A study of educational program costs in Hamilton County, Tennessee, for 1976-1977 and 1977-1978

The purposes of this study were to explore the relationship of educational program costs in Hamilton County, Tennessee, in the year before and the year the pupi l weighting formula was in effect and to establish program costs in one local system in order to compare them with state indices and the findings of national studies. An instrument was found during the search of the literature which was appropriate for the investigation. This instrument dealt with the funds identified in the "Annual Public School Expenditure Report" for a two-year period. The data were collected and tabulated on the programs.

Findings relative to questions investigated in this study are;

1. The total amount of equalizing funds available both at the state level and local level increased substantially in the year after the Tennessee Education Finance Act passed in 1977.

2. The program costs in Hamilton County increased on a full-time equivalent average daily attendance (FTEADA) basis over the period of time investigated in all academic programs. The number of students in special education who were identified and served increased over 50 percent in the second year, however less money was available on an FTEADA basis in that year. Vocational education costs could not be determined the first year.

3. The Hamilton County program cost indices were closer in the second year to the actual pupil weight formulae set by the state.

4. There was a mixed pattern which indicated some Hamilton County programs were within, some below, and some above the limits of the National Education Finance Project reasonable range ratios.

It was concluded that based upon the findings there were increases both in the state and local contributions. This was due to a change of contributions in the amounts to 90 percent state funding and 10 percent local funding. After comparing the local indices with the state indices, the writer also concluded that the local system did not follow a similar pattern of weightings.

A recommendation was made that the state legislature should continue to study the impact of the pupil weighting system as instituted by the Tennessee Education Finance Act of 1977- The weights should be adjusted if a need is demonstrated.