They are the state's population shift, the massive consolidations of farms and business, and increasing consumer demands for services and products. Schools, just like other service industries, are becoming larger. This is not to judge the conditions one way or the other. It is obvious that schools, like other services, react to natural conditions. The major difference between local government change and private enterprise modification, is that private enterprise often transforms more gradually and continuously.
Schools tend to experience periods of stability, followed by spurts of activity.
This third historic era of school consolidation should be more than half done. The tables described in this section were derived from U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census information compiled by Willis Goudy. Additional information can be obtained from Willis Goudy, at Iowa State University. Influence of Finance Changes Will Vary The changes wrought by the replacement of the original school finance chapter of the Code of Iowa, Chapter 442, with the new one, Chapter 257, affect different schools in varying ways. The overall change of the new finance formula is the narrowing of the per pupil funding range.