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WGU D023 Questions and Correct Answers
1st Development Stage of School Finance Ans: The period of
local district financial responsibility, with little or no assistance
from the state
-used to be local or church
-rate bills or tuition
-problem in equity
2nd Development Stage of School Finance Ans: The period of
emerging state responsibility, with the use of flat grants,
subventions, and other nonequalizing state allocations to local
districts
-state to supplement local tax revenues to provide acceptable
programs
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3rd Development Stage of School Finance Ans: The emergence of
the Strayer-Haig concept of a foundation program (minimum
program)
-Each local district would levy the amount of local tax that was
required in the richest district of the state to provide a foundation,
or minimum, program. The rich district would receive no state
funds; the other districts would receive state funds necessary to
provide the foundation program.
4th Development Stage of School Finance Ans: The period of
refinement of the foundation program concept
-use of flat grants
-question to take money from wealthy districts to equalize
5th Development Stage of School Finance Ans: "Power" or "open-
end" (shared costs) equalization practices
-20th century
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Equalization Ans: state and local districts began exercising a
degree of partnership in establishing and paying for a basic
program of education for every school-age child in the state—at
least in theory. In practice, the link between funding and program
quality was questionable.
open-ended, or shared-cost, equalization plan Ans: the
percentage of this program to be paid by each individual district
and by the state. This percentage of state funds would be high for
poor districts and low for wealthier ones. Once that determination
has been made for each district, the same partnership ratio would
be maintained to pay the total cost of the school program in each
district
-Harlan Updegraff
6th Development Stage of School Finance Ans: The shift of
emphasis and influence, and funding for special need
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-economic factors influenced (wars, terrorist attacks, natural
disasters, fluctuating prices in energy, had to rethink budget and
safety of schools
7th Development Stage of School Finance Ans: A focus on
adequacy in education finance
-court cases
-sufficient funding is needed to meet state laws, standards, and
requirements, and must be constitutionally enforceable
-CCSS
Foundational funding Ans: The state provides a minimal level of
funding as a guarantee per student expenditure. The intent of this
system is to counteract the disparity of wealth across various
districts of a state.
Common School Era Ans: Local school districts were formed to
support the education of the local population, many of whom were
© 2025 All rights reserved
WGU D023 Questions and Correct Answers
1st Development Stage of School Finance Ans: The period of
local district financial responsibility, with little or no assistance
from the state
-used to be local or church
-rate bills or tuition
-problem in equity
2nd Development Stage of School Finance Ans: The period of
emerging state responsibility, with the use of flat grants,
subventions, and other nonequalizing state allocations to local
districts
-state to supplement local tax revenues to provide acceptable
programs
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
3rd Development Stage of School Finance Ans: The emergence of
the Strayer-Haig concept of a foundation program (minimum
program)
-Each local district would levy the amount of local tax that was
required in the richest district of the state to provide a foundation,
or minimum, program. The rich district would receive no state
funds; the other districts would receive state funds necessary to
provide the foundation program.
4th Development Stage of School Finance Ans: The period of
refinement of the foundation program concept
-use of flat grants
-question to take money from wealthy districts to equalize
5th Development Stage of School Finance Ans: "Power" or "open-
end" (shared costs) equalization practices
-20th century
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 3 | Page
Equalization Ans: state and local districts began exercising a
degree of partnership in establishing and paying for a basic
program of education for every school-age child in the state—at
least in theory. In practice, the link between funding and program
quality was questionable.
open-ended, or shared-cost, equalization plan Ans: the
percentage of this program to be paid by each individual district
and by the state. This percentage of state funds would be high for
poor districts and low for wealthier ones. Once that determination
has been made for each district, the same partnership ratio would
be maintained to pay the total cost of the school program in each
district
-Harlan Updegraff
6th Development Stage of School Finance Ans: The shift of
emphasis and influence, and funding for special need
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 4 | Page
-economic factors influenced (wars, terrorist attacks, natural
disasters, fluctuating prices in energy, had to rethink budget and
safety of schools
7th Development Stage of School Finance Ans: A focus on
adequacy in education finance
-court cases
-sufficient funding is needed to meet state laws, standards, and
requirements, and must be constitutionally enforceable
-CCSS
Foundational funding Ans: The state provides a minimal level of
funding as a guarantee per student expenditure. The intent of this
system is to counteract the disparity of wealth across various
districts of a state.
Common School Era Ans: Local school districts were formed to
support the education of the local population, many of whom were
© 2025 All rights reserved
