A Tale of Two Districts: A Comparative Study of Student-Based Funding and School-Based Decision Making in San Francisco and Oakland Unified School Districts

Chambers, Jay G.; Shambaugh, Larisa; Levin, Jesse; Muraki, Mari; Poland, Lindsay

doi:10.1037/e538052012-001

Cited by 9 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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Section: Fiscal Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Two California districts-Oakland and San Francisco-implemented weighted student funding formulas (Chambers, Shambaugh, Levin, Muraki, & Poland, 2008). One study of these two reforms found that substantial variation in school-level respondents' perceptions of how much budgetary discretion they were afforded (Chambers et al, 2008). Another study of the weighted student formula in San Francisco only found that some respondents felt that schools had little budgetary discretion because funding was tight and because teachers' salaries and benefits accounted for 80-85% of schools' budgets (Shambaugh et al, 2008).…”

Section: Fiscal Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Respondents in both districts reported making staffing changes as a result of the reforms (Chambers et al, 2008). However, the number of full-time staff per student remained unchanged in both districts after the implementation of the weighted student formulas (Chambers et al, 2008), and the distribution of novice teachers across schools in the district remained unchanged (Chambers, Levin, & Shambaugh, 2010). Further, respondents reported that few programmatic changes were made as a result of the new weighted student formulas (Chambers et al, 2008).…”

Section: Fiscal Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the number of full-time staff per student remained unchanged in both districts after the implementation of the weighted student formulas (Chambers et al, 2008), and the distribution of novice teachers across schools in the district remained unchanged (Chambers, Levin, & Shambaugh, 2010). Further, respondents reported that few programmatic changes were made as a result of the new weighted student formulas (Chambers et al, 2008). Finally, the authors noted varying capacity at the school level to make appropriate resource allocation decisions (Chambers et al, 2008).…”

Section: Fiscal Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

A preliminary analysis of California’s New Local Control Funding Formula

Wolf

Sands

2016

EPAA

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California recently overhauled its K–12 public education finance system. Enacted in 2013, the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) replaced California’s 40-year-old funding formula. The LCFF increases district officials’ fiscal flexibility; provides more resources to districts serving larger proportions of low-income, English learner (EL), and foster youth students; and requires district officials to engage community members in district decisions. This article expands on a study conducted by a team of 12 independent researchers that investigated the early implementation of the LCFF. The study sought to answer three research questions: (a) how are district officials using their newfound budget flexibility? (b) how are district officials engaging parents and other stakeholders? (c) what are the opportunities provided to districts under the LCFF and the challenges it creates for them? Data include 71 semi-structured interviews with district stakeholders across 10 diverse districts in California and 22 interviews with county office of education (COE) officials across the state. Findings include that respondents were cautiously optimistic about the LCFF. District officials appreciated increased budget flexibility and the focus on community engagement. Inevitably, however, district and COE officials experienced challenges in implementing the law during its first year.

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Section: Fiscal Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fiscal Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fiscal Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fiscal Flexibilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

A preliminary analysis of California’s New Local Control Funding Formula

Wolf

Sands

2016

EPAA

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“…This decision is made based upon a review of the current literature substantiating that intra-district resource allocation holds more potential to eliminate the achievement gap, since it tends to compound the macroinequities (Berne and Stiefel 1994;Chambers et al 2008;EdTrust 2005b;Espinosa 1985;Jimenez-Castellanos 2008;Roza and Hill 2004). However, intra-district resource allocation studies are still significantly underrepresented in the general school finance literature although more studies have been published in the past 15 years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Relationship Between Educational Resources and School Achievement: A Mixed Method Intra-District Analysis

Jimenez-Castellanos

2010

Urban Rev

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This study examines the relationship between educational resources (fiscal, personnel and facilities) and school achievement within a large urban/suburban elementary school district. A sequential mixed methods approach reveals inequitable resource allocation trends and patterns between schools within a school district by producing different student outcomes. The educational resources positively correlated to higher school achievement are: higher teacher salaries, newer schools, more multi-purpose space per pupil and less portable classrooms. Without question, White students receive more of these resources than Latino students, lowincome students and English Language learners. This study also conducts a multiple comparative case study analysis comparing between Title I and non-Title I schools, within Title I schools and within non-Title I schools. The study contains policy and practice implications to improve opportunity and school achievement in urban/ suburban school districts.

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Variation is the Norm: A Landscape Analysis of Weighted Student Funding Implementation

Roza¹,

Hagan²,

Anderson³

2020

Public Budgeting & Finance

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School districts increasingly rely on weighted student funding (WSF), yet there is little research on this allocation model. This study collects more than 70 measures on each of 19 districts using WSF in 2018 for a landscape analysis of formula features and implementation practices. While districts report common reasons for adopting WSF (equity, flexibility, and transparency), we find no standard WSF model. Homegrown formulas and nonformula features and exemptions reflecting local context are the norms, resulting in substantial differences. Nearly all districts continue to budget with average salaries (likely limiting equity) but grant principals flexibility on staffing, stipends, and contracts.

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A Tale of Two Districts: A Comparative Study of Student-Based Funding and School-Based Decision Making in San Francisco and Oakland Unified School Districts

Cited by 9 publications

References 5 publications

A preliminary analysis of California’s New Local Control Funding Formula

A preliminary analysis of California’s New Local Control Funding Formula

Relationship Between Educational Resources and School Achievement: A Mixed Method Intra-District Analysis

Variation is the Norm: A Landscape Analysis of Weighted Student Funding Implementation

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