Examination of Resource Allocation in Education ...

[Pages:116]Examination of Resource

Allocation in Education: Connecting Spending to Student Performance

RESEARCH REPORT

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory 211 E. 7th St. Austin, TX 78701-3281 512-476-6861

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory 211 E. 7th St., Austin, TX 78701-3281 512-476-6861

EXAMINATION OF RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN EDUCATION: CONNECTING SPENDING TO STUDENT PERFORMANCE

Research Report April 2003

Diane Pan Zena H. Rudo, Ph.D. Cynthia L. Schneider, Ph.D. Lotte Smith-Hansen

Southwest Educational Development Laboratory 211 East Seventh Street Austin, Texas 78701

?Southwest Educational Development Laboratory 2002. This publication was produced in whole or in part with funds from the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, under contract

number ED-01-CO-0009. The content herein does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Education, any other agency of the U.S. Government, or any other source.

Examination of Resource Allocation in Education: Connecting Spending to Student Performance ? SEDL Research Report

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................ iii Executive Summary.......................................................................................................v List of Tables.............................................................................................................. xiii List of Figures ..............................................................................................................xv I. Introduction............................................................................................................1

Problem Statement ....................................................................................................2 Purpose of the Study .................................................................................................4 Definition of Terms...................................................................................................5 Research Questions...................................................................................................6 Significance and Limitations of the Study .................................................................6 II. Literature Review ...................................................................................................9 Theoretical Perspective .............................................................................................9 Resource Allocation................................................................................................10 Financial Resources and Student Performance ........................................................12 Effective Practices ..................................................................................................15 Studying the Relationship Between Resource Allocation and Student

Performance..........................................................................................................16 III. Methodology ..........................................................................................................19

Resource Allocation in High- and Low-Performing Districts: Investigating Research Question 1.............................................................................................21

Resource Allocation in 12 Improvement Districts: Investigating Research Questions 2-4 .......................................................................................................26

IV. Findings.................................................................................................................37 Research Question 1: What are the Resource Allocation Patterns Over Time in School Districts at Varying Levels of Student Performance? ............................37 Research Question 2: How do Improvement Districts Allocate Their Resources?....41

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Examination of Resource Allocation in Education: Connecting Spending to Student Performance ? SEDL Research Report

Research Question 3: What Allocation Practices Have Improvement School Districts Implemented That They Identify as Effective? .......................................50

Research Question 4: What Barriers and Challenges Have Improvement School Districts Faced in Allocation Practices?................................................................72

V. Conclusions............................................................................................................79 Summary of Findings..............................................................................................79 Implications and Recommendations for State and Local Policymakers....................81 Areas for Further Research......................................................................................89 In Closing ...............................................................................................................91

References ....................................................................................................................93 Appendix A: Definitions and Use of Fiscal Variables ................................................97 Appendix B: Data Collection Protocols and Procedures..........................................103 Appendix C: Research Question 1: Regression and ANOVA Analyses ..................153 Appendix D: Fiscal and Staffing Individual Five-Year Data for 12 Improvement

Districts ...................................................................................................................227

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Examination of Resource Allocation in Education: Connecting Spending to Student Performance ? SEDL Research Report

Acknowledgments The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory gratefully acknowledges the partnership with the Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin and the assistance provided throughout the process of this research project. SEDL also acknowledges the cooperation of the state departments of education in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas. Several people at each state department were helpful in the selection of the improvement districts and the data collection for this research. SEDL also appreciates the cooperation from the 12 school districts that participated in the study. The district administrators, principals, and teachers in these districts gave their time and provided valuable information on surveys and during interviews. Finally, SEDL would like to acknowledge the helpful comments and suggestions from school finance expert reviewers: John Augenblick, Bruce Baker, and Lawrence O. Picus, and SEDL reviewers: Michael Bohlig, Joan Buttram, D'Ette Cowan, and Jessica SnellJohns.

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Examination of Resource Allocation in Education: Connecting Spending to Student Performance ? SEDL Research Report

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