Four Star School Awards: Key Factors That Predict High Performance Among Indiana School Corporations
Date of Award
2009
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to analyze the Four Star status of Indiana school corporations in order to determine if certain variables currently existing among school corporations could be predictive of Four Star status. Differences in Four Star status were examined with respect to school corporation size, school corporation average teacher salary, and school corporation allocation of total budget to student instructional expenditures. The independent variables in this study were school corporation size, school corporation average teacher salary, and student instructional expenditures as defined by the Indiana State Board ofEducation. The dependent variable in this study was the Four Star status of all Indiana school corporations. Corporations were divided into four groups. The districts with schools qualifying as Four Star at all three developmental levels encompassed group one. The districts with schools qualifying as Four Star at two developmental levels encompassed group two. The districts with schools qualifying as Four Star at one developmental level encompassed group three. The districts with no schools earning Four Star status encompassed the fourth group. The statistical analysis indicated that school corporations that were larger in size in terms of total number of students were found to have higher levels of performance in terms of four star status. Additionally, school corporations that had higher average teacher salaries were found to have higher levels of performance in terms of four star status. Finally, school corporations that had lower allocation of total budget to student instructional expenditures were found to have higher levels of performance in terms of Four Star status. Based upon the data analyzed in this study, it is apparent that the independent variables selected have a significant relationship to a given school corporation's ability to achieve Four Star status. Additionally, the Recommendations for Future Study section offers opportunities to build upon the determinations made in this study to further add to the body of knowledge in this area of research.
Recommended Citation
Veracco, Lawrence H., "Four Star School Awards: Key Factors That Predict High Performance Among Indiana School Corporations" (2009). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1208.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/1208