An Analysis of "Using Achievement Test Scores to Allocate Title I Funds."

This paper is a review and analysis of a report on compensatory education which was prepared by the National Institute of Education (NIE). The report focused on the problem of the allocation of funds on the basis of achievement test scores rather than on the poverty criteria. It discussed issues regarding the allocation of Elementary Secondary Education Act Title I funds by test scores, the procedures and estimated costs of developing and implementing a system to obtain test scores, and the possible changes in the distribution of funds that might result from a shift in the basis for Title I allocations from poverty data to achievement scores. This analysis indicates that currently available data do not provide the information required to distribute Title I funds on the basis of achievement test scores either to school districts or to states. However, test data for this purpose could be produced within a three year period. (Author/AM)