Per-capita funding model in Kazakhstani public and private schools and issues of adequacy, equity and accountability

Grant Funding 2021-2023
Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The goal of the project is to examine the adequacy of per-capita school funding for improving educational equity and developing the notion of school accountability in Kazakhstan. The project aims to produce academic knowledge and recommendations for educational decision-makers on how per-capita funding model in Kazakhstan can be improved. The objectives of the project are: (1) to examine how school principals, school board members, parents, municipal, regional and national decision-makers understand concepts of education funding adequacy, equity, and accountability in Kazakhstan in the context of school education per capita funding; (2) to determine how the implementation of school education per capita funding model in Kazakhstan achieve goals of funding adequacy, educational equity, and accountability; (3) to determine how early stages per-capita higher education funding adequacy, educational equity, and accountability in Kazakhstan compares to per-capita school education funding internationally; (4) to develop recommendations for improving school education per-capita funding model to support the adequacy of funding, educational equity and school accountability in Kazakhstan.

This research will provide a comprehensive view on how urban schools in different socioeconomic environments in the country implement per-capita school funding and what impact of this funding they experience. The proposed research will engage a broad range of education stakeholders associated with school level decision-making. This will allow data triangulation and objective assessment of adequacy, equity, and accountability outcomes of per-capita school funding. There is no such research available to-date and this study will be the first of its kind in Kazakhstan. International evidence shows that per-capita funding may aggravate educational inequities and lead to misunderstood or even abused school accountability (Janashia, 2016). Early research on per-capita school funding indicates the presence of this issue in Kazakhstan. Early stage policy implementation analysis is crucial to minimize the risk of negative policy outcomes. The research carries significant academic and social value. Basic research outcome of this project will be contribution of scientific knowledge of school education funding policy implementation. The applied social value of this research project is its aim to address an applied policy issue of developing a mechanism for per capita funding which would effectively improve education access and outcomes.

- за 2021 год: Представленп 1 (одна) статья или обзор в рецензируемое научное издание, входящее в 1 (первый) или 2 (второй) квартиль в базе Web of Science и (или) имеющем процентиль по CiteScore в базе Scopus не менее 65 (шестидесяти пяти), Написана для последующей публикации 1 (одна) статья на казахском языке в отечественных изданиях, рекомендованных КОКСОН. Проведены одна (1) презентация на международной конференции, одна (1) презентация на национальной конференции. Написан один (1) аналитический обзор результатов исследования, включающий рекомендации заинтересованным сторонам образования.