Governing and Administering Public Education Chapter 7 Governing and Administering Public Education

Educational Roles at Different Levels of Government Federal State Local Sets broad goals & priorities Funding and support to states & local districts Legal decisions Establishes local districts Raises & distributes tax money to local districts Sets curriculum guides & teacher standards Implements local, state and national policies Major responsibility for day-to-day operations of schools, including staffing, funding, and instructional concerns

A Typical School Board Member Male (60%) White (86%) Over 40 (82%) College-educated (67%) High-income (64% over $50,000/year) Parent of a child in district (57%) Conservative (55%)

Responsibilities of Local School Boards Policy Staffing Employee Relations Fiscal Matters Student Concerns Curriculum and Assessment Community Relations Intergovernmental Requirements

Superintendents’ Roles Management of personnel Curricular and instructional leadership Administrative management Overseeing district’s day-to-day operations

Principals’ Roles Managing day-to-day school operations Instructional leadership Differences by level of school Secondary: seen as general managers Elementary: seen as leaders in curriculum and instruction

Types of Community Involvement in Schools Community Participation Advisory committees (Site-based Decision Making) to neighborhood school or local school board Community Education Schools partner with community agencies to offer social & educational programs to a wide variety of people. Community Control Elected council shares power with school board Charter schools

State Level Players and Their Roles in Education Decisions Governor Education budget recommendations Appoint state education officials State Legislature Nature and level of state taxes for schools Taxing powers of local districts What may be taught, length of compulsory school attendance

State Level Players and Their Roles in Education Decisions (cont’d.) State Board of Education Vary widely by state State Department of Education Collects and disseminates school statistics Monitors districts’ implementation of state educational policies Chief State School Officer Heads the State Department of Education Chief Executive of State Board of Education

National Perspectives US Department of Education (ED) Began in 1867 as Office of Education Cabinet-level status in 1979 Secretary of Education Manages ED Advocates for specific agendas National School Organizations National School Boards Association Council of Chief State School Officers Education Commission of the States

No Child Left Behind 2002 Reauthorization of Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1965) Goals Improve low-performing schools Hold states and districts accountable through annual testing in reading & math More federal influence than ever before Concern about un-funded mandates

Private School Statistics Eleven percent of U.S. students attend private schools. Of those: 49% attend Catholic schools. 16% attend nonreligious, independent schools.