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A closer look at figures in Table 1 follows. For purposes of discussion, the service and program areas have been placed into one of four categories. However, numbers 23 (increased student fees) and 24 (used fund balance) are not included in the categories below because they are not a good fit.
1. Actions Related to Academic Programs/Curricular Offerings
When the revenue controls were first implemented, academic programs
were the least likely targets for spending cuts. For example, five years
ago an average of 46% of districts made cuts in the programs/curricular
offerings listed below. By 2003-04, the average across all districts
rose to 56%.
In separate questions, superintendents were asked to identify the specific courses or sections of courses that were eliminated in 2003-04 due to budget constraints. They were asked not to include courses or sections of courses that were eliminated as a result of a decline in enrollment or drop in student interest (see Table 2).
Table 2
Percent of Districts Reporting Cuts in Courses or Course Sections,
2003-04 School Year
| Percent
of districts reporting that sections of courses were eliminated |
Percent
of districts reporting that entire courses in the content area
were eliminated |
|||
| English/ Language Arts | 11% |
Avg. of 4 areas=9%
|
7% |
Avg. of 4 areas=5% |
| Mathematics | 9% |
4% |
||
| Science | 9% |
3% |
||
| Social Studies | 8% |
3% |
||
| Business Education | 13% |
Avg. of 7 areas=13% |
11% |
Avg. of 7 areas=12%
|
| Family and Consumer Education | 13% |
16% |
||
| Foreign Languages | 17% |
15% |
||
| Music, Art, Band/ Orchestra | 13% |
14% |
||
| Physical Education/ Health | 12% |
9% |
||
| Technology (Vocational Education) | 15% |
13% |
||
| Other | 6% |
6% |
||
Those questions asking about cuts in courses required respondents first to check the content area and then to write the name of the course(s) that was eliminated. In some cases, a single course was listed, while in others, entire programs were identified. These two extremes are dramatically different even though each is counted simply as the district making a cut in courses.
Analysis of the results in Table 2 shows that the most vulnerable content areas were Foreign Languages, Family and Consumer Education, and Business Education. Music-Art-Band-Orchestra and Technology (Vocational Education) followed closely behind.
In contrast, cuts were least likely to be made in the core subjects of English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. This pattern is to be expected for several reasons:
Left uncut were classes for special needs children. Not a single district reported cuts in special education programs which are mandated by state and federal law.
While districts eliminated courses and sections of courses, approximately one-half of districts also added courses over the past two or three years (an average of 1.5 courses per district). The majority of these courses (58%) were in the core subject areas of English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, as well as in those involving computers. This means that core academic subjects were least likely to be cut while also the most likely to gain new offerings. It is noteworthy that approximately 25% of the new classes were labeled Advanced Placement.
2. Actions Related to Facilities Maintenance and Improvement
As has been the case since 1993, the vast majority of districts continue
to spend less for improvements and maintenance of buildings and grounds:
On average, 80% of superintendents say the effects of these actions have been "Negative" or "Very Negative."
3. Actions Related to Educational Resources and Services
Districts continue to reduce spending in the area of educational resources
and services. The greatest proportion (78%) spent less for computers
and other technology. Nearly three-in-four increased student fees, spent
less on curricular materials and consumables (such as paper), and delayed
/reduced purchase of curricular materials.
On average, 61% of superintendents say the effects of these actions have been "Negative" or "Very Negative."
4. Actions Related to Personnel
Significant numbers of districts took actions in 2003-04 to reduce personnel
costs:
Research by Amrein and Berliner at Arizona State University has found that one of the effects of high stakes testing programs is to narrow the curriculum to the content areas that are tested. See High-Stakes Testing, Uncertainty, and Student Learning. Available online: http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v10n18/.
Posted December 17, 2004