Policy Briefs
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Fiscal Explainer: Texas Charter School Funding Analysis
Between 2015 and 2019, the inflation-adjusted funding gap between public charter schools and traditional public schools grew by about 36 percent—from $596 per pupil to $813 per pupil.
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Would a Green Fiscal Stimulus Help the Environment and the Economy?
This policy brief considers the main “green recovery” proposals and evaluates whether they would achieve their stated objectives.
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Transportation and COVID-19: A State Guide to Policy and Priorities
What states can do amidst today's uncertainty, with a policy focus on mitigating risks to public-sector transportation operations and infrastructure investments.
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A Vision For Better School Funding in Arkansas
Arkansas should streamline education dollars into a weighted student formula and ensure that school operational decisions are left in the hands of local leaders.
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Modernizing School Finance in Idaho
This policy brief provides a brief overview of Idaho’s school finance system, highlights its primary shortcomings, and makes several recommendations for reform.
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Contracting Mass Transit Services
Transit contracting should always follow three principles: guaranteeing public control, promoting competition, and ensuring transparency.
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Defined Benefit Plans: Best Practices in Incorporating Risk Sharing
Public pension risk sharing can increase plan solvency, provide better accountability, and lessen the burden that unfunded liabilities have on taxpayers.
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Defined Contribution Plans: Best Practices in Design and Utilization
If properly designed, defined contribution plans can meet the employee retirement needs of today’s evolving and dynamic public sector workforce.
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The Gold Standard In Public Retirement System Design Series
Best practices and recommendations to help states move into a more sustainable public pension model for employees and taxpayers.
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Inform: Give Stakeholders The Information They Need to Make Sound Education Funding Decisions
Financial transparency can help leaders get the most out of education dollars while shining light on their spending decisions.
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Empower: How to Put Families and School Leaders in the Driver’s Seat
Policymakers should let those who are closest to kids decide how education dollars are spent, and families should be given options outside of their residentially-assigned public schools.
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Equalize: Education Funding Policies That Put All Kids on a Level Playing Field
Education dollars should be equalized to ensure that funding is based on students, not property wealth or zip code.
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Streamline: How to Allocate Education Dollars Strategically
Education dollars should be allocated based on students’ needs using a weighted-student formula so that funding is fair, portable, and transparent.
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A Student-Centered Funding Roadmap for Policymakers
Student-centered funding models treat every child more fairly, better recognize individuality, and allow for innovation and progress.
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Planning For Potential Budget Cutbacks In Michigan: Sustainable School Finance Solutions
Even in a constrained fiscal environment, Michigan can improve education funding equity and better empower local school leaders.
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10 Best Practices For State Automated Vehicle Policy
This policy brief offers 10 policy recommendations for state policymakers to promote automated vehicle innovation while protecting the public interest.
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Reimagining Transportation Policy During and After COVID-19
The coronavirus pandemic is going to prompt changes to America’s transportation systems and policies.
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Best Practices for Providing Education Funding for Economically Disadvantaged Students
This report examines federal education funding for student poverty and how state education finance systems can best fund students.