The Equalization Equivalence of Flat Grants and Foundation Programs: A Further Comment

Abstract

In a paper by Gilmer and Morgan (1973) in this journal, an attempt was made to demonstrate that within a state's school finance system, flat grants, foundation programs, and equalized apportionment formulas create equivalent fiscal equalizations effects. Talley (1974) challenged this conclusion by demonstrating with Gilmer and Morgan's assumption, that the tax base of the i^th school district and the state tax base in the i^th school district being identical, it follows that either the state or local school districts are financing 100% of the subsidy program—which is contrary to the definition of at least one of the education subsidy programs considered by Gilmer and Morgan. Talley did not prove that the formulas considered by Gilmer and Morgan were not equivalent, but in being equivalent Gilmer and Morgan no longer had at least one of the following formulas—flat grant formula, foundation program formula, and equalized apportionment formula.