A per-pupil expenditure and competency test performance study of ninth graders from the Shelby, Davidson, Knox and Hamilton County school systems

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of different per pupil expenditure rates/levels, for 9th grade student performance on the State Proficiency Examination for those from the Shelby, Davidson, Knox and Hamilton County School Systems. The target sample included all 9th grade students from the aforementioned county school systems except those labeled special education. Seven study null hypotheses were articulated. All these hypotheses were subsequently tested with the chi-square statistical treatment technique. Significance was set at the.05 level. The overall study hypothesis was that, first time 9th grade proficiency test taking students from Davidson, Knox, Hamilton and the Shelby County School Systems, at different per pupil expenditure levels, will not perform statistically superior to any of their study counterparts on the state public school required standardized proficiency examination; (2) there will be no statistically significant difference, at the.05 level or better, when 9th grade first time proficiency test taker scores and per pupil expenditure rates for Knox and Davidson County School Systems are treated with the chi-square technique; (3) there will be no statistically significant difference, at the.05 level or better, when 9th grade first time test taker scores and per pupil expenditure rates for Shelby and Davidson County School Systems are treated with the chi-square technique; (4) there will be no statistically significant difference, at the.05 level or better, when 9th grade first time test takers scores and per pupil expenditure rates for Shelby and Hamilton County School Systems are treated with the chi-square technique; (5) there will be no statistically significant difference, at the.05 level or better, when 9th grade first time taker scores and per pupil expenditure rates for Knox and Hamilton County School Systems are treated with the chi-square techni que; (6) there systems will be no significant difference, at the.05 level or better, when 9th grade first time test taker scores and per pupil expenditure rates for Knox and Shelby County School Systems are treated with the chi-square technique and (7) there will be no significant difference, at the.05 level or better, when 9th grade first time test taker scores and per pupil expenditure rates for Hamilton and Davidson County School Systems are treated with the chi-square technique. Test data were grouped into high and low expenditure level for study target areas, placed in appropriate analysis cell ends, and treated with the chi square statistical analysis technique in order to sustain or reject the study null hypotheses (1-7), at the.05 level. Hypotheses 1, 3, and 6 were rejected, while 2, 4 5 and 7 were accepted