and pre-requisites: ELS 600.

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Culminating Project Performance Assessment
Unacceptable / Acceptable (1pt) / Target (2pts)
Content (80, 80%)
3.1
3.2
3.3
4.1
4.2
4.3
5.1
5.2
5.3
6.1
6.2
6.3 / Unacceptable performance is evidenced by having fewer than three of the four factors correctly and clearly explained or by having more than one factor not explained correctly and clearly:
1) Funding formula and the Composite Index.
2) Composite Index is explained as related to SOQ funding level.
3) SOQ’s number of funded positions is explained as it relates to the current number of professional positions per 1,000 students in Virginia.
4) At least two recommendations are explained to improve the funding formula. Linear estimator and number of funded positions per 1,000 students must be included. / Acceptable performance is evidenced by having three of the four factors correctly and clearly explained:
1) Funding formula and the Composite Index.
2) Composite Index is explained as related to SOQ funding level.
3) SOQ’s number of funded positions is explained as it relates to the current number of professional positions per 1,000 students in Virginia.
4) At least two recommendations are explained to improve the funding formula. Linear estimator and number of funded positions per 1,000 students must be included. / Targeted performance is evidenced by having all four of the following factors correctly and clearly explained:
1) Funding formula and Composite Index.
2) Composite Index is explained as related to SOQ funding level.
3) SOQ’s number of funded positions is explained as it relates to the current number of professional positions per 1,000 students in Virginia.
4) At least two recommendations are explained to improve the funding formula. Linear estimator and number of funded positions per 1,000 students must be included.
Writing Skills (20, 20%) / Unacceptable performance is evidenced by:
1) Not using APA format.
2) Having five or more grammar, punctuation, spelling, typos, or other mechanical errors. / Acceptable performance is evidenced by:
1) Using APA format.
2) Having 1-4 grammar, punctuation, spelling, typos, or other mechanical errors / Targeted performance is evidenced by:
1) Using APA format.
2) Having no grammar, punctuation, spelling, typos, or
other mechanical errors.

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ModuleTentative Class Schedule

Week 1 (1/11)Orientation and overview of the class will be provided. Chapters 1 - Misconceptions about money and schools and 12 – Spending and Student Achievement will be reviewed. Students should bring one complete copy2010-11division budget to the second class meeting. These will be shared and used for the second class meeting. SYNCHRONOUS MEETING.

Week 2 (1/18)Budgets and the Virginia budgeting process will be examined. Make

certain to have Copies of Budget for class assignment. (Standards

3.1, 3.2, 3.3). SYNCHRONOUS MEETING.

Week 3 (1/25)Budget Review. Chapter 2 – a history of school finance will be provided. (Standard 1.1). SYNCHRONOUS MEETING.

Week 4 (2/1)Chapter 3 – the legal framework for school finance will be covered. Time will be allowed to work in groups for the first case study and final project. (Standard 3.1, 3.2, 3.3). SYNCHRONOUS MEETING. The Virginia Funding Formula will be reviewed. First Case Study is Due.

Week 5 (2/8)Chapter 4 – school finance as an investment in humancapital will be discussed. (Standards 1.1, 2.1, 3.3). SYNCHRONOUS MEETING.

Week 6 (2/15)Chapter 5 – taxation issues will be covered. (Standards 1.1, 3.1). SYNCHRONOUS MEETING. Fall break next week!

Week 7 (2/22)Chapter 6 – fiscal capacity will be studied.(Standards 3.1, 4.2). SYNCHRONOUS MEETING.Second Case Study is Due uploaded to LiveText.

Week 8 (3/1)Chapter 7 –fiscal effort will be reviewed. (Standards 3.1, 4.2). SYNCHRONOUS MEETING.

Week 9 (3/8)Spring Break.

Week 10 (3/15)Chapter 8 – equity and adequacy will be reviewed. (Standards 3.1, 4.1, 4.2). SYNCHRONOUS MEETING.

Week 11 (3/22)Chapter 9 – structure of school finance systems will be reviewed. (Standards 3.1, 4.1). SYNCHRONOUS MEETING. Third Case Study Due.

Week 12 (3/29)Chapter 10 –demographics will be reviewed. (Standards 3.3, 4.1, 6.1,

6.3. SYNCHRONOUS MEETING.

Week 13 (4/5)Chapter 11 – budgeting will be examined. Third Case Study is Due.

(Standards 2.2, 3.1, 3.2). SYNCHRONOUS MEETING.

Week 14 (4/12)Chapter 12 –Spending and student achievement andChapter 13 –

critical and emerging issues will be reviewed. (Standards

3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.1, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3). SYNCHRONOUS MEETING.

Week 15 (4/19)Project Presentations.SYNCHRONOUS MEETING.

Week 16 (4/26)Project Presentations.SYNCHRONOUS MEETING.

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