THE POLITICS OFAMERICAN EDUCATION

Megin HoltJon Rashid, Dan Young, Pat Murphy

The Politics of American Education

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?

The Politics of American Education

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

What Forces Influence School Governance and Finance?

Political Interest Groups Business and Industry Professional Organizations and

Teachers Parents, Students, and

Community Groups

The Politics of American Education

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

◦ Executive◦ Legislative◦ Judicial

Roles of the Federal Government in Education◦ The U.S. Constitution◦ Federal Legislation◦ Influence of the Executive branch

How is Education Governed?

Executiv

e

LegislativeJudicial

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

State Government

The Politics of American Education

Intermediate Educational Units◦ Designed 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 Officers◦ Comprised of state

commissioners and superintendents

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

Intermediate Education Agencies

The Politics of American Education

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

Local Government

The Politics of American Education

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

School Accountability

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

The Politics of American Education

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

state legislation and state and local boards of educationPrincipals Responsible for management at the school level Set school direction, build staff morale, leadershipSchool-Based Management (SBM) Governance process where the people affected by decisions are involved in making themSchool Advisory Council (SAC) Membership of school and community stakeholders who make

decisions and recommendations regarding school operations

Governance and Administrationof Schools

The Politics of American Education

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

Funding Education

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

The Politics of American 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

Funding Education

The Politics of American Education

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?

Issues of Governance and Finance

The Politics of American Education

Is using property tax to support education fair?

Privatization of public schools Why important to us, as teachers? Informed Professional Participation Accountability Teacher Empowerment

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

The Politics of American Education