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An increase in the number of schools adopting year-round programs prompted this analysis of all year-round education programs in California. Chapter 1, "Introduction to the Study," outlines study organization and calendar scheduling plans. "Design of the Study," chapter 2, describes data obtained from interviews, surveys, databases, site visits, and California Assessment Program files. Chapter 3, "Academic Achievement in Year-round Schools," interprets achievement data. Compared to traditional schools, year-round schools most frequently serve lower socioeconomic communities and have twice as many limited and non-English-speaking students and a larger percentage of minority students. Many schools are not achieving at predicted levels, though single-track schools have the strongest performance. Chapter 4, "Cost Analysis," reveals that increased per-pupil costs compare with those of traditional programs. "Characteristics of the Year-round Education Program," chapter 5, discusses operations and survey results. Teachers experienced better quality instruction and preferred teaching year-round. Students had mixed feelings about school scheduling. Parents' overall satisfaction was positive. The final chapter, "Conclusions and Recommendations," indicates that year-round education is an acceptable alternative. Overcrowding is relieved, new school construction is avoided, and flexible curriculum planning and extended teacher employment are offered. Recommendations are provided to districts and state agencies. Twenty-one tables and 13 figures exhibit data findings; 5 appendices provide survey instruments. (CJH)
As a starting point for their analysis of equity, the authors begin their work here with an examination of the relationship between student performance, as measured by the California Academic Performance Index (API), and student needs, as measured by the percentage of students from low-income families (i.e., the percent of students eligible for the free and reduced lunch program). Then, using fiscal data provided by the finance office of the school district, and personnel data obtained from the California Basic Education Data System maintained by the California Department of Education (CDE), they present analyses to provide a foundation for local policymakers to assess whether there are inequities in the way fiscal and personnel resources are distributed across schools. They find that: (1) Schools with the highest percentage of students from low-income families exhibit the lowest performance on the California Academic Performance Index (API); (2) The highest need schools (those serving the highest percent of students from low-income families) generally spend somewhat more than the lowest need schools and most of this difference is driven by categorical or restricted funding; (3) In some cases, spending in elementary schools out of unrestricted funding tended to be slightly higher in the highest need schools; (4) Schools with the highest percentages of low-income students have on average more FTE teachers per 100 students; and (5) In terms of the qualifications of teachers, schools with the highest percentages of low-income students have on average less experienced, and hence lower paid, teachers and greater proportions of students exposed to out-of-field teaching. (Contains 16 exhibits and 4 footnotes.).
The United States annually spends over $300 billion on public elementary and secondary education. As the nation enters the 21st century, it faces a major challenge: how best to tie this financial investment to the goal of high levels of achievement for all students. In addition, policymakers want assurance that education dollars are being raised and used in the most efficient and effective possible ways. The book covers such topics as: Legal and legislative efforts to reduce spending and achievement gaps. The shift from "equity" to "adequacy" as a new standard for determining fairness in education spending. The debate and the evidence over the productivity of American schools. Strategies for using school finance in support of broader reforms aimed at raising student achievement. This book contains a comprehensive review of the theory and practice of financing public schools by federal, state, and local governments in the United States. It distills the best available knowledge about the fairness and productivity of expenditures on education and assesses options for changing the finance system.
The report analyzes an array of issues pertaining to accessibility, student achievement, governance, and operation of charter schools in California. Four specific research questions were investigated: (1) What population of students attends charter schools? (2) Is student achievement higher in charter schools than in conventional public schools? (3) What oversight and support do the chartering authorities provide? (4) How do charter schools differ from their conventional public school counterparts in terms of their operation, including finances, academic achievement, and staffing?