A number of studies have examined the impact of school accountability policies, including No Child Left Behind (NCLB), on student achievement. However, there is relatively little evidence on how school accountability reforms and NCLB, in particular, have influenced education policies and practices. This study examines the effects of NCLB on…

Shows that commonly used "value-added" models are misspecified when estimated using the National Education Longitudinal Study, a finding that raises questions about whether previous value-added studied are unbiased. Also reviews more recent literature using instrumental variables methods to address omitted variables bias. (SLD)

Examines the potential for inconsistent resource allocation decisions to be made at different administrative levels of school districts and schools. Uses data from 654 New York school districts to show internal variation across districts in how teacher resources are distributed and evidence of inconsistency at levels of decision making. (SLD)

Studied whether gifted and talented children require supplemental resources to receive an appropriate education using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 and information about the distribution of fiscal and human resources to gifted children in Texas. National results show that some minorities and students of low…

The three articles of this special section address developments and prospects for economic analyses of education policy. Issues addressed relate resources to outcomes in education and cost benefit analysis in education. Balancing economics and educational improvement is a focus throughout. (SLD)

Describes five case studies of high-performing public schools that have organized professional resources in innovative ways. Outlines principles of successful resource allocation. Presents a framework and methodology for examining a school's current use of resources. (MAK)

This paper assesses the rationale for legislated program consolidation, summarizing problems with the current structure of categorical programs and arguments for reform through consolidation, reviewing past consolidation proposals, discussing the likely effects of such proposals, analyzing the state, local, and federal responses that can be…

A review of over 400 studies of student achievement demonstrates that there is not a strong or consistent relationship between student performance and school resources, at least after variations in family input are taken into account. Simple resource policies appear to offer little hope for improving student outcomes. (SLD)

The status of school finance research and priority tasks to be undertaken in the next round of research are outlined. Both substantive and methodological issues are addressed. Finance-reform relations, methods addressing equity in funding distribution, and neglected areas of study are covered. (TJH)

Techniques of cost-effectiveness analysis and their applications to educational policy are discussed. Recommendations are made to increase the capacity of evaluators, policy analysts, and decision makers to use these tools appropriately for resource allocation. (SLD)

This paper reports results of a 1979 survey of heads of evaluation units in public school districts and state departments of education. The survey was primarily concerned with current versus ideal procedures for determining program evaluation budgets and evaluators' perceived reasons for the low fiscal priority given evaluation activities.…

The results of an evaluation of the effects of the Emergency School Aid Act (ESAA) on student intergroup relations and affect in desegregated schools are reported. The three phases of the study described the human relations services funded under ESAA, effects of these services, and processes associated with their success. (BW)

Conceptual, methodological, and empirical issues in resource allocation at the intradistrict and school levels are explored. The ways that equity concepts can apply are discussed, and an empirical analysis is presented of vertical equity at intradistrict and school levels in New York (New York). (SLD)

Court-imposed school finance equalization and tax limitation measures in California have created a centralized system of school finance. Political tensions and conflict that have arisen from this centralized control are discussed, with reference to the Serrano mandate and categorical funding. (SLD)

The pattern of federal funding allocated through Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was examined for all New York State public schools. The program is widely distributed, with a majority of all schools receiving Title I funding. Some poor schools, especially in urban areas, may be unable to qualify because of this spreading out…