Overview
You may recall a few decades ago the pressure for automotive companies to lower their fleet-wide fuel economy. This pressure resulted in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. The standards are government-mandated sales-weighted average fuel economy targets that automakers must meet for their passenger car and light truck fleets annually. We can earn lessons from the automotive industry that I believe apply to a state’s average student proficiency.
The CAFE standard for a brand like Chevrolet was the weighted average of its smallest vehicles that may have already been getting 40 miles per gallon (MPG) to their Silverado pickup truck that at the time might have been below 15 MPG. It didn’t take the auto industry long to realize they couldn’t do much to improve their café standard by spending resources on vehicles that were already achieving high MPG’s. The return on investment was much better realized by focusing on improving the fuel economy of their light trucks. I believe the same lesson applies to a state’s average student proficiency on state assessments or an individual school district as well.
Levels of Proficiency
Most states report their student proficiency percentages in four categories called Levels of Proficiency. An individual student in Michigan, for example, could be “Proficient” or “Advanced Proficient”. Conversely, a student could be “Not Proficient” or “Partially Proficient”. The figure below displays eight school districts and their percentage of students in each of the four levels. The figure also displays the average of each category for the state of Michigan. The districts have been sorted in descending order by their Total Percent Proficient (data sourced from Michigan's public data portal. Data visualization available in Munetrix).
There’s no question we want to improve the proficiency levels for all students on the state assessment tests. However, much like the automotive Café averages, how much more can a student improve who is already Advanced Proficient? To realize the greatest return on investment in resources we need to focus on the Not Proficient and Partially Proficient students.
The first question to consider is, “Does spending more money on the problem solve the problem?”
Return on Investment
The figure below scatters the 160+ school districts and public school academies in Southeast Michigan based on Instructional Expenditures per Student on the horizontal axis against their Average Proficiency Percentage on the vertical axis. This illustrates that there is very little correlation between instructional dollars spent and proficiency.
To illustrate this further, let’s look at the Levels of
Proficiency chart again. An additional column of data has been added to
identify the percentage of Economically Disadvantaged Students. The
correlation between At Risk Students and Proficiency becomes quite
clear.
Characteristics of an Economically Disadvantaged Student
Economically disadvantaged students often face a lack of basic needs like food, housing, transportation and healthcare, which can result in poor attendance, poor nutrition, inadequate sleep, and more responsibilities at home. These challenges can manifest as delays in cognitive and language development, reduced access to educational resources like books and computers, and less opportunity for enrichment activities such as tutoring, travel or museum visits. They may also experience increased anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem due to the pressures of their circumstances, leading to challenges in academic and social settings.
First of all, I don't believe that tax-dollar-supported vouchers to help affluent parents who are already sending their children to private schools has anything to do with improving our schools. It is purely a method of transferring more wealth from the less affluent to the more affluent. "In Arizona, state officials reported most private school students receiving vouchers in the first two years of the expanded program were not previously enrolled in public schools." (from Stateline).
If our political leaders are serious about improving state proficiency scores, then we need to provide the necessary support for our At Risk population. This means additional funding in what’s referred to as “Added Needs” and "Instructional Support" categories like, social support services, meals, transportation, staff professional development, and tutoring including other support systems.
"This analysis does not imply that school improvement cannot improve the outcomes of disadvantaged children, but rather that policies other than school improvement should be given strong consideration, as should the possibility that at least some of these policies may be more powerful levers for raising the achievement of disadvantaged children than the school improvement strategies that policymakers conventionally consider and advocate." ("Five Social Disadvantages That Depress Student Performance")
At Risk Students
Finally, keep in mind that not all At Risk Students are necessarily economically disadvantaged. At-risk students are those identified by schools as needing additional support because they are unlikely to meet educational goals due to circumstances like academic difficulties, chronic absenteeism, socioeconomic disadvantages, family instability, or behavioral problems. These factors can range from being economically disadvantaged, facing learning disabilities, experiencing home instability, or having mental health challenges. Identifying students at risk is crucial for educators to provide tailored interventions, fostering a supportive environment, and helping them on a path to success.
Does spending more money on the problem solve the problem? I would answer it depends where the funds are allocated. The funds allocated for Added Needs and Instructional Support can be of benefit to all students regardless of their economic status, in a public or private setting, and provide a better return on investment.
For More Information
on the characteristics of At Risk Students see: "Education and Socioeconomic Status", from the American Psychological Association.
on how to help Economically Disadvantaged Students see, "How Can We Help Economically Disadvantaged Children Achieve Academically?", a study from UC Davis Department of Psychology.
regarding uses of education funding see, "Five Social Disadvantages That Depress Student Performance", a report published by the Economic Policy Institute.
regarding public funding for private schools see, "Thousands of Ohio students left without a school bus ride as private school transport expands", a report from ABC News.
on CAFE standards see, "A Brief History of US Fuel Efficiency Standards" from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
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