This thesis examines the budget reductions of six high and six low poverty school districts in California and Texas during the Great Recession. While recent studies have supported the positive influence of spending on student outcomes, few have looked at what happens when financial shocks constrain budgets. The study blends the National Center for…

This study compared the allocation of human resources of a K-12 unified school district in Southern California to the Evidence-Based model (Odden & Picus, 2008). Using document analysis and interviews of key administrators of the district, data was input into a spreadsheet to identify gaps between current practice and the Evidence-Based model.…

California's fiscal crisis is more severe than those of past decades and as a result, the State's community colleges have experienced substantial cuts to their budgets. Multiple reductions in funding since 2008 have forced colleges to scale back their course offerings, reduce personnel, and limit student services. This lack of funding has created…

Problem Statement. There is a growing need and demand for the "knowledge worker" within the business community. The limited amount of research on the role and impact of public universities suggests the need for addressing the training and workforce development needs of private industry. Purpose. The purpose of this study was fourfold:…

A seismic economic shift has changed the rules by which Americans strive to get ahead in society. Hard work, once the bedrock of opportunity, is no longer sufficient in and of itself to ensure individual prosperity and security for either individuals or the larger community. The consequence of this new economy is the need to educate students in…

Since the introduction of the Coleman Report (1966), the focus on closing the achievement gap has been a critical component of educational policy for political leaders and field research by educators. The economic crisis which California and the nation at large currently face creates a challenging situation in attempting to narrow the gap.…