WGU D023 SCHOOL FINANCIAL
LEADERSHIP FINAL PAPER 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
ALREADY PASSED
⩥ 2nd Development Stage of School Finance. Answer: 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
⩥ 3rd Development Stage of School Finance. Answer: 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. Answer: 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. Answer: "Power" or
"open-end" (shared costs) equalization practices
-20th century
⩥ Equalization. Answer: 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. Answer: 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. Answer: The shift of
emphasis and influence, and funding for special need
-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. Answer: 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. Answer: 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. Answer: Local school districts were formed to
support the education of the local population, many of whom were the
children of immigrants. In order to accommodate this influx of
educational need with limited personal resources, local property taxes
became mandated to support public schools.
⩥ Early Colonial Schooling. Answer: Funded through tuition or rate
changes, primarily as a funding of the local community or church of that
community.
⩥ Funding for public schools is directly addressed in which document?.
Answer: State Constitution
-The funding and operation of public schools is directly addressed in
each state's constitution. Access to education and the quality are different
depending upon how the state defines its language. For example, a
"right" to education is different than a "goal" to educate all citizens. A
, "right" provides grounds for equity and equality litigation while a "goal"
may provide more flexibility in disparity.
⩥ What is meant by pupil expenditure?. Answer: The pupil expenditure
is the total expense accounted for by that specific student. For example,
this funding amount includes but is not limited to: personnel expenses
(salary, benefits, and other human resource expenses), transportation
costs (gas, busses, oil, personnel), facility expenses (building
construction, maintenance, utilities, insurance), and instructional
resources (books, supplies, technology, materials). The amount of this
pupil expenditure will vary as the cost of living changes for the location,
but in many states the "foundational per pupil expenditure" is a
guaranteed amount per pupil. In instances where the local funding is
insufficient, it is supplemented by the state.
⩥ Financial disparity. Answer:
⩥ Financial adequacy. Answer:
⩥ Financial productivity. Answer:
⩥ Federal Funding. Answer: Federal aid continues to be provided in the
form of categorical aid. Yet, it may be time for a larger federal role in
financing schools. The largest and most visible categorical federal
assistance programs are ESEA and IDEA. Also, Raced to the Top has
garnered federal aid as a key initiative in the Obama administration.
LEADERSHIP FINAL PAPER 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
ALREADY PASSED
⩥ 2nd Development Stage of School Finance. Answer: 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
⩥ 3rd Development Stage of School Finance. Answer: 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. Answer: 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. Answer: "Power" or
"open-end" (shared costs) equalization practices
-20th century
⩥ Equalization. Answer: 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. Answer: 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. Answer: The shift of
emphasis and influence, and funding for special need
-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. Answer: 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. Answer: 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. Answer: Local school districts were formed to
support the education of the local population, many of whom were the
children of immigrants. In order to accommodate this influx of
educational need with limited personal resources, local property taxes
became mandated to support public schools.
⩥ Early Colonial Schooling. Answer: Funded through tuition or rate
changes, primarily as a funding of the local community or church of that
community.
⩥ Funding for public schools is directly addressed in which document?.
Answer: State Constitution
-The funding and operation of public schools is directly addressed in
each state's constitution. Access to education and the quality are different
depending upon how the state defines its language. For example, a
"right" to education is different than a "goal" to educate all citizens. A
, "right" provides grounds for equity and equality litigation while a "goal"
may provide more flexibility in disparity.
⩥ What is meant by pupil expenditure?. Answer: The pupil expenditure
is the total expense accounted for by that specific student. For example,
this funding amount includes but is not limited to: personnel expenses
(salary, benefits, and other human resource expenses), transportation
costs (gas, busses, oil, personnel), facility expenses (building
construction, maintenance, utilities, insurance), and instructional
resources (books, supplies, technology, materials). The amount of this
pupil expenditure will vary as the cost of living changes for the location,
but in many states the "foundational per pupil expenditure" is a
guaranteed amount per pupil. In instances where the local funding is
insufficient, it is supplemented by the state.
⩥ Financial disparity. Answer:
⩥ Financial adequacy. Answer:
⩥ Financial productivity. Answer:
⩥ Federal Funding. Answer: Federal aid continues to be provided in the
form of categorical aid. Yet, it may be time for a larger federal role in
financing schools. The largest and most visible categorical federal
assistance programs are ESEA and IDEA. Also, Raced to the Top has
garnered federal aid as a key initiative in the Obama administration.
