To what extent do the allocations of aggregate fiscal resources affect the achievement gap?
Using a cross section of Illinois state middle schools, this study intends to examine the achievement gap between predominantly minority and predominantly white middle schools in the Illinois Public School system as a result of socioeconomic status. It is hypothesized that low performance in schools is the direct result of school expenditures and equalized assessed valuation; and an indirect result of poverty, ethnicity, area, mobility, and tax rates. Those schools that exhibit higher ISAT test scores consist of a predominantly white student body and have access to a greater portion of monetary resources. Quantitative data will be collected from the Illinois State School Report Cards accessible through the Illinois State Board of Educations website. The data consistent with the researched population will be run through a regression analysis, correlation test and frequency test utilizing SPSS software. The hypothesis was proven to be correct. All of the socioeconomic externalities have an impact on student performance. However, low income, suburban area, tax rate, total minority, mobility and operational expenditures have the most significant effects in the achievement gap. The importance of this study is to identify factors most highly correlated to the Black- White achievement gap at the middle school level. Ascertaining the most relevant factors is the first step towards finding solutions to the long- standing inequities in middle school academic achievement.
School:
Spelman College
Department:
Economics
Research Advisor:
James Anderson
Department of Research Advisor:
Educational Policy Studies
Year of Publication:
2002