This study examined different funding methods for financing public education in order to solve the problems associated with large numbers of school districts and great disparities in property wealth without abandonment of property tax as the major revenue source. Using enrollment and State Property Tax Board data for the 1,061 school districts in Texas in 1986-87, four alternative funding plans were studied to compare the equity and fiscal impact of each on public school finance in Texas. The state and local shares of the total cost of education were computed using a combination of three per-pupil expenditure levels and four funding formulas. The per-pupil expenditure levels used were $3,850, $4,200, and $4,580. The formulas used were representative of a full state funding plan, a percentage equalization plan, a power equalization plan, and a foundation school program plan. Since each of the four plans used significantly higher per-pupil expenditure values, all required a greater monetary investment on the part of the state. However, all plans were found to be equalizing in nature if set per-pupil expenditure values were maintained and no local enrichment was permitted. In addition, each of the four plans, as studied, met the fiscal neutrality standard of the …

This study investigates the inter-rater reliability of appraisers who award exceptional quality points on the Texas Teacher Appraisal Instrument. Inter-rater reliability was measured when appraisers scored exceptional quality points after viewing a videotaped lesson. Comparisons were made between appraisers when grouped according to elementary or secondary certification, sex, years of administrative experience, and type of training. A total of 707 subjects from 56 school districts participated in the study. Five research hypotheses were formulated with the .05 level of significance for acceptance. All hypotheses were tested by correlation of coefficients, multiple response procedures, frequencies, and percentages. The data measuring inter-rater reliability of the appraisers in training imply that there is very little reliability in the awarding of exceptional quality points on the Texas Teacher Appraisal Instrument. The findings of this study are that certification, sex, administrative experience, and type of training made no significant differences when scoring the instrument. Therefore, it is concluded that the scoring of exceptional quality points is a subjective, professional judgment made by each appraiser when observing a teacher. Since no significant reliability was found, the scoring of exceptional quality points cannot be supported as a reliable means of determining the quality of teaching in Texas …