Compensatory education funding and economically disadvantaged high school students in Texas
Abstract
In order to determine the effect of the Texas Compensatory Education funding program on economically disadvantaged students within Texas high schools and the student achievement under the TCEF program, mathematics and reading batteries of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) test were examined for the school years 1997–98 through 1999–2000 for all high schools in Texas. The purpose of the Texas funding program is designed to foster achievement of economically disadvantaged students, at a level concomitant with their peers. The researcher examined data from a base year and three subsequent years of high school TAAS scores, for all high schools in Texas, in order to follow procedures suggested in the literature known as causal-comparative methodology for financial programs in education. The data demonstrated an achievement rate by economically disadvantaged similar to non-economically disadvantaged students, in that as rates of achievement rise in general, economically disadvantaged students change as well. The rate of change tends to be based on reading scores, in that as reading rates change for campus scores, all other scores change as well and in the same directions. Findings from this research suggest that as financial programs are applied at economically disadvantaged campuses, academic achievement of economically disadvantaged students is positively affected, especially among reading scores. The continued application of such programs may have a tendency to drag upward the academic achievement of all students, not simply those who are classified under Texas programs as economically disadvantaged. Implications for professional practice are suggested in continuing to bolster educational funding programs to continue the trend of student achievement outlined herein, as well as providing staff development programs for educators engaged in those schools and school districts with cohorts of economically disadvantaged students.
Subject Area
Educational administration|Education finance|Education philosophy
Recommended Citation
Landerman, Paul W, "Compensatory education funding and economically disadvantaged high school students in Texas" (2005). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI3159909.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI3159909