Research by Author & Topic

Publications by Kim Rueben on Education

School districts in 37 states are "independent" and able to generate their own revenues, usually by setting property tax rates. Some school districts in other states are dependent on cities, towns or counties for funding authority. In addition, school districts have increasingly been dependent on state aid for funding.

In California's continuing efforts to improve the quality of public schools, teacher retention is a potentially important strategy. Using a new longitudinal database on public school teachers, the authors examine teacher retention patterns in the state. They investigate the effects on retention of two policies intended to improve retention (teacher induction programs and teacher compensation), as well as the unintended consequences of class-size reduction programs. They also consider the relationship between teacher retention and the shortage of fully credentialed teachers, with a particular focus on high-poverty districts, where the shortage is most severe. (Public Policy Institute of California, February 2006.)

This paper develops a framework for estimating demand for school infrastructure investment that is financed through local bond referenda. Our framework takes explicit account of the irregular and discrete nature of local capital investment and the objective functions of local school boards. Our empirical model consists of a three-equation system composed of a proposed spending equation, a vote equation, and a selection equation. Estimated income and price elasticities of demand for school infrastructure are similar to those found in studies of current school spending. We also find that school boards act like risk-averse, budget-maximizing agenda setters. (Journal of Urban Economics 54(3): 610-638, November 2003.)

This report investigates the ways local governments in California have used the ballot box to raise taxes, assess fees, and pass bond measures. It notes sharp increases in school bond proposals, especially after 2000, when Proposition 39 lowered the voter approval threshold from two-thirds to 55 percent. It also shows how voter reaction to fiscal measures varies according to region, election timing, type of measure proposed, and service to be funded. Finally, it suggests that dedicated taxes for popular programs are more likely to garner voter support than a general tax, despite the fact that special taxes require a supermajority for approval. It also notes, however, that this approach may leave some traditional government services, such as libraries and parks, with inadequate funding. (Public Policy Institute of California, January 2003.)

In this paper, we examine the level and distribution of school facilities spending in California. We find that spending levels dropped prior to passage of Proposition 13. While spending on school facilities has increased in the past decade, California's per capita spending is still 20 percent lower than the national average. We also find that revenue for school facilities is quite unequally distributed across school districts. This disparity is explained almost equally by differences in enrollment growth and assessed values of property. (National Tax Journal LIV: 527-39, September.)

This report is part of a larger PPIC effort to outline a flexible and reliable cost model for elementary and secondary public education in California. Because teacher salaries make up about 40 percent of a typical district budget, they are a critical input in this model. These salaries vary substantially and along several dimensions, and a useful cost model must consider both the patterns of that variation and its key sources. This essay contributes to that effort by examining differences in teacher salary schedules across the state. After considering the general characteristics of these schedules, it outlines various sources of cost differences for teachers. (In School Finance and California's Master Plan for Education, edited by Jon Sonstelie and Peter Richardson (81-101). Public Policy Institute of California.)

This paper examines the impact of local tax limits on new teacher quality. Using data from the National Center for Education Statistics, we find that tax limits systematically reduce the average quality of education majors, as well as new public school teachers in states that have passed these limits. The average relative test scores of education majors in tax limit states declined by 10 percent as compared to the relative test scores of education majors in states that did not pass limits. This relationship is strengthened if we control for school finance equalization reforms or examine tax limits passed in two different periods. Journal of Public Economics 80: 49-71, April.