Exploring the Stochastic Frontier: The Impact of Inadequate Funding for English Language Learners on Colorado School Districts

• In Event: Resources and Reform: Education Funding and Finance in the States

Abstract

This research investigates, through stochastic frontier analysis (SFA), the funding and impact of large populations of English language learners (ELL) on student achievement and technical efficiency in Colorado school districts. The key question of the study asks: Are students in school districts with high populations of ELL students adversely affected by the inadequate support for ELL programs? With the available data, preliminary results indicate only a few of the expenditure variables significantly affect achievement, but ELL funding was not among them. For efficiency, greater percentages of ELL students decreases school district efficiency, as do three other variables—percentage of free and reduced lunch, special education, and disciplinary incidents.

Authors

• Al Ramirez, University of Colorado - Colorado Springs

• Dick M. Carpenter, University of Colorado

• Maureen Breckenridge, University of Colorado - Colorado Springs