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More Money
Isn't Equaling Better MEAP Scores
MIRS, July 8,
2005
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If a connection
exists between Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP)
scores and state increases in K-12 education, it cannot be made,
yet.
A MIRS review of state education funding since Proposal A's
passage in 1994 and MEAP scores since 1998 found no concrete
connection. Whether it was from Fiscal Year (FY) 1998 to FY
2002, when the state gave K-12 education at least a
rate-of-inflation increases, or FY 2003 to 2005, when the state
kept education funding at $6,700 per-pupil, MEAP scores
fluctuated year-to-year.
The information comes as the education community strongly
contemplates a ballot movement to require the Legislature to
give public schools, colleges and universities annual
rate-of-inflation funding increases. Part of the argument is
that if Michigan wants to train its people to survive in the
21st economy, schools will need more money.
However, since Proposal A was passed, MEAP scores, the state's
official measuring stick for student performance, have done
nothing to support or deny the effect funding has on education.
With the exception of 1998 and the past three years, the state
has increased education funding at the rate of inflation without
a voter-approved mandate. According to the Senate Fiscal Agency,
had a mandate been in place from FY 2003-FY 2005, when the state
was broke, public schools would have benefited from an
additional $1.73 billion.
An argument cannot be made (right now, at least) that this has
hurt the performance of students.
For example, 2005, when the outcry for changes in public
education funding has been the loudest, Michigan schools
reported that 77.9 percent of its students met or exceeded state
standards in reading, the highest such percentage since 1998.
The lowest percentage was in 1998 when only 58.9 percent met or
exceeded state standards.
On the other hand, only 56.9 percent of students met or exceeded
state standards in math in 2005.. The highest percentage was
2001 when education money was still rolling in. At that time,
68.4 percent of students met or exceeded state standards.
Writing scores are back down after reaching all-time lows in
2001 and 2002. But science scores peaked last year, with 63.4
percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards.
Comparing average state MEAP scores from year to year is not a
good way to determine the effect funding has on education
because education doesn't change overnight, said Tom WHITE,
executive director of the Michigan School Business Officials and
head of the K-16 Coalition, the group looking at the
rate-of-inflation increase.
If a school gets a $175 per pupil increase in 2002, it's
impossible to assume test scores will improve by 2003, White
said.
“I don't think you can look at one or two years,” White said.
“You have to look at the long-term trend. It takes longer than a
couple of years for changes to occur for us to see the effect on
the classroom.”
Regardless of time, the state does not have any way to monitor
the correlation between funding and MEAP scores, said Rep. Brian
PALMER (R-Romeo), chair of the House Education Committee.
Other factors such as how money is spent within a district, how
much the student cares about school and how wealthy the district
also affects test scores, Palmer said. The state does not a have
a program in place that can pluck funding from other variables.
Palmer is working with the Department of Education and other
legislators to get a benchmarking study on the budget for the
upcoming fiscal year. Rather then lump all school districts
together the way statewide MEAP scores do, the statewide study
would compare school districts with similar geographic,
demographic and social factors, Palmer said.
Legislators and educators would then compare similar schools to
determine why some schools did poorly and some did well on the
MEAP test. They would then take a hard look at how each district
spends its money.
For example, students in a school with high MEAP scores may see
more money in the classroom. In other words, their district
spends more money on teachers, tutors and technology in the
classroom than, say, a poorly performing district that spends
more money on bus drivers and janitorial staff.
By comparing scores between schools with similar demographics,
the Benchmarking study would allow legislators to determine the
effect money has on MEAPs scores, Palmer said.
“Right now there is no correlation with state funding,” Palmer
said. “Overall, Michigan doesn't have a direct policy, but we
need one."
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