The Relationship Between K-12 Public School Funding, Per Pupil Expenditures, and Student Achievement
Date of Conferral
12-17-2025
Date of Award
December 2025
Degree
Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A)
School
Management
Advisor
Annie Brown
Abstract
Public school district leaders are challenged with funding K-12 education that creates the desired student academic performance. Grounded in student-based budgeting theory, this quantitative ex post facto study aimed to investigate the relationship between K–12 public school funding, per-pupil expenditures, student achievement, and graduation rates in Georgia. The study included secondary data from 51 North Georgia public school districts for the 2018–2019 school year. Multiple regression analysis was completed to examine the relationship between the independent variables—state funding, per-pupil expenditures, and academic achievement in math, science, and language arts—and the dependent variable: graduation rates. The results of the analysis were significant, F(5, 45) = 3.30, p = .013, R² = .27. In the final model, math achievement (t = 2.41, p < .05, β = .32) and state funding (t = 2.15, p < .05, β = -.45) were significant predictors of graduation rates. However, the remaining variables of science, language arts, and per-pupil expenditures have no relationship with graduation rates. A key recommendation is for state and district leaders to examine the distribution of funding to improve desired academic outcomes. The implications for positive social change include the potential for state and district policymakers to realign funding to increase student preparedness for postsecondary education and the workforce, thereby supporting long-term community sustainability.
Recommended Citation
Frazier-Bagley, Regina R., "The Relationship Between K-12 Public School Funding, Per Pupil Expenditures, and Student Achievement" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 18896.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/18896
