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THE POLITICS OFAMERICAN EDUCATION

Megin HoltJon Rashid, Dan Young, Pat Murphy

The Politics of American Education

What Forces Influence School Governance and Finance?

Governance: The process of making financial and other decisions

What do you think public schools should

use more funds on, and why? Sex education? Violence in schools? Teen drug use? Making schools more energy efficient


What Forces Influence School Governance and Finance?

Stakeholders in Education: Stakeholders are people and agencies with a particular interest in schools

Political Interest Groups Business and Industry Professional Organizations and

Teachers Parents, Students, and Community

Groups


How is Education Governed?

The three branches of government influence the governance and finance of education

ExecutiveLegislativeJudicial

Roles of the Federal Government in EducationThe U.S. ConstitutionFederal Legislation Influence of the Executive branch

Executive

Legislative

Judicial

State Government Board of Education

Strengthens state leadership and policy making

Promote excellence in education to all students

Advocates equality of access to educational opportunity

Ensures continued citizen support for public education

State Standards Boards Responsible for the

governance and regulation of professional practice

Department of Education Implements policies that

effect education in each state


Intermediate Education Agencies

Intermediate Educational UnitsDesigned to provide

services that individual districts that might not be able to afford it on their own

Promotes inter-district collaboration

Council of Chief State School OfficersComprised of state

commissioners and superintendents

Provides a forum for interstate discussion and information exchange on educational advances and issues


Local Government Local Educational

Agencies School districts

Local Boards of Education Group of people elected

by people to make decisions for the school district

Must stay within State DOE standards

Superintendent Works closely with BOE Serves as the face of

the school district


School AccountabilityEveryone from the boards of education, superintendents, principals, teachers to students is held accountable.

No Child Left Behind Schools and districts must meet state standards by 2014 Schools and districts issue school accountability report cards available to

parents

and the community

Teacher Accountability Teachers are accountable for student learning Performance pay – bonuses or raises based

on student achievement


Governance and Administrationof Schools

Administration Management of school affairs, puts into place the policies set by state

legislation and state and local boards of education

Principals Responsible for management at the school level Set school direction, build staff morale, leadership

School-Based Management (SBM) Governance process where the people affected

by decisions are involved in making them

School Advisory Council (SAC) Membership of school and community stakeholders who make decisions

and recommendations regarding school operations


Funding EducationTotal expenditure for public elementary and secondary education is $489.4 billion annually, which comes to $9,969 for one student per year.

Federal Support and Mandates Categorical grants – federal government support through

specific legislation designed to help particular groups of students (e.g. Head Start)

Recipients of federal funding must comply with all federal regulations

State Funding Sales tax, income tax, inheritance tax, various license and

occupation fees, and state lotteries Flat grants – equal funding based on the districts average

daily attendance Foundation grants – funding based on property values,

inversely related to community wealth


Funding Education

Local Funding Property tax, based on assessed value of real estate

- Reliable, steady source of revenue

- Inequity between districts

Private Funding Foundations provide support through grants and other private

funds Targeted to reforming education with an emphasis on urban,

minority, and special education

- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

- Annenberg Foundation


Issues of Governance and Finance

Federal vs. State Control Who do American believe should have

the greatest influence over what is taught in public school?

Decisions to be made: What is best for

students and what should they learn?


Financing Education

Is using property tax to support education fair?

Privatization of public schools

Funding Equity: the unequal ability of school districts to pay for quality education


Why Important To Us, As Teachers?


Informed Professional Participation Accountability Teacher Empowerment