The impact of resource allocation on professional development for the improvement of teaching and student learning within a site-based managed elementary school: A case study

The purpose of this study was to investigate how much funding a site-based managed school allocated toward promoting effective professional development at an elementary school level. Additionally, the study examined a district and school's practice of allocating resources for professional development and determined how funding and where the funding for professional development originated. Furthermore, an evaluation process was used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the school's professional development programs as they compared to an evidence-based professional development model.;This study used conceptual frameworks adapted from the research literature to guide data collection and analysis for four research questions: (a) How are personnel used for the delivery of professional development? (b) How are resource allocation decisions for professional development determined? (c) How much funding is directed toward professional development and from what sources do these funds originate? (d) How is professional development used to promote organizational capacity and student achievement?;This descriptive-analytic case study was conducted in one elementary school, Sutherland Elementary, in a decentralized unified school district, Glenn Park Unified, located just 30 miles outside of Los Angeles' metropolitan area in Southern California. The district and school were selected on the basis of: (a) implementation of innovative professional development; (b) evidence of administrative freedom to allocate funds to professional development; and (c) significant gains in the school's Academic Performance Index (API) over the last 5 years.;Data analysis revealed that Sutherland Elementary and Glenn Park Unified School District employed several research-based strategies pertaining to professional development that aimed at building the capacity of the organization and the individuals. Additionally, the data uncovered that while Sutherland Elementary had the autonomy to decide upon professional development activities, the district supported the school site. An evaluation of Sutherland's allocation practices for professional development revealed a disconnect with the research provided by the evidence-based model. However, the data also highlighted that Sutherland Elementary and Glenn Park Unified School District received a greater amount of professional development resources than could be accounted for in the school and district's expenditures due to partnerships with universities and educational foundations.;The study provided conclusions addressing the six core strategies of the conceptual framework, the role of the district office in a decentralized setting, and the analysis between the decentralized setting of Glenn Park Unified as compared to a centralized management style. Five major themes surrounding professional development practices appeared to illustrate the overall success of the school and district: (a) a vision for learning; (b) data-driven decision making; (c) effective utilization of resources; (d) collaboration; and (e) site autonomy. Recommendations for successful professional development practices at other schools and districts included: (a) establishing a clear vision and goals for teaching and learning; (b) utilizing data to make professional development decisions; (c) establishing the needed access to ongoing, on-site, fulltime coaching; (d) adopting a financial plan that mirrors those used in the private sector; (e) collaboration across the school and district; and (f) encouraging site autonomy for professional development decisions coupled with district support as needed. Finally, suggestions for future research consisted of: (a) uncovering the impact of lost instructional time for the purpose of professional development; (b) investigating how to efficiently fund on-site coaches and understand the knowledge and skills coaches must possess to be effective; (c) comparing the professional development practices of decentralized and centralized districts on a larger scale; and (d) performing experimental studies for the purpose of establishing statistically significant correlations between professional development practices and student learning outcomes.