Small School District Consolidation in Texas

Small School District Consolidation in Texas
Author: Dwight A. Cooley
Publisher:
Total Pages: 120
Release: 2011
Genre: Academic achievement
ISBN:

Historically, the number of school districts in the United States has decreased despite the obvious increase in the number of students. One cause of the reduction in school districts is that small rural school districts merge or consolidate with each other, resulting in fewer school districts. When school districts consolidate, all aspects of the school districts' operations are impacted. Each year lawmakers and rural school district officials face dwindling finances, and each year these decision makers question whether or not to consolidate small rural school districts. Proponents tout the benefits of fiscal efficiency, a broadened curriculum and an increase in student achievement. Critics argue that the community suffers when schools close as the result of school district consolidation. This investigation had dual focus areas. One area of investigation focused on the fiscal efficiency of consolidated school districts by comparing per pupil expenditures. The other investigation focused on student achievement levels by comparing passing rate percentages on the state assessment tests. Expenditure and student achievement data were collected before and after consolidation. A paired samples t-test measured differences in efficiency, and the Lawshe-Baker Nomograph t-test measured differences in student achievement. The t-tests did reveal a statistical difference in expenditures and in student achievement. Per pupil expenditures increased while student achievement decreased for the absorbing district.

School Consolidation Impact on State and Local Revenues AndExpenditures in Texas

School Consolidation Impact on State and Local Revenues AndExpenditures in Texas
Author: Marvin Stewart
Publisher:
Total Pages: 84
Release: 2011
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9781267045508

This study examined financial aspects of the consolidation or annexation of 12 pairs of school districts in Texas during the period 1996-2006. Nine of the twelve districts consolidated by mutual agreement of the two school boards and three annexations were by order of the Commissioner of Education of Texas. Financial criteria studied were: (a) per pupil expenditures, (b) total state aid, (c) transportation costs, (d) administrative costs, (e) school district "wealth" status, and (f) facilities assets/liabilities. Each of the initial 24 independent school districts' criteria were collected for two years prior to consolidation and the 12 newly formed consolidated districts criteria were collected for the two years following consolidation. After consolidation, ten of the twelve districts had fewer than 1,000 students. Of the other two districts, one district had approximately 3,000 students and one large district had over 150,000 students. Some districts experienced increases in local expenditures relative to transportation, administrative costs and total expenditures while other districts decreased costs over time. Twelve non-consolidated districts with similar characteristics of the twelve consolidated districts were reviewed with the non-consolidated districts exhibiting increase and decrease fluctuations seen in the consolidated school districts. These findings suggested that each of the issues studied in public school finance need to be examined with more specific criteria in order to ascertain cause and effect relationships with regard to school consolidation financial impact on state and local revenues and expenditures. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest llc. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.].