ACCESS TO EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF FISCAL AND FACILITY RESOURCES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO ACHIEVEMENT IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WITHIN THE LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, 1980-1981 (FINANCE, CALIFORNIA)

The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to describe and compare the distribution of fiscal resources, achievement scores, poverty, language classifications, percent and number of students, and school size using 86 randomly selected schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District during the 1980-1981 school year, and (2) to analyze the relationships between fiscal and school evnironmental resources and achievement data using a stratified sample of 34 schools with a Hispanic population and a White population of over 50 percent within the Los Angeles Unified School District during the 1980-1981 school year. In addition, this study examines the philosophical origins of the concept of equality in the United States and presents a synthesis of its evolution.

Eighty-six elementary schools were randomly selected to serve as the district sample in this study and data from these schools have provided findings illustrating district patterns and trends in the data results. Thirty-four schools were randomly selected to represent the stratified sample. Of these, 17 schools had a White population of over 50 percent and 17 schools had a Hispanic population of over 50 percent. In addition, 17 schools with a Black population of over 50 percent were also selected for comparison purposes when measuring several major variables.

The results of this study show that Hispanic schools were the most heavily populated when compared to White schools and Black schools in the stratified samples and that size of a school's student population had a strong negative relationship to facility space per pupil, regular funding, and achievement. Hispanic schools were shown to have more LES/NES students than Black schools and White schools and had the highest rate of poverty.

Data results regarding schools finance revealed that students in White schools received a disproportionate higher share of the district's regular educational funds than Black schools and Hispanic schools. In addition, students in White schools scored significantly higher in math and reading achievement. It was also found that students in White schools received more facility space per pupil than students in Black schools and Hispanic schools.