Dr. Mike Ough

The purpose for conducting this study was to determine whether there was a relationship between selected factors and the results of Nebraska public school bond elections. The study's sample was the Nebraska school districts that held bond elections from 1979 through 1989 of which there were ninety-eight. The data for examination were collected from questionnaires and statistical directories. Fourteen factors were investigated: amount of the bond issue per resident student, total levy of the school district, valuation per resident student, unemployment rate in the county of the school district, percentage of change in the consumer price index, total square footage of the existing school building(s) per resident enrollee, month of the election, percentage of register voter turnout, number of times the proposal was presented to the voters, percentage of change in student enrollments, ratio of private to public school student enrollments, total school enrollment, school district reorganization, and existence of a citizen committee in favor of the bond election. The product-moment coefficient was used to test for a statistically significant correlation (p $<$.05) between each variable and the percentage of affirmative votes. A positive relationship was found for two variables, existence of a citizen committee in favor of the bond election and percentage of change in student enrollments. A negative relationship with election success was found for five variables, ratio of private to public school student enrollments, school district reorganization, total levy of the school district, amount of the bond issue, and percentage of registered voter turnout. Stepwise multiple regression was used to identify the best combination of predictors at the.05 level of confidence, and a regression equation was developed from this study. A combination of four factors--no recent school district reorganization, a low ratio of private to public school student enrollment, a small percentage of registered voter turnout, and a low school district property tax levy--suggested a greater opportunity for passage of Nebraska school bond elections.