A census of governments is taken at 5-year intervals as required by law under Title 13, United States Code, Section 161. This 1992 census, similar to those taken since 1957, covers  four  major  subject  fields—government  organiza- tion,  taxable  property  values,  public  employment,  and government finances. Volume 4, Government Finances , contains six parts that cover a wide range of State and local government financial activity  in  fiscal  year  1991-92.  They  are:  No.  1, Public Education Finances; No.2, Finances of Special Districts; No. 3, Finances of County Governments; No.4, Finances of Municipal and Township Governments; No.5, Compen- dium  of  Government  Finances ;andNo.6, Employee- Retirement Systems of State and Local Governments.

This report, No. 1, contains financial statistics relating to public higher, elementary-secondary, and other education. It  presents  national  and  State  financial  aggregates  and displays  data  for  each  public  school  system  with  an enrollment of 5,000 or more.