Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small

Well-financed and appropriately organized school districts are essential if rural education is tc be improved. Since all 3 levels of government (local, state, and Federal) participate in providing revenues for rural education, coordination among them is necessary. In many states, the local property tax still provides a major portion of educational funding. In such states, property tax administration is of prime importance, since a poorly administered system limits the availability of revenues. In wuch of rural Afterica, therefore, property tax reform is a matter of some urgency. If rural students arp to be provided with an education appropriate for life in modern society, the quality of their schooling should not be based on local tax-paying ability. Considering the states ' responsibility for the support of education, movement toward full state funding is recommended. Statewide planning is also needed to ensure that revenues provided by the state are used effectively. State leadershi