School Finance and Student Achievement Copyright (c) 2013 Johnson & Wales University All rights reserved. http://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/finance_achievement Recent documents in School Finance and Student Achievement en-us Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:30:31 PDT 3600 An Investigation of a Methodology to Assess District Performance http://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/finance_achievement/3 http://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/finance_achievement/3 Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:43:02 PDT This study investigates a resource-based methodology to assess district performance as an indicator of student achievement on standardized assessments. The problem that this investigation addresses is that performance measurement and the associated decision-making is indeterminate. There is a lack of empirical research that relates decision-making about resource utilization to performance.

The study utilizes structuralism to assess the relationship between the independent variable of resource utilization and the dependent variable performance. Complex Adaptive System theory is used as a framework for Concept Mapping methodology. The study is grounded in theories from Complex Adaptive Systems and Microeconomics that state that performance is a function of capacity. An adaptation of the generic value chain (Porter, 1985) is designed as a representation of the education delivery systems for N=7 districts. Previous sequences in this research project have established performance levels and variations from the independent variable of socioeconomic status (Simpson, Kite, & Gable, 2007).

The concept maps illustrate the nature, magnitude, strength and underlying relationships for thematic patterns of resource utilization for the N=7 districts. The concept maps provide an explanation for some of the variation in performance that does not relate to socioeconomic status. The explanation of variability in performance represented by the concept maps is intended for diagnostic applications, not to establish best-practices that can be transferred from high performing to low performing districts. The primary application of the methodology is for strategic or intervention planning.

]]> Peter Simpson et al. Connecting Resources to Student Achievement: Assessment of the Indeterminacy of District Performance http://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/finance_achievement/2 http://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/finance_achievement/2 Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:39:55 PDT The purpose of this study is to conduct cluster analyses, resulting in groupings of N=113 districts based on socioeconomic status (SES), which is the independent variable and primary correlate of performance. It is a quantitative analysis of N=113 districts in Massachusetts for the period from 2000 to 2005. The study conducts cluster analyses to evaluate district performance as measured by student achievement. The problem is stated by National Research Council (1999) that: “Indeterminacy characterizes education production”. Indeterminacy is represented by variation in the N=113 districts’ performance. The groupings of performance obtained from the cluster analyses provide information about the types and magnitude of indeterminacy. The methodology is based on inductive pattern recognition (Trochim (1985). Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) is used to group districts along a performance continuum and assess variability between SES and district performance. The hypothesis of the study is that variation in performance relates to change in capacity which derives from positive or negative transformation of resources as they are processed by organizations (Porter, 1985)

]]> Peter Simpson et al. Patterns of District Performance in Student Achievement: Connecting Resources to Student Achievement http://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/finance_achievement/1 http://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/finance_achievement/1 Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:36:48 PDT This presentation is the first sequence of a three-phase study using a mixed method sequential explanatory strategy (Creswell, 2003). The study is research in-progress that investigates how resources can increase or diminish the value resources as they move through the education delivery system contributing in variations in its overall performance (Porter, 1985). The study is unique, because it combines, and is based on microeconomic and complex adaptive theories to examine resource utilization within school districts. This first sequence has two analytical goals and steps: (1) to verify the significant correlation, but with patterns of variability for district performance measured by student achievement as the dependent variable and Socioeconomic Status (SES) indicators as the independent variable Gaudet, 2000; Walberg, 2006); and (2) to identify distinct patterns of district performance over multiple years that include sustained over-performance, stagnation, decline and possible turnarounds. This is a simple regression analysis that utilizes SES as a predictor variable for district performance. The patterns of district performance are measured by comparing a statistically-predicted performance value with actual performance. The variability of performance over multiple years will inform the second sequence that examines the nature and strength of patterns of resource decision-making and utilization compared outcomes among school districts along the spectrum of socioeconomics, demographics and scale. Gaudet’s (2000) explanation for the variance between actual and SES-predicted student achievement for outperforming districts supports the central tenet, which is that, “some school districts add value to the learning readiness of their students” (p.3).

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