Chapter 7: The Politics of American Education

What Forces Influences School Governance and Finance?

Governance - Decision making about the overseeing, monitoring, and implanting of educational functions

Public Opinion and Social Issues

Public opinion plays a powerful role in what schools teach and how they operate.

The public believes that until and unless schools are safe and orderly, they will not be able to provide a high-quality education for the nation’s students

Stakeholders in Education

Stakeholder - Anyone who has an interest in schools and education

The public is interested in education for five basic reasons:o People feel that since they’ve gone to school that their experience has given

them a certain knowledge and authority on school matterso Education in America s essentially viewed as being controlled and influenced by

citizens who believe that one role of the public schools is to educate future citizens for democratic living

o Many citizens are concerned about their children in schools and how it will affect their future

o People who pay taxes feel they have a right to say how schools operate and the education of students

o The business community has a stake in the public schools, because they believe it is the responsibility of the public schools to prepare citizens for the workforce

Politicians use schools as a way of implementing policies they believe are good for the states and the nation

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Lobbyists - Groups of individuals that lobby for a particular cause and help influence legislation and policy

How is Education Governed?

The executive branch of the national government and the federal court system exert considerable influence on education

State legislatures make the laws that govern education in each stateo The word education doesn’t appear in the Constitution

The judicial branches of government influence education policy, practice, and curriculum through court decisions and interpretations of laws

Roles of the Federal Government in Education

The control of education resides with the state government

Department of Education (original) o Created in 1867o Created to help collect information on schools and teaching that would help the

states establish effective school systems

The federal government also operate the Department of Defense Dependent School (DODDS)

o Educate the children of armed services personnel and other Department of Defense employees

No Child Left Behind Act - Signed by President bush in 2002, this act reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, originally passed in 1965

Roles of State Governments in Education

The tenth amendment gives responsibility for education to each of the 50 states

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National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) - an association that represents state boards of education

o Objectives are: To strengthen state leadership in educational policy makings To promote excellence in the education of all students To advocate equality of access to educational opportunity To ensure continued citizen support for public education

Board of Education’s common areas of jurisdiction:o Setting Statewide curriculum standardso Determining qualifications for professional education personnel, including

teacher certificationo Making recommendations on state education statuseso Adopting standards to ensure equal access and due processo Undertaking quasi-legislative and judicial functionso Administering federal assistance programso Formulating standards on school facilities

State Standards Boards - Responsible for the governance and regulation of professional practice within a state and for overseeing teacher certification and entry into and dismissal from the profession

Responsibilities of the state departments of education:o Managing, monitoring, and distributing federal fundingo Overseeing public and private elementary, secondary, and vocational educationo Working cooperatively with the state legislatureo Providing for and promoting staff developmento Conducting public relationso Monitoring school compliance with state regulations

In most states, the state department of education is headed by a person with overall responsibility for implementing educational policy in that state

o State Secretary (or Director) of Education or the State Superintendent of Education (or of Public Instruction)

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National Governors’ Association (NGA) - An organization of state governors devoted to addressing problems common to all the states; reflects governors’ increasing leadership role in ongoing education reform and change efforts

Roles of Intermediate Education Agencies

Intermediate Educational Units (IEU’s) - Educational service organizations that provide school districts human and material services and programs

o Maximizes existing resources and promotes interdistrict collaboration

Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) - An intermediate agency, composed of state commissioners or superintendents of education, that provides a forum for interstate discussion and information exchange on educational advances and issues

o The chief state school officer is appointed by either the governor of a state or the state board of education

Roles of Local Government in Education

Board’s of Education:o Implement state regulations and policieso Make and implement local policieso Tax residents to raise fundso Incur debto Build facilitieso Hire and pay school personnelo Create the curriculumo Respond to community needs through special programs and initiatives

Local Education Agency (LEA) - Local school districts

Independent School Districts - School districts that cross city and county boundaries and are often the result of legislative action.

o Are often regional school districts serving large numbers of students

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Local Boards-o Responsible for education at the local levelo Composed of 5-9 members

Elected by either voters or are appointed by mayors or other public officials

Superintendents’ Responsibilities:o Working in close consultation with the local board of educationo Working collaboratively and collegially with school district personnel, labor

leaders, community leaders, and appointed and elected officials on local, regional, and national fronts

How Are Schools Held Accountable?

NCLB and School Accountability

No Child Left Behind Act was created to mandate accountabilityo And also to close the achievement gap between whites and minorities

The NCLB requires states to administer standards-based assessments in reading, math, and science with the goal of having all students proficient in those subjects by 2014

Teacher Accountability

Performance Pay - The policy of awarding teachers bonuses or raises based on student achievement or other criteria

How Are Schools Governed And Administered?

Administration - The management of the affairs of a school or education agency based on the policies established by the state legislature, state board or education, and local board of education

Principles and Assistant Principles

The principle is responsible for the management of human and material resources to effectively support teachers’ teaching and children’s learning at the school level

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School-Based Management

School-Based Management(SBM) - A governance process based on the premise that people who are affected by decisions should be involved in making them

The Goal of School-Based Decision Making:o To ensure the staff, parent, and community involvement needed will accomplish

the district’s mission through its strategic plan

School Advisory Councils

School Advisory Council (SAC) - SAC membership consists of school and community stakeholders who make decisions and recommendations regarding school operation

How is Education Funded?

The majority of financial support for public elementary and secondary schools comes from:

o Federal government (1)o State government (2)o Local communities (3)o Businesseso Industryo Foundations

Federal Support and Mandates

Categorical (Block) Grants - Federal government support of the public schools that comes through specific legislation designed to help particular groups of students

The state or school district has to comply with the federal spending guidelines attached to the funds

o Recipients of federal funding also have to agree to comply with all other existing federal rules and regulations

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Funding at the State Level

Ways for states to collect money to support education:o Sales taxo Income taxo Inheritance taxeso Various license and occupation feeso State lotteries

Flat Grants - Provide equal funding based on a district’s average attendanceo Some states give variable amounts of funding based on particular needs

Foundation Grants - Grants based on the property values in a school district

Poor communities with low revenues from property taxes receive more money than wealthy communities

Funding at the Local Level

The majority of local funding support for schools is raised from property taxeso Cons:

Produces inequity The tax falls mainly on homeowners (who are less willing to have their

taxes raised to support schools)

What Issues of Governance and Finance Affect Education Today?

State versus Local Control

If local school districts fail to do their job, then cities and states, under provisions of the NCLB, can take over the school district

Funding Equity

Funding Equity - Involves issues of equable funding; relates to the unequal ability of school districts to pay for quality education

Privatization of Public School

Privatization - The operation of public schools by business and industry

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