Educational resource allocation at the high school level: a case study of high schools in one California district

2013-04-01This study utilized the Evidence-based Model (EBM) from the research on school finance to evaluate the high school level human resource spending patterns of one California school district. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the district’s spending patterns were aligned with those patterns which have been shown by the research to boost student achievement. An additional objective of the study was to recommend staff reallocation to more closely align the district’s current spending strategies with strategies that have the potential to increase student achievement. Data on staffing allocations were collected from the Educational Services and Human Resources departments of the study district, and a gap analysis was conducted to analyze the nature of the differences between the district’s spending patterns and those suggested by the EBM. ❧ Findings from the study indicate that the EBM’s suggestions could not be fully implemented in the study district given that the district’s high schools do not have adequate funding to hire as many staff as recommended by the EBM for almost every position. However, findings also indicate that some human resource reallocation is possible and, when performed in conjunction with school restructuring strategies, provides the study district with avenues for making spending decisions in support of student achievement. Specific reallocation suggestions for the study district include gaining additional core teachers, instructional coaches, guidance counselors and academic extra help staff by reducing special education instructional aides and transitioning assistant principals of athletics and activities to teacher salaries. Organizational suggestions for the study district include gaining more academic extra help staff by reorganizing the school schedule to include a homeroom period, gaining additional core teachers by transitioning appropriately credentialed specialist teachers into the teaching of core subject areas, and gaining additional special education teachers by converting extra planning time into teaching time. This study contributes to the growing body of school finance research by illuminating the spending challenges and opportunities specific to the high school level and providing suggestions for revamping existing human resource allocation practices accordingly