Does Location Matter? Spatial Variation in School Performance and Spending (Poster 24): SIG-Fiscal Issues, Policy and Education Finance, 8:46 AM

• In Event: e-Lightening Ed-Talk Session 6

Abstract

Whether an increase in school spending would lead to improvement in student achievement is a debated topic in educational policy research. The traditional OLS model provides a universal explanation between school funding and academic performance while ignoring nuance in different geographical contexts. This study uses Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR) to explain the heterogenous spatial relationship between funding and student academic outcome in Maricopa County Arizona. Evidence from this study suggests that student achievement at schools in areas with higher household income responds positively to an increase in school expenditure while negatively in areas with lower household income. In addition, the impact of percent of Hispanic/ Latino students on student achievement varies across locations.

Author

• Yaxin Wang, Arizona State University