| 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. Once the gaps were identified, recommendations were made to reallocate human resources toward strategies that research suggests lead to improvements in student achievement. The district demonstrated overall success in improving student achievement over the previous four years. During the same time period, the district, and all schools that were in Program Improvement, except one middle school, successfully exited Program Improvement. This study determined the district had successful programs for staff and students to improve student learning, but there were opportunities to reallocate human resources to continue to improve student achievement. Fiscal limitations prevent the district from funding human resources at the levels recommended by the Evidence-Based model, but other opportunities to reallocate staff exist. This study makes specific recommendations for how this can be achieved, given fiscal constraints, to improve student achievement. Possible reallocation strategies included filling special education instructional aide vacancies with general education instructional aides and using the financial savings to fund extra support tutoring for struggling students, increasing K-3 class sizes and deferring step and column salary increases to generate full-time instructional coaches for all schools, and re-negotiating contract language for the professional work day of teachers. |
