In the past 10 years, state financial support for public universities has declined, when measured as a proportion of current-fund revenues. Whether in response to this decline or to satisfy other ends such as personal utility and prestige enhancement, universities and their faculty have sought alternative sources of revenue, mostly through increased research grants and contracts and student tuition and fees. The effects of these revenue changes are observed in the primary operating units of universities, academic departments, which serve as the primary focus of this study. These changes have promoted concern in recent years that public research universities devote too much of their scarce resources to research at the expense of teaching. Specifically, concerns over teaching productivity and quality abound, especially at the undergraduate level. These concerns have been explained theoretically in terms of faculty preferences to perform research and research-related tasks, over undergraduate instruction--The Economic Theory of the Firm; and in terms of the increasing influence of providers of external revenues upon the behavior of the institutions--Resource Dependency Theory. These two frameworks are used to examine whether changes in departmental revenue support patterns affect undergraduate education at major public research universities. To test the theories, departmental instructional and research productivity data from the 1994 and 1996 American Association of Universities Data Exchange (AAUDE) are examined. This sample data contains information on 8 public Research I universities, 200 departments, and 1000 data points for 1994, and 6 public Research I universities, 134 departments, and 680 data points for 1996. Seemingly Unrelated Regressions and Piecewise Linear Regressions, following a semi-log specification, are used to estimate the rate of return to instructional productivity, research productivity, and departmental quality, within the income production function of the departments. The primary finding was that although some shifts in resource allocation were observed to move in a direction that potentially favored research-related endeavors, i.e., graduate instruction and departmental quality, instruction, overall, was most greatly rewarded in the allocation process, and undergraduate instruction more so than graduate instruction.

In the past 15 years, state financial support for public universities has declined, when measured as a proportion of current-fund revenues while expenditures, in the same time period have risen dramatically. In this mixed methods study, several theories were used to explain patterns of university resource allocation: The economic theory of the firm , resource dependency theory, rational/political and critical/political. The research combines d'Sylva's (1998) and Volk's (1995) work and considers, by measuring directly the role of administrators who have budget authority, the impact of the socially constructed production function. The study uses d'Sylva's work extensively in order to create the baseline econometric analysis by including the relevant variables. In addition, the study adds to the existing body of knowledge by providing a broader understanding of production functions that encompasses the role of the socially constructed production function by key administrators who have budget authority. To test and explore the theories, departmental instructional and research productivity data from the AY 1999 American Association of Universities Data Exchange are examined. The quantitative data sample consisted of 10 major public Research I universities and 152 departments. OLS and GLM regressions, following a semi-log specification were employed to estimate the rate of return to instructional productivity, research productivity, and departmental quality. The qualitative sample consisted of six administrators with budget authority from one Research I university. A thematic analysis technique was employed in order to identify salient themes related to internal resource allocation. Significant findings are that undergraduate instruction and departmental quality yield high returns to departmental earnings. Cross-subsidization exists and some departments within fields enjoy "halo effects" above and beyond their productivity and merit. In describing the socially constructed nature of such difference, one dean is cognizant that his college is very productive and efficient delivering "cheap" instruction, yet it is penalized in the allocation formula. Similarly, another dean is very aware that his college has large numbers of women and minorities that help in the "coloring" of the university, and that disadvantages his college in the allocation formula.

The expenditures of public higher education institutions have increased steadily over the last decade, a trend echoing the well-documented general tendency for increases in public-sector expenditures. Within public higher education, however, trends have proven more variable. Among the functional areas of instruction, academic support, student services, institutional support, and operations and maintenance, the growth in expenditures has been found to vary in both nationwide examination of higher education expenditures and in case studies of individual institutions. Variation in expenditure growth also has been observed for these functional areas when examined by type of institution. One consistency has surfaced--administrative expenditures have increased at a significantly higher rate than expenditures in other areas. A variety of influences may promote that trend. Theoretically, general expenditure growth in higher education has resulted from (1) the tendency toward revenue and prestige maximization, (2) lack of an efficiency motive, and (3) labor-cost intensiveness. Expenditure increases in specific functional areas also would be expected to reflect consistent, incremental growth. However, growth in administrative expenditures, recently coined "administrative bloat", is out-pacing growth in other functions. At first glance, revenue and prestige maximization would seem to provide little or no explanation for this trend, if not suggesting the opposite; institutions struggling to develop activities that clearly influence prestige (instruction, research, and service) would presumably tend to increase allocations for those activities and decrease allocations for discretionary administrative activities. Obviously, other perspectives are called for; these more focused perspectives may individually or collaboratively suggest explanations. The purposes of this study were to identify administrative expenditure trends and to determine the reasons for these trends through a case study. These issues were of interest to many parties, including legislative representatives, higher education system coordinators, institutional administrators, faculty, staff, and students.

No description available.

<p> Federal stimulus funding expired in 2011-12. NCLB performance mandates approached the 2013-14 deadline. The ESEA waiver became an option with first year of implementation, 2012-13. This convergence of forces and timeline provided the opportunity for this study. </p><p> The study sought to explore whether or not superintendents from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont had already taken and/or would take greater responsibility for curriculum, instruction, and assessment or whether these responsibilities would be delegated to other district personnel and/or outside agencies to ensure that structures were in place and were effective in supporting student achievement. </p><p> This mixed method descriptive study was used to gather data. One hundred superintendents completed the survey. Survey data was collected through SurveyMonkey and analyzed using SPSS v. 20. The study showed that superintendents have taken a greater role and more responsibilities for curriculum, instruction, and assessment due to fiscal limitations. In addition, two-thirds of responding superintendents had yet to establish nonnegotiable goals for student achievement. The study encountered two categories of superintendents: those with and those without district level positions for curriculum, instruction, and assessment. </p><p> Data from the respondents showed that there were differences among the states. The following are a few of the findings from the study. Respondents from Connecticut had the greatest percentage reporting that principals had shared responsibility for curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Respondents from Massachusetts had the greatest percentage reporting that superintendents had increased involvement with curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the previous two years. Respondents from New York had the greatest percentage reporting an anticipated budget shortfall for 2012-13. Respondents from Vermont had the greatest percentage reporting a district level position for curriculum, instruction, and assessment.</p><p> Key words: changing superintendent responsibilities, fiscal limitations, budget, curriculum, instruction, assessment</p>

<p> The purpose for this dissertation is to explore how students who have borrowed to attend a large, urban community college develop their value proposition for postsecondary education. Nearly half of all students in the United States begin their postsecondary education at community colleges. In the aftermath of the Great Recession when unemployment rates were unusually high, enrollment at community colleges increased dramatically, especially amongst minority students. This study focuses on three central questions: how do community college students describe their demand for higher education? Secondly, how do these students describe the economic and social benefits of college? And thirdly, to what extent do students understand the costs of college and their sources of financial aid? The study modifies Perna's Multi-Level Conceptual Model of Student Enrollment based upon the findings derived from qualitative interviews with twenty, currently community college students during the 2012 fall semester to determine how community college students define their value proposition. This value proposition was found to be comprised of the student's demand for higher education through academic preparation, availability of financial resources and the student's aspirations. Additionally, the value proposition was comprised of the expected benefits as expressed in monetary and non-monetary expectations as well as cost considerations. These combined enrollment factors were used to determine what criteria formed the basis for the student's borrowing decision and the use of the loan proceeds. The student interviews were analyzed through the lens of the multi-level conceptual framework and an interview with the institution's lending officer was used to interpret the student responses. The choice to attend community college was found to be more circumstantial than deliberate. The increasingly nontraditional students who do enroll in these institutions often have to balance employment and family obligations in pursuit of their aspirations. While these students pursued college with the expectation of higher earnings upon completion, many had an altruistic purpose in serving others. Finally, there exists a significant knowledge gap with regard to financial literacy exists among students which is exacerbated by the complexity of the financial aid process and the limited institutional resources available to support the nontraditional students attending community colleges.</p>

<p> The complexities surrounding public school funding are not unique to Ohio. There have been numerous legal challenges in the State Supreme Courts and seminal cases from the U.S. Supreme Court which have assigned the practices and formulas by which schools are funded to the individual states. Although previous research has investigated voter approval related to school referenda from the 614 public school districts in Ohio, a significant question remains as to which factors are affecting the school districts and their attempts to pass school operating levies. This study focuses on seven typologies developed by the Ohio Department of Education for comparing districts based on nine demographic variables and the factors which predict the outcomes of first attempt school operating levies within each of those typologies.</p><p> The following research question was developed to provide researchers and practitioners information on factors affecting school levy referenda in Ohio public school typologies: What factors (proposed levy size in mills, length of the levy, election month, type of levy, effective millage rate, and value per pupil) are significant predictors for the passage for first attempt operating levies proposed between the years 2002 and 2010 in each of the seven Ohio Department of Education Typologies? According to the Ohio Secretary of State's certified election results, 2,199 school operating levies were on the ballot during this time frame with 327 being first attempts. These 327 first attempt school operating levies comprised the data set for this study.</p><p> Using binary logistic regression, the results of this study indicate four of the six variables tested were significant predictors of first attempt school operating levy passage. The proposed levy size in mills (Typologies 3 and 6), election month (Typology 2), type of levy (Typologies, 1, 2, 3, and 6), and effective millage rate (Typology 2 and 6) were found to be factors significant at the p &lt; .05 level. From this, practitioners and researchers can begin to investigate how these factors are being addressed in current and future operating levies. The results of this study have presented practitioners in all 614 school districts in Ohio with evidence of the factors which affect first attempt operating levies within the different typologies. Without a radical change to Ohio's school funding formula, the practice of relying on voters in each school district to pass tax levies will remain; therefore, a "one size fits all" approach to passing proposed referenda is not recommended. </p>

<p>Catholic schools are in need of innovative change. The problem lies in how to construct the elements of change to create viability for a school in the face of rapid declining enrollment. Responding to this type of environment as an educational leader requires qualities and characteristics similar to those of first responders in a medical emergency, a term I coined as the triage principal. This autoethnographic research study was designed to answer three research questions: 1. As a new principal at Michael, the Archangel School (MAS), a Catholic school in danger of closing, what challenges did I experience? 2. As a new leader, how did I respond to the challenges to bring about change at MAS? 3. What did I learn from this first year leadership experience? This autoethnographic study is constructed from my voice as a first year, first time principal, using several data sources: my blog, my archival field notes, and three interviews from archdiocesan leaders. Each of the given data sources had contained a data collection procedure resulting in overarching thematic patterns that led to generalizations based on the past experiences at MAS and my review of the literature. The weaving of the past and present of my life's leadership journey in combination with the culture and the people that surround me for this study, has made me realize that I do have a story worth sharing, a story that can potentially help others who might find themselves seemingly lost and alone.

<p> This dissertation was aimed at providing information on developing and sustaining public-private partnerships (PPPs) in early childhood education as a way to increase efficiency and effectiveness on how resources are allocated. This study also emphasizes how teachers are perceived and supported within the PPP context. Studies have shown that investing in early childhood education yields the greatest gains to one's life and society at large. Yet, the early childhood field continues to battle waves of budget cuts while striving to convince policymakers and the public that early education is critical and necessary. </p><p> Although PPP presents itself as a new way of doing business by combining resources from the public and private sectors and redistributed based on the shared goal and vision of the PPP, there is limited research on PPPs and even more scarce specifically related to early childhood. The goal of this study is to provide exposure to the early childhood field on how PPPs can be formed and sustained using the Educare model as one example of a PPP in early childhood. </p><p> This was a qualitative designed to capture rich conversations and experiences of research participants that are relevant and appropriate to the early childhood field. Grounded theory was used in this study to learn from research participants' perceptions of PPPs based on their experience and expertise in PPP and early childhood education. </p><p> This study used theoretical sampling to target research participants at a specific Educare development site to capture real time and real life experiences in developing a PPP in early childhood education. The Educare model was developed by the Ounce of Prevention Fund in 2000 aimed at "narrow[ing] the achievement gap for students in high-risk communities" (Ounce of Prevention, Educare schools, 2011). The Educare model has set requirements for teachers and all related job categories that will work in an Educare school including professional development requirements. The Educare school also has a salary structure that is competitive to the local public elementary schools. </p><p> Five themes were identified in the findings and discussed in relation to the significance of this study. The findings from this study have implications for early childhood administrators, educators, funders, advocates, and the field at large on maximizing the usage of existing resources. The findings from this study, including questions raised, are significant in development of partnerships in early childhood education.</p>

<p> "Efforts to improve our school system must start with equity" (Department of Education's Equity and Excellence Commission, 2012). This study is a statistical analysis of the 2003-2012 Minnesota K-12 pubic school general education (foundation) formula in regard to fiscal equality and wealth neutrality. The analysis utilizes a longitudinal approach to compare the findings of previous equity studies to current relatable data as it pertains to the State of Minnesota. A number of modifications have been imposed on the original Minnesota funding formula over the past decade. This study tests the equity level of a selected number of revenue sources and reviews previous studies to determine how equity has or has not been improved as a result of the modifications. </p><p> Fiscal neutrality is described as the wealth of the school district and should be a function of the wealth of the state as a whole, not of the wealth of the local school district. This study analyzed the fiscal neutrality of 333 public school districts in Minnesota in terms of variance, permissible variance, coefficient of variation, and Gini Coefficient. The analysis was based upon three research questions: 1. Based on an analysis of the 2003 to 2012 general education formula, what were the fiscal equality and wealth neutrality characteristics of Minnesota's school districts? 2. Based on an examination of like data elements from the four major Minnesota fiscal equality and wealth neutrality studies, what trends can be observed? 3. Based on the recommendations of previous studies, what legislative impact did they have? </p><p> The findings of the research show that overall the disbursements of revenue through the Minnesota funding formula do meet the standards of wealth neutrality. However, there are categories of the formula that remain inequitable and the reliance of local taxpayers on the referendum revenue source has increased over the years studied.</p>