As the accompanying chart demonstrates, less than five percent of the variation in MEAP scores is explained by the districts' per pupil spending level. In o ther words, the level of spending appears to have very little to do with the level of student achievement. There are some who say that paying teachers more would attract better personnel to teaching and improve the quality of education. It tu rns out that the average teacher salary explains less than three and one-half percent of the variation in MEAP scores. In other words, the level of teachers' salary appears to have very little to do with the quality of education in a school district.
Many people are of the opinion that small class sizes contribute to better student achievement.
When comparing the Michigan data, however, there appears to be only a moderate relationship. The variations in class size in the largest school districts ex plain only about twenty-four percent of the variations in MEAP test scores in those same districts. Given the enormous cost of reducing class size significantly, the data suggest that such an investment may not be warranted. The failure of school factors such as per pupil spending, average teacher salary and class size to have much effect on test scores indicates that emphasis on these items cannot significantly improve student achievement in Michigan. Spending more clearly does not guarantee a better education as measured by the MEAP test scores.