Ohio has a long history of school funding inequity. This manuscript provides a brief history of Ohio education funding, the equity and adequacy concerns. Education reform efforts have been expanding while the appropriate management of the funding mechanism has been underfunded or entirely ignored. The researcher examines the negative impact of certain policies and the need to readdress the funding mechanism as well as the associated policies.

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Why Can't Ohio Equitably Fund Public Education? Education Reform Stifling Equitable Education Funding

To date, there is little current research which explores the effect of allocated assessment time and allocated instructional time as related to student achievement (Spanjers, Burns, & Wagner, 2008). Current educational reform has placed accountability and assessment at the forefront of public education (Hirsh, 2007; Jennings, 2012; Kallemeyn, 2009; NCLB, 2001; Supovitz, 2009). Research of time on task has demonstrated that there may be a positive correlation between the amount of time on task in learning activities and student achievement (Fredricks, McColskey, Meli, Mordica, Montrosse, & Mooney, (2011). There is current legislation to increase the time demands of assessment and the resulting decrease of allocated instructional time may result in lower levels of student achievement (Butler, 1926; 1936; Brophy, Rohrkemper, Rashid, & Goldwater, 1982; Carroll, 1963; Doppelt, Mehalik, Schunn, Silk, & Krysinski, 2008; Spanjers, Burns, & Wagner, 2008; Wyss, Dolenc, Kong, & Tai, 2013). The purpose of this study was to compare allocated assessment time to allocated instructional time in small, medium, and large school districts in Florida. A sample of 12 school districts was selected representing small, medium, and large school districts based on student enrollment from Florida Education Finance Plan (FEFP) data. Data related to State and school district mandated assessments were collected for each school district using school district testing calendars and State assessment calendars. These data were examined and the number of minutes spent on each assessment was calculated. The calculation was used to determine the amount of time spent on State and school district mandated assessment. Allocated instructional time was calculated using the difference in allocated time and allocated assessment time. In addition, data were analyzed to determine what, if any, relationship existed between allocated assessment time and school district size as well as student achievement. Time lost to assessment preparation was also included in the determination of allocated assessment time.

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The Effect of Allocated Assessment Time and Allocated Instructional Time on Student Achievement in Small, Medium, and Large School Districts in Florida

Taxpayers in Oregon provoked change in school finance policy by passing Measure 5, which cemented the ground for legislators to reform school finance. Measure 5 was aimed at restricting increases in local taxes while shifting most of the burden of schools’ funding to the State. The purpose of this quantitative study of a 20-year time period of school funding was to determine the impact and effectiveness of passing Measure 5 and school finance reforms on the equity of funding. All 197 school districts’ financial relevant data for 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015 were collected and adjusted for the consolidation and splitting of districts, if necessary. Then data were analyzed to determine the impact on funding and equity using descriptive analysis and five equity measures; Coefficient of Variation, Federal Range Ratio, Gini Coefficient, McLoone Index, and Correlation Coefficient. Funding, in general, was increased in Oregon, but when adjusted for inflation, it declined. The findings of this study concluded that horizontal equity, which is non-differentiated per-pupil funding, improved from 1995 to 2015. However, evidence showed that vertical equity, which considers additional per-pupil funding needs, such as that for adequately serving special needs students or English Language Learners, worsened for the same period. The findings of this study were consistent with other studies (Driscoll & Salmon, 2008; Ko, 2006) regarding school funding in Missouri and Virginia.

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Reforming School Finance Systems to Achieve Equity in Funding Education

Bridging the Gap: Assessing the Effectiveness of Fair Student Funding in New York City Public Schools

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An Investigation of Student Mental Health Supports in Florida Public School Districts

The purpose of this research was to address the public policy of adequacy by the creation of a Florida state-wide poverty index model to assist in the distribution of state and local dollars in funding public education. This poverty index model would measure the amount and severity of poverty in every public school within the state each year and determine how much money should be allocated to each school beyond the basic allocation now in existence by using Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) data. This poverty index model would address the funding for schools with a disproportionate percentage of students living in poverty. A weighted formula was developed to increase funding to Florida students focused on addressing poverty and supplemental indicators. The creation of this funding index could be utilized by the state legislature in determining an adequate funding level for all public elementary and secondary students in the state and, thus, to enhance the Florida Education Finance Plan (FEFP).

Carlee Poston Escue

Papers

Adequate Yearly Progress as a Means of Funding Public Elementary and Secondary Education for Impoverished Students: Florida Funding