Data Envelopment Analysis: Measurement of Educational Efficiency in Texas

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficiency of Texas public school districts through Data Envelopment Analysis. The Data Envelopment Analysis estimation method calculated and assigned efficiency scores to each of the 931 school districts considered in the study. The efficiency scores were utilized in two phases. First, the school district efficiency scores were combined with school district student achievement to evaluate effectiveness with efficiency. A framework was constructed to graph the scores on an x-axis of student achievement scores and a y-axis of efficiency scores to further illustrate the data. The framework was evaluated with the full statewide sample and with school districts categorized into similar peer groups. Then, using variables selected from related scholarly literature, a regression analysis identified which factors impacted school district efficiency statewide. The non-discretionary variables included in the study were total student enrollment, the percentage of non-white students and the percentage of economically disadvantaged students. The discretionary variables selected included the teacher-to-student ratio, teachers’ average years of experience, the percentage of teachers with master’s degrees and the average teacher base salary. Amongst the seven factors selected for regression analysis, five statistically significant variables were identified as impacting statewide school district efficiency. All three non-discretionary variables were identified as statistically significant on efficiency and included total student enrollment, the percentage of non-white students and the percentage of economically disadvantaged students. Two discretionary factors showed statistically significant effects on efficiency which included teachers’ average years of experience and the percentage of teachers with master’s degrees. The teacher-to-student ratio and the average teacher base salary were ineffective in predicting efficiency. This study contributed to the understanding on educational efficiency. Data Envelopment Analysis has been employed mainly in the private sector to analyze efficiency in economics and business organizations. This study added to the educational research on selecting Data Envelopment Analysis as a primary estimation method for analyzing the efficiency of school systems

Operational research IO 2021—analytics for a better world. XXI Congress of APDIO, Figueira da Foz, Portugal, November 7–8, 2021

This book provides the current status of research on the application of OR methods to solve emerging and relevant operations management problems. Each chapter is a selected contribution of the IO2021 - XXI Congress of APDIO, the Portuguese Association of Operational Research, held in Figueira da Foz from 7 to 8 November 2021. Under the theme of analytics for a better world, the book presents interesting results and applications of OR cutting-edge methods and techniques to various real-world problems. Of particular importance are works applying nonlinear, multi-objective optimization, hybrid heuristics, multicriteria decision analysis, data envelopment analysis, simulation, clustering techniques and decision support systems, in different areas such as supply chain management, production planning and scheduling, logistics, energy, telecommunications, finance and health. All chapters were carefully reviewed by the members of the scientific program committee.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Methods for Using Manpower to Assess USAF Strategic Risk

With limited personnel resource funding availability, senior US Air Force (USAF) decision makers struggle to base enterprise resource allocation from rigorous analytical traceability. There are over 240 career fields in the USAF spanning 12 enterprises. Each enterprise develops annual risk assessments by distinctive core capabilities. A core capability (e.g. Research and Development) is an enabling function necessary for the USAF to perform its mission as part of the Department of Defense (DOD). Assessing risk at the core capability is a good start to assessing risk, but is still not comprehensiveness enough. One of the twelve enterprises has linked its task structure to Program Element Codes (PECs). Planners and programmers use amount of funding per PEC to assess tasks needed to address a desired capability. For the first time, a linkage between core functions, core capabilities, PECs, tasks and manpower has been developed. We now can provide an objective nomenclatured way to compute personnel risk. All resources planned are not programmed (i.e. resource allocated and budgeted); the delta between the two translate into capability gaps and a level of strategic risk. A USAF career field risk demonstration is performed using normal, sigmoid and Euclidean-norm functions. Understanding potential personnel shortfalls at the career field level should better inform core capability analysis, and thus increase credibility and defensibility of strategic risk assessment

Improving Water Quality through Environmental Policies and Farm Management: an Environmental Economics Analysis of Dairy Farming in Karapiro Catchment

This research explores the environmental and economic implications of nitrogen discharge abatement from dairy farms. This thesis develops a framework to analyse agri-environmental policies using bio economic modelling. A novel approach has been developed using farm survey data for catchment scale modelling and policy analysis. Policy analysis is facilitated by various modelling techniques and software. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used to convert data from multiple sources to a common platform for policy analysis. Whole dairy farm system simulations coupled with a Metamodel built on the Overseer software are used to establish the relationship between farm economic returns and nitrogen discharges. This relationship is used to derive abatement costs and resolve policy implementation challenges. Data Envelopment Analysis is used to develop Environmental economic efficiency measures. Finally a stylized model is used to determine spatially optimal riparian buffer strips. The results show that the differences in abatement costs and environmental efficiency between farming systems are significant. The adverse effects of information asymmetry can be effectively minimized by adopting differentiated incentives and target monitoring. Riparian buffers are a cost effective abatement tool that complement abatement at the intensive margin. Clear understanding of farm heterogeneity will help to design effective policies. Techniques for the measurement of policy impact have been successfully developed and add significantly to our knowledge of the underlying relationships. The use of simulated data for agri-environmental policy analysis is versatile and is expected to have several valuable applications. These methods can be applied to other geographic areas and research domains. This thesis provides useful tools for policy makers seeking to develop empirically informed agri environmental policy