<p> The Great Recession, starting around 2008, caused financial turmoil in America. Families and communities faced financial change and hardship. Funding for schools was negatively impacted by the downward turn in property values because the taxation of which was a major source of income for schools. This study investigated the relationship that changing school finances had with student achievement. Quantitative financial data and student achievement data were collected over four school years in Missouri and measured for strength of relationship. Findings from the analysis found no relationship between changing school finances and student achievement. Reduced funding negatively impacted schools, however, that did not translate directly to reduced student achievement.</p>

<p>This dissertation examines three unique, but related, research questions as three separate studies. In the first study, I examine the impact of accountability implementation on vertical equity of inputs. I compare changes in vertical equity at the time of NCLB implementation in states that had not previously implemented accountability policies?the treatment group?to states that had previously implemented NCLB-like policies?the control group. I find that the implementation of accountability policies did not improve vertical equity by distributing more resources to high poverty districts and potentially had a negative impact on vertical equity as low poverty districts potentially increased revenue and spending more than high poverty districts as a result of accountability implementation. In the second study, I examine the impact of an accountability policy change that identifies the bottom 5% of schools for corrective action. These schools, known as priority schools, must show increased performance within three years or face the threat of closure. I show that priority schools near the cutoff for determining priority status did not improve relative to those not receiving such designation, and in fact they performed increasingly worse in the three years subsequent to priority designation. In the third and final study, I investigate the impact of court-ordered education finance reform in New York State on equity of educational inputs. I find that equity of inputs in New York did not improve relative to states that did not undergo reform of their system of education funding. This indicates little to no impact of court-ordered education finance reform in New York. I also show that had the finance reform been implemented as intended, there would have been substantial improvements to both vertical and horizontal equity. Therefore, the lack of results seen in New York stems from a lack of follow through rather than a poorly designed plan for fixing equity of inputs.

<p>The topic of educational spending and its connection to student achievement was long-debated before charter schools entered the conversation. With the rise in government spending on education, particularly charter school funding, the financial debate has strengthened and evoked much controversy. Though the Tennessee Department of Education (TNDOE) had some of the most demanding charter school laws in the country in 2011, it wasn&rsquo;t immune to the firestorm of debate as the number of open charters grew to forty-nine during the 2012&ndash;13 school year. Along with the charter school movement in Tennessee came the issuing of charter school grants. To assist in the opening of charter schools in the state, the TNDOE began distributing $600,000&ndash;700,000 allotments of a $22 billion United States Department of Education Charter Schools Program (CSP) grant. Charters could apply for a CSP grant to offset start-up costs associated with opening a charter to supplement the basic education funding (BEP) given to each school based on student enrollment. </p><p> This research evaluates the CSP grant spending in six Tennessee charter schools serving grades 5&ndash;8 during each year of the three-year life of the grant while evaluating spending patterns into the categories of instruction, supplies, facilities, and technology. While evaluating only CSP grant spending in the school&rsquo;s total budget, findings from this research suggest that year one targeted spending in the area of instruction from CSP grants in Tennessee has a positive correlation with student achievement and school sustainability. </p>

<p>The topic of educational spending and its connection to student achievement was long-debated before charter schools entered the conversation. With the rise in government spending on education, particularly charter school funding, the financial debate has strengthened and evoked much controversy. Though the Tennessee Department of Education (TNDOE) had some of the most demanding charter school laws in the country in 2011, it wasn&rsquo;t immune to the firestorm of debate as the number of open charters grew to forty-nine during the 2012&ndash;13 school year. Along with the charter school movement in Tennessee came the issuing of charter school grants. To assist in the opening of charter schools in the state, the TNDOE began distributing $600,000&ndash;700,000 allotments of a $22 billion United States Department of Education Charter Schools Program (CSP) grant. Charters could apply for a CSP grant to offset start-up costs associated with opening a charter to supplement the basic education funding (BEP) given to each school based on student enrollment. </p><p> This research evaluates the CSP grant spending in six Tennessee charter schools serving grades 5&ndash;8 during each year of the three-year life of the grant while evaluating spending patterns into the categories of instruction, supplies, facilities, and technology. While evaluating only CSP grant spending in the school&rsquo;s total budget, findings from this research suggest that year one targeted spending in the area of instruction from CSP grants in Tennessee has a positive correlation with student achievement and school sustainability. </p>

<p> This study explored the challenges minority students face in obtaining and understanding information when trying to apply for financial aid. One-to-one interviews, a focus group, and a review of documents were sources of data for the study. Themes emerging from the investigation were accessibility to financial aid information, dissemination of financial aid information, navigating the financial aid process, addressing institutional barriers to financial aid, and increase collaboration between high school and colleges/universities. Findings from the study included a need for earlier information to assist in navigating the financial aid process and a need for increased parental access to information. Recommendations for research include expanding the study to include quantitative research on the challenges facing minority students who apply for financial aid. Further research may be conducted on the community and non-profit organizations whose mission it is to help families navigate financial aid and college preparation.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study is to determine if Title V HSI grants and expenditures in instruction, academic support, and student services at 4-year Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) account for observed differences in the graduation rates of Latinas/os and the percent of bachelor&rsquo;s degree completions of Latina/o students, and whether HSIs are equitable in the proportion of bachelor&rsquo;s degrees awarded to Latinas/os. HSIs are colleges and universities that enroll 25% or more full time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate Latina/o students. In general, the purpose of the federal Title V HSI grant is to fund programs to enhance the educational attainment of Latina/os. This study uses Tinto&rsquo;s (2012) framework for institutional action advancing that colleges and universities that establish support programs designed to promote students&rsquo; success eventually see those programs translate into improved institutional graduation outcomes. A nationally representative sample of 75 four-year accredited, bachelor&rsquo;s degree granting institutions of higher education with at least 25% undergraduate Latina/o students by 2012 fall was selected from the Integrated Postsecondary Data System (IPEDS) for this study. Consistent with prior research, statistical analyses revealed that expenditures in academic support and student services are significantly associated with graduation rates of Latina/os, however, the expenditures in instruction was not a significant predictor of graduation rates of Latina/os. The role of Title V HSI grants was significant when the variable that accounted for the percentage of undergraduate Latinas/os was removed from the analysis. Title V grantees experienced a greater number of bachelor&rsquo;s degrees completions conferred on Latinas/os when compared to other HSIs in the sample. On average, HSIs were equitable in conferring bachelor&rsquo;s degrees on Latina/os. Future research should investigate expenditures in instructional activities that are directly associated with student learning at HSIs, and the type of Title V grant-funded activities that are greater predictors of Latina/o student success.</p><p>

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Education, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on May 12, 2009). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-08, Section: A, page: 3030. Adviser: Daniel Mueller.

<p> The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) dispensation requires a Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) in which the public participates in a Public Planning Process (PPP) with the district. The problem this qualitative phenomenographic study addressed is how the LCAP&rsquo;s omission of a definition for the inclusive and transparent PPP may unintentionally lead to disproportionate inclusion of individual participants or stakeholder groups. Therefore, the researcher examined 10 California school district superintendents&rsquo; or their designees&rsquo; conceptions about what constitutes an inclusive, fair, and open PPP. For the purposes of this study, the International Association for Public Participation&rsquo;s (IAP2) Quality Assurance Standards, specifically the 7 core values, served as the conceptual framework. </p><p> The objective of the research was twofold, first to identify how local educational agency (LEA) leaders conceive the use of the IAP2&rsquo;s core values to define successful public stakeholder engagement for the LCAP in terms of inclusivity, fairness, and openness. The second goal was to determine what measures, guidelines, and techniques these leaders believe can contribute to the inclusiveness, fairness, and openness of the LCAP public stakeholder engagement process. </p><p> This study resulted in 3 conclusions study. First, the interviewees accepted the IAP2 core values as a foundation for best practices in the LCAP&rsquo;s stakeholder engagement process. Second, data from the study clearly suggest that each interviewee has his/her own conception of what measures, guidelines, and techniques contribute to the inclusiveness, fairness, and openness of the LCAP stakeholder engagement process. Third, authentic participation, communication, equity, facilitation, local control, and trust are suggested as imperative to an inclusive, fair, and open stakeholder engagement PPP. </p><p> The researcher made three recommendations. First, the California Department of Education (CDE) should adopt a set of stakeholder engagement PPP core values for districts to use as a foundation. Second, the CDE should seek out a district or districts to pilot a set of core values to guide the stakeholder engagement component of the LCAP. Third, until the CDE is able to establish a rubric or set of core values to guide the stakeholder engagement PPP, districts should identify their own set of core values based on current research such as IAP2.</p><p>

<p> This quantitative study sought to investigate the differences in the electoral outcomes of school bond elections in Missouri from 2009-2016 based on election timing. The researcher utilized election timing theory as a framework for the study. Data from Missouri school bond elections was compiled from online databases, the Missouri State Auditor&rsquo;s office, and archived newspaper reports. Results suggest that differences exist in electoral outcomes for school bond issues based on election timing. The study concludes with recommendations for Missouri school administrators, designed to aid in the successful passage of school bond issues.</p><p>

<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>