Since the creation of Federally subsidized loans in the late 1950s, trends in higher education have been characterized by exorbitant increases in tuition costs and student loan debt. I frame the analysis of this thesis by first synthesizing current theory on factors that are driving increases in tuition costs. Using Common Data Set data, I explore trends in tuition costs within the past decade and examine the impact of changes in student borrowing behavior on rates of application at top-tier liberal arts colleges and flagship universities. I find that tuition costs are increasing at rates that outpace GDP and CPI measures, but only marginally so. I also find that changes in parent loan borrowing and all other loan borrowing are statistically significant, but not economically significant, in their effect on application rates. I conclude by discussing the implications of my results and potential for future research.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate progress toward the achievement of fiscal neutrality among the school divisions of Virginia between 1970 and 1980. Fiscal neutrality is defined as the absence of an observed relationship between the local wealth and the expenditures for education within a school division. The relationship of the wealth of individual school divisions to per pupil expenditures within those divisions and the intent of the General Assembly of Virginia regarding the establishment of fiscal neutrality were also examined.;A comparison was made between the 1970 and 1980 per pupil expenditures of each school division in Virginia in terms of percent of variance from the state average in each of these years. Per pupil expenditures were compared with per pupil real estate values for each school division in 1980, and a comparison between 1980 per pupil expenditures and the composite index of each division was also made. The development of the current system of financing public education in Virginia was examined with specific attention given to the issue of fiscal neutrality.;It was hypothesized that there had been no progress toward the achievement of fiscal neutrality in practice among the school divisions of Virginia between 1970 and 1980. It was further hypothesized that 1980 per pupil expenditures on a division by division basis were related to both the per pupil value of real estate and the composite index of each division. The final hypothesis of the study was that through the development and adoption of the current funding formula, the General Assembly had intended to establish fiscal neutrality among the school divisions of Virginia.;It was found that there had been no progress toward the achievement of fiscal neutrality in practice among the school divisions of Virginia between 1970 and 1980. It was also determined that divisions with higher per pupil real estate values spent more on a per pupil basis than did those with lower per pupil real estate values. Divisions with higher composite indexes and therefore less state funds spent more on a per pupil basis than did those divisions with lower composite indexes and more state funds. Indications were found that the General Assembly did not fully intend with the adoption of the current funding formula to achieve fiscal neutrality in practice among the school divisions of the Commonwealth.;Further study is needed to identify factors which may require additional spending in some school divisions in order for services equal to those found throughout the state to be offered.

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of the Department of Planning and Budget in Virginia in coordinating and regulating public institutions of higher education. The study focused on the impact of the Department's activities related to the execution phase of the budget cycle. It was hypothesized that the Department had been a relatively unnoticed yet potent force in the coordination of public higher education in Virginia.;The role of the Department was determined by (1) an examination of the legislative requirements placed on the Department by the 1976-1984 sessions of the General Assembly, (2) an examination of the relevant policies and directives issued by and through the Department from 1976 to 1984 and (3) an examination of the impact of the Department's policies, directives, and functions on the state colleges and universities as perceived by institutional personnel and personnel of central state agencies. These perceptions were determined by questionnaires sent to all four-year institutions and central state agency personnel and interviews with representatives of these two groups.;It was found that (1) state coordination and regulation of higher education was viewed as a legitimate function of state government, (2) the Department of Planning and Budget was not viewed as a positive influence on higher education by college and university personnel, (3) different perspectives caused institutional and central agency personnel to view the Department's policies and directives in a different manner; and concluded that the Department had been a relatively unnoticed yet potent force in the coordination of public higher education in Virginia.;Further study is needed to determine the role of other central state agencies in regulating higher education and the impact of recommendations of a Decentralization Steering Committee appointed by Governor Baliles in June, 1986.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Syracuse University, 2009. / "Publication number: AAT 3381573."

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The foremost thought in the minds of educators is better educational facilities for our youth. This thought. is especially true in Kentucky. Then compared with the nation, Kentucky ranks low in the field of education. Kentucky is slowly progressing to higher levels of education. Kentucky has some very poor counties that have to battle many obstacles to improve their educational systems. Many of the counties in Kentucky have very limited sources of revenue. Many of its residents are not educated to the need of more modern educational facilities. It is the aim of this thesis to show the need and a plan of improving the educational system of Green County schools.

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