Education Funding Protest: A Data Analysis of Resource Allocation Disparities.

• In Event: Poster Group 10
  In Poster Session: Education Funding Protest: A Data Analysis of Resource Allocation Disparities.

Proposal

Public education, for a long time, has proved to be a major driver of human capital development; enabling students, irrespective of their identity and place of residence, to excel in the workforce and contribute to the development of the nation’s economy. While this may be true ideally, in reality however, the opposite is the case, due to the inequities in resource allocation. The allocation of education funding has long since been a contentious issue, with disparities in resource distribution disproportionately affecting marginalized communities.

In recent years, protests have emerged as powerful catalysts for change in education, advocating for policy reforms, access to education and improved learning outcomes. For example, in the USA, the 2018 teachers protests led to the increase in education funding in 4 out of 12 states that experienced cuts in school funding. Similar education protests are also witnessed all over the world. In South Africa, the student-led #Feesmustfall protests led to the successful reversal of the rising tuition costs in tertiary institutions.

This poster presentation, therefore, aims to conduct a data analysis on the impact of education funding disparities across different communities and explore how protests have played a pivotal role in compelling policymakers to reconsider resource allocation strategies for a more equitable distribution.

Utilizing recent and credible education datasets, this poster will extract data to pinpoint and evaluate relationships, patterns and trends in order to glean insights and draw conclusions.

The objectives of the Poster Presentation is to
1. Analyze education funding datasets to identify disparities in resource allocation across communities, considering demographic and socioeconomic factors.

2. Investigate the effects of resource disparities on academic achievement, school infrastructure and overall student outcomes.

3. Evaluate the correlation between protests, public advocacy and subsequent changes in education funding policies.

4. Create compelling data visualizations that illustrate the severity of education funding inequalities, serving as advocacy tools for policymakers and the public.

Conclusion: Through a comprehensive data analysis and data visualization approach, the presentation hopes to shed light on education funding disparities and their implications for different communities. By understanding the impact of protests on resource allocation decisions, we hope to advocate for policies that promote equitable education opportunities and foster a learning environment for all students.

Author

• Emmanuella Nwabufo, University of Pennsylvania