Date of Award

1-1-1980

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education, Health & Behavior Studies

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if significant differences in reactions to recommendations of the project which studied the Financing of Elementary and Secondary Education in North Dakota (FESEND) existed, based on demographic characteristics of the respondents. More specific objectives included determining whether agreement existed among the respondents based on geographical area, size of the high school district in which respondents lived, occupation, age, and whether respondents had children attending public school. The study also reviewed literature relating to the history of interest in educational finance, of the concept of equalization in education, and of educational finance issues in North Dakota. The "842" project in North Dakota was also reviewed.

Reactions to FESEND project recommendations were collected at eight public hearings held throughout the state of North Dakota. The data for this study were derived from those who attended the public hearings. The two hundred eleven respondents for this study came from forty—six of the state’s fifty-three counties. Seventy-four of the respondents were lay citizens and one hundred thirty—seven were educators. Statistical tests for significant differences—of responses within each demographic variable—were computed on each recommendation using analysis of variance. Forty—six selected recommendations related to school finance were grouped into nine series concerning: 1) improvement of data base ; 2) continued review and adjustment of finance program; 3) continued review of correspondence between intent and administration; 4) planning suggested by projections ; 5) coal revenue distribution to schools; 6) oil and gas revenue distribution to schools; 7) assessment practices; 8) disparity and wealth neutrality measures; and 9) special education finance issues.

Conclusions

Based on the data obtained from the survey instrument, the statistical analysis employed, and the written comments made by the respondents on the survey instrument the following conclusions were drawn:

  1. There was no significant relationship between the respondents' age or whether respondents had children in school and their reactions to FESEND project recommendations. (Few instances of significant differences were detected; those instances may have occurred by chance.)
  2. There was a significant relationship between the respondents' geographic area of residence and their reaction to recommendations related to coal impact as well as for recommendations related to disparity and wealth neutrality measures.
  3. There was a significant relationship between respondents' high school size and respondents' reactions to recommendations related to improving the data base, coal revenue distribution to schools, assessment practices, and special education finance issues.
  4. There was a significant relationship between respondents' occupation with six classifications and reaction to recommendations related to improvement of special education cost data and assessment practices.
  5. There was a significant relationship between respondents' occupation with two classifications and reactions to recommendations
    related to improving the data base, continued review and adjustment of the finance program, and assessment practices.
  6. Series three (review correspondence between intent and administration) , series seven (assessment practices), and series eight (disparity and wealth neutrality measures) contained the most strongly supported recommendations.
  7. Series four (projections suggest planning), series six (oil and gas revenue distribution to schools), and series nine (special education finance issues) contained the least strongly supported recommendations.
  8. Recommendations to improve accounting practices tended to be more strongly supported if it appeared that better accounting might result in more money for the district (series one and series nine).
  9. Many respondents would have preferred recommendations for more money rather than, or in addition to, recommendations for more equalized distribution of revenues.
  10. Respondents from districts bordering other states would like to see more cooperation between the states and more attention to between state problems.
  11. Respondents did not strongly support study group recommendations for planning based on enrollment projections.

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