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226
Another problematic area in terms of the current allocation of resources is the
dependence on summer school to remediate student learning. In 2009-2010, 46.0 FTE
were dedicated to summer school classes. In the school’s defense, 10.0 FTE were used to
provide additional instruction for ELD students and provide opportunities for
reclassification, there is still a considerable population of the student body not passing
their classes on the first attempt, requiring additional interventions and remediation—
resources that might be better targeted during the academic year.
In terms of professional development, Cumulus HS spends about $40,000 less
than what the EBM would generate. Since professional development and reliance on
outside experts at this school are piecemeal in format, it is uncertain whether the
additional investment in professional development would create significant impact on
student achievement.
Impact of recent budget reductions. The high school has experienced some
structural changes and personnel reductions as part of the evolving budget challenges
over the past few years. While all ninth grade English classes were capped at 20 students
since the 1990s, class-size reduction was eliminated and now all ninth grade English
classes hover with enrollment around 36. In addition, school district officials reduced the
number of senior administrative secretaries at the school site form two to one through
retirements and attrition over the past two years. Further, the school districted reduced
FTE allocations to each high school by 3.0 to assist with cutting costs across the board.
Cumulus lost an additional seven teachers and two classified staff that took advantage of
an early retirement offer made available by the CUSD to help alleviate pressure on a
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 238 |
| Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
| Repository email | cisadmin@lib.usc.edu |
| Full text | 226 Another problematic area in terms of the current allocation of resources is the dependence on summer school to remediate student learning. In 2009-2010, 46.0 FTE were dedicated to summer school classes. In the school’s defense, 10.0 FTE were used to provide additional instruction for ELD students and provide opportunities for reclassification, there is still a considerable population of the student body not passing their classes on the first attempt, requiring additional interventions and remediation— resources that might be better targeted during the academic year. In terms of professional development, Cumulus HS spends about $40,000 less than what the EBM would generate. Since professional development and reliance on outside experts at this school are piecemeal in format, it is uncertain whether the additional investment in professional development would create significant impact on student achievement. Impact of recent budget reductions. The high school has experienced some structural changes and personnel reductions as part of the evolving budget challenges over the past few years. While all ninth grade English classes were capped at 20 students since the 1990s, class-size reduction was eliminated and now all ninth grade English classes hover with enrollment around 36. In addition, school district officials reduced the number of senior administrative secretaries at the school site form two to one through retirements and attrition over the past two years. Further, the school districted reduced FTE allocations to each high school by 3.0 to assist with cutting costs across the board. Cumulus lost an additional seven teachers and two classified staff that took advantage of an early retirement offer made available by the CUSD to help alleviate pressure on a |
