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135
about how targeted the professional development actually is and to what extent it impacts
teacher behaviors and student achievement if little monitoring is taking place.
Implications
Review of the literature and investigation of the sample schools provides a variety
of information for school administrators and policy makers. The analysis of the resource
use patterns and instructional improvement strategies employed by the sample schools
lends support to the school improvement literature. The literature on school finance
recommends school funding based on adequacy. The three case studies indicate that
schools can be effective and achieve some gains in student achievement even if resources
are not adequate. The unknown is whether modifying the resource allocation of schools
to be more aligned with the Evidence-Based Model would yield higher levels of student
achievement or perhaps accelerate growth in student performance.
Instead of being distracted by the latest quick-fix strategy or being derailed by
resistance from naysayers throughout the District, the leadership and staff have
committed to a single districtwide focus: “It’s all about student achievement.” Although
broad in scope, the intent is clear—the efforts of all employees and programs are targeted
on students’ showing growth. And, individual schools adopted specific schoolwide goals
that meet the needs of their specific populations and align with this vision. Unwavering
support for collective decision-making and collaboration within and between school sites
also has created a culture focused on student achievement.
The sample district’s strategy of cultivating leadership within the ranks of its own
teachers and administrators presents a valuable lesson learned. Respect for the expertise
Object Description
| Title | Navigating troubled waters: case studies of three California high schools' resource allocation strategies in 2010-2011 |
| Author | Landisi, Brian Anthony |
| Author email | landisi@usc.edu; blandisi@charter.net |
| Degree | Doctor of Education |
| Document type | Dissertation |
| Degree program | Education (Leadership) |
| School | Rossier School of Education |
| Date defended/completed | 2011-03-28 |
| Date submitted | 2011 |
| Restricted until | Unrestricted |
| Date published | 2011-04-28 |
| Advisor (committee chair) | Picus, Lawrence O. |
| Advisor (committee member) |
Hentschke, Guilbert C. Nelson, John L. |
| Abstract | This study was conducted to examine instructional strategies and resource allocation in successful schools. The study was based on the analysis of three comprehensive high schools in one school district in Southern California. Each of the study schools increased students’ academic achievement over time as measured by sustained growth on California’s Academic Performance Index. The efforts of these study schools also contributed to narrowing the achievement gap.; Successful schools in this study were analyzed primarily through the lens of Odden’s (2009) 10 Strategies for Doubling Student Performance. In addition to effective organizational and instructional strategies, this study also analyzed human and fiscal resource allocation at the sample schools. The study used the Evidence-Based Model (Odden & Picus, 2008) to analyze how the schools allocated resources during 2010-2011, navigating a catastrophic economic crisis facing California and the rest of the nation. Interview data, student achievement data and information on school-level resource use were included in case studies on each of these successful schools.; The findings indicate that although the resource use patterns of the study schools were significantly fewer than what the Evidence-Based Model suggests, the improvement strategies showed many commonalities to those suggested in the body of literature on school improvement. Strong leadership from the district office supported the reform efforts at each of the school sites. This leadership came in the form of a single district focus combined with continuity of leadership, development and retention of talent within the district and a common school improvement framework.; A heavy investment of time and fiscal resources into professional development created a collaborative culture within and between the high schools in the study. The schools that were most successful in raising student achievement demonstrated a commitment to collaboration and embraced the role of teacher leaders. The most effective schools in the study had in place internal accountability structures to support the implementation of the school and district focus. It is the effective implementation of research-based strategies, not simply resource allocation that makes schools successful and contributes to further growth in student achievement. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. |
| Keyword | education finance; secondary education; educational leadership; budget crisis; instructional leadership; Odden and Picus; resource allocation; school finance; school reform |
| Geographic subject (county) | Los Angeles |
| Geographic subject (state) | California |
| Geographic subject (country) | USA |
| Coverage date | 2010/2011 |
| Language | English |
| Part of collection | University of Southern California dissertations and theses |
| Publisher (of the original version) | University of Southern California |
| Place of publication (of the original version) | Los Angeles, California |
| Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California. Libraries |
| Provenance | Electronically uploaded by the author |
| Type | texts |
| Legacy record ID | usctheses-m3797 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Rights | Landisi, Brian Anthony |
| Repository name | Libraries, University of Southern California |
| Repository address | Los Angeles, California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Filename | etd-Landisi-4355 |
| Archival file | uscthesesreloadpub_Volume14/etd-Landisi-4355.pdf |
Description
| Title | Page 147 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 135 about how targeted the professional development actually is and to what extent it impacts teacher behaviors and student achievement if little monitoring is taking place. Implications Review of the literature and investigation of the sample schools provides a variety of information for school administrators and policy makers. The analysis of the resource use patterns and instructional improvement strategies employed by the sample schools lends support to the school improvement literature. The literature on school finance recommends school funding based on adequacy. The three case studies indicate that schools can be effective and achieve some gains in student achievement even if resources are not adequate. The unknown is whether modifying the resource allocation of schools to be more aligned with the Evidence-Based Model would yield higher levels of student achievement or perhaps accelerate growth in student performance. Instead of being distracted by the latest quick-fix strategy or being derailed by resistance from naysayers throughout the District, the leadership and staff have committed to a single districtwide focus: “It’s all about student achievement.” Although broad in scope, the intent is clear—the efforts of all employees and programs are targeted on students’ showing growth. And, individual schools adopted specific schoolwide goals that meet the needs of their specific populations and align with this vision. Unwavering support for collective decision-making and collaboration within and between school sites also has created a culture focused on student achievement. The sample district’s strategy of cultivating leadership within the ranks of its own teachers and administrators presents a valuable lesson learned. Respect for the expertise |
