| The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between expenditure for technology, instructional resource, and professional development and positively impacts at risk student achievement. The problem addressed was: Over three years, do variations in expenditures for technology, instructional resources, and curriculum and professional development relate to educational achievement for at risk students? Previous studies in the area of at risk student achievement and the relationship of technology have produced mixed results. The four research questions asked if per student technology, instructional resources, and curriculum and staff development expenditures relate to English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies at risk student achievement as measured by state accountability test.;The population studied was Texas public school districts with high schools serving grades 9--12 who had three years of at risk student data in the state's academic excellence indicator system (AEIS) reports for the 2007--2008, 2008--2009, and 2009--2010 school years. The units of analysis for the study were data aggregated at the district level. The percentage of at risk students passing the state-mandated standardized exit level, eleventh grade, tests for English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies served as dependent variables. Independent variables consisted of per student expenditures for technology, instructional resources including media services and curriculum and professional development. A hierarchal regression model tested the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variables, while controlling for the percentage of White Non-Hispanic students.;Results showed that for each subject area and year of the study, the hierarchical regression model showed no relationship between per student expenditure and at risk student achievement on the state mandated eleventh grade test. This led to the conclusion that when the percent of White Non-Hispanic students is controlled, there is no relationship between at risk student achievement and per student expenditure in the area of technology access, implementation, and instructional integration. |
