Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

School of Education

First Advisor

Marc Shelton, EdD

Second Advisor

Nicole Enzinger, Ph.D.

Abstract

Grounded in the Educational Production Function framework and Oregon’s ESSA-aligned accountability system, this study examined the relationship between district-level staffing allocation proportions and student achievement outcomes. Within the constrained, zero-sum context of school district budgeting, the study examined whether the proportional distribution of personnel expenditures among certified, classified, and administrative staff was associated with differences in third grade English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency, eighth grade mathematics proficiency, attendance, and on-time graduation. Using an unbalanced panel of 519 district-year observations from Oregon public school districts (2021–2024), multiple regression models controlled for student poverty, disability status, and English learner enrollment. The findings indicate that staffing allocations operate through outcome-specific trade-offs rather than uniform effects. Reallocations toward certified instructional staff were significantly associated with higher third grade ELA proficiency. In contrast, reallocations toward administrative staffing were associated with higher on-time graduation rates but lower eighth grade mathematics proficiency. Attendance outcomes showed no statistically significant sensitivity to staffing proportions once demographic characteristics were controlled. These results suggest that there is no single optimal staffing configuration; instead, district leaders must navigate strategic trade- offs by aligning staffing allocations with specific instructional or completion priorities within fixed fiscal constraints.

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