Award Date

1-1-1983

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Secondary, Post Secondary and Vocational Education

Number of Pages

236

Abstract

This historical study analyzed thirty five years of public school expenditures for evidence of change in spending patterns to discover whether or not the organizational structure of the schools has been allowed to drift from public expectations; Budget expenditures from year to year were reclassified by the USED codes in Handbook II. This rigorous classification and the LOTUS 123 spread sheet enabled the researcher to hold all data constant; The study demonstrated that school boards' objectives had not changed between 1950 and 1985. Nevertheless, seven fundamental changes occurred in the operation of the schools and that all noninstructional school programs were expanded at the direct expense of the instructional program. In 1952, the public schools expended 72% of educational funds for direct instruction. By 1985, this had been reduced to 51%. The research also demonstrated the public will to support education. When adjusted for inflation and student enrollment, taxpayers increased their support of schools by 205%. This funding increase enabled the public schools to add instructional television, special education and to establish retirement and health insurance programs. After deducting these costs, the funding available for traditional programs has increased, per student, in constant dollars, by 114%. Clearly, the district had the funds to enhance the instructional program, but chose not to do so. Finally the study demonstrated full extent of fund transfer and documented that collective bargaining was only able to slow the transfer of funds from instruction; The economic theory of supply by bureaus was used in order to explain why the district allowed this to occur. The researcher concluded that the cause was the bureaucratic organization of the school, and that schools can not be reformed within the context of a bureaucracy. The transfer of funds will continue until the public forces its schools to reorganize into a non bureaucratic, market responsive system where parents, students, and teachers can be responsible for the quality of the instructional programs.

Keywords

Allocation; Budget; Clark County; Education; Five; Historical; Nevada; Public; Resources; Schools; Study; Studyschool; Thirty; Year

Controlled Subject

Education--Finance

File Format

pdf

File Size

6144 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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Rights

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