Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-4-2022
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Economics
First Advisor
Natalia Kolesnikova
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
This thesis examines the relationship between school funding and student success in public schools in Mississippi. Data for 200 public high schools were obtained upon request from the Mississippi Department of Education, including information about school budgets, average composite ACT scores, graduation rates, and other factors. Regression analysis was conducted with the data to determine which factors might influence the success of students, with an initial emphasis on school funding. The findings indicate that allocation of school funding may have a relationship with student success as measured by ACT scores and graduation rates, but that the relationship becomes more difficult to identify as more variables are added. Additionally, the findings indicate that schools with a high proportion of students living below the poverty line struggle with student success, indicating that family resources may be more influential than any factors within the education system itself. It is recommended that the state implement a more flexible funding system whereby schools are able to receive and utilize funding based on their specific needs, as opposed to the current formula for school funding which uses a base student cost.
Recommended Citation
Grimes, Richard, "Effects of Instructional Expenditures on Educational Outcomes in Mississippi Public Schools" (2022). Honors Theses. 2597.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2597
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