An analytical study to determine the effectiveness of the better education program in equalizing available educational opportunities in select Tennessee public schools

The financing of public education has been altered by several important lawsuits during the last twenty-five years. In July, 1988 approximately one-half of the school systems in Tennessee filed the Tennessee Small School Systems vs. McWherter lawsuit. As a result of this lawsuit, the State of Tennessee revised its method of funding education by creating the Better Education Program (BEP).

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Better Education Program in equalizing available educational opportunities in select Tennessee public schools. The population of this study consisted of 35 school systems selected from a stratified random sample of all 139 school systems in Tennessee.