Date of Award

Spring 2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Curriculum, Instruction, and Leadership

First Advisor

David Gullatt

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between District Performance Scores (DPS) in Louisiana and (a) socio-economic status of students, (b) academic achievement using average ACT scores, (c) percentage of certified teachers, (d) district class size, (e) per pupil expenditure, and (f) percentage of minority students in determining why a district is considered low performing or high performing. The study investigated 68 school districts in Louisiana during the 2007-2008 school year.

The study noted significant differences in two of the six variables that may have an influence on the district performance score for the lower performing and the higher performing school districts. Socioeconomic status of students as measured by free/reduced lunch eligibility, ACT scores, have shown in past research, as well as this study to have an influence on student learning. After conducting an analysis of covariance, the study did not identify the percentage of certified teachers as having a significant impact on District Performance Scores. Per pupil expenditure, percentage of minority students, and the average percentage of students in a class throughout the district did not show a significant impact on District Performance Scores between the lower performing and the higher performing school districts. Class size represented the proportion of classes in the district with 20 or fewer students in the classes.

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