Each student will select a state other than Mississippi on which to write a state educational funding paper.? This paper sho

Each student will select a state other than Mississippi on which to write a state educational funding paper.  This paper should be 10-12 double-spaced pages and include the following information on the student’s chosen state:

State finance profile:

1. State Constitutional provision for education (educational guarantee)
2. Existing policies regulating the financing of public schools
3. A review of state funding trends, including average per pupil spending and student/teacher ratio. Also look for district funding distribution information.  How much is the wealthiest district spending on their students versus the least wealthy district?  How do these numbers compare with national averages?  What do these numbers say about the equity and/or adequacy of education in your chosen state?
4. An overview of key political issues on education finance over the last decade
5. Review of recent school finance litigation (last 20 years)
6. Using the information above, develop a set of policy positions to improve the state’s funding position (you’ll have to make a value judgement on what would be a more favorable position).

To complete this assignment, you may find it helpful to consult your state’s department of education page, the state legislation, the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), and the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) (specifically helpful are the State Education Data Profiles but there is lots of additional helpful information on there)