Economic impact of trends in professional preparation levels of Indiana Certificated personnel, 1965-1966 through 1974-1975

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Authors
Evans, Philip Kent, 1941-
Advisor
Patton, Don C.
Issue Date
1977
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Thesis (D. Ed.)
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Abstract

The major intent of the study was to analyze the professional preparation levels of Indiana public school certificated personnel from 1965-1966 through 1974-1975 for discernible trends and attendant economic effects, if, in fact, such trends and effects existed.Multivariate analysis of variance was utilized to analyze trends in the professional preparation levels of certificated personnel in 303 Indiana public school corporations for three variables: (1) the state as a whole; (2) three geographic regions; and (3) three wealth categories. The F-ratio for multivariate test of equality was utilized to test the significance of trends, and a Pearson Product Moment Correlation was utilized to verify that relationships did exist among the variables.The overall fiscal impact of the changing mix of preparation levels for the ten-year period was identified by multiplying the 19741975 mean, salary for each of six levels of professional preparation by the number of personnel at each level for each year of the ten-year Period. The resulting products were summed and differences computed. The fiscal impact associated with increased preparation levels was isolated by holding mean salaries and years of experience constant at 1974-1975 levels and the total number of personnel at 1974-1975 levels, with the mix of preparation levels permitted to vary by relative annual percentages for each year of the ten-year period.The findings of -the study indicated that the percentage of personnel with a bachelors degree as the highest degree held decreased from 55.88 percent in 1965-1966 to 35.91 percent in 1974-1975 while the percentage of personnel with a masters degree increased from 38.53 percent to 61.13 percent. The mean years of preparation per FTE certificated personnel increased from 4.l166 to 4.555. A very highly significant difference (.0001) was found in the mix of preparation levels of personnel across the ten-year period. Constant, linear and quadratic relationships were significant at the .05 level or above. Significant differences were not found among trends in the preparation levels for three selected geographic regions and for three selected wealth categories across the ten-year period.The following conclusions were drawn from the study:1. A very strong linear trend exists in increased preparation of Indiana public school certified personnel.2. Although the slope of the trend in increased professional preparation does not differ among northern, central and southern regions, the southern region has a slightly lower mean level of preparation than either the northern or central region.3. The slope of the trend in increased professional preparation does not differ for the three wealth categories; however certificated personnel in high wealth corporations have a slightly higher level of preparation than personnel in medium wealth corporations, and personnel in medium wealth corporations have slightly higher levels of preparation than personnel in low wealth school corporations.4. A total of approximately $156.6 million in total salary cost increases would have occurred during the ten-year period if mean salaries were the same for all ten years as in 1974-1975. 5. An estimated increase of $42.92 million or approximately 27.4-percent of the total increase, measured in current dollars, is the direct result of increased preparation levels of certificated personnel if the total number of personnel were the same for all ten years as in 1974-1975.6. At current trends of increases in preparation levels of certificated personnel, approximately four dollars per pupil in 1974-1975 dollars can be expected as an increased annual operating cost as a result of increased preparation levels of certificated personnel. Such a value will compound with inflationary increases.The strong increase in the percentage of personnel with masters or higher degrees with an accompanying decrease in the percentage of personnel with a bachelors degree provides an indication that state-mandated professional improvement has resulted in increased preparation levels of certificated personnel. A major portion. of the fiscal impact of increased preparation levels of certificated personnel can be attributed to a state mandate of increased professional certification standards.