Chapter 10: Public Education in the United States

U.S. public schools – intro

A. students in most US’s states(must att) to age 16 or gr 9
B. fr K/1st (age 5/6) to 12th gr (18) = “K-12”
C. 90% stud in pub. sch; sm no. priv sch.
+ priv: relig /secular.; pub: secular
D. No national curric or exams
+ Fed gov. fund special prog
a. education for handicapped
b. bilingual education
Control of edu by indiv states (today)
I. 3 levels of contrl w/i a state
II. How edu funded
III. Issues + efforts (st & nat) to fix

I. Three Levels of Control w/n States

A. Sta Dept of Edu
1. Responsibilities
a. Sets curriculum requirem’ts
b. set number of credits student must complete to graduate high
school……
B. School district
1. Numbers depend on size of state&populatio
2. School board is elected or appointed
3. Responsibilities
a. what student study…...
i. required courses
ii. available election….
b. hires teacher & admin
C. School
 1. Teachers’ responsibilities
a. how to teach courses…
b. repair&give classroom examinations……

II. How Edu Is Funded

Pub sch funded by:
+ fed gov’t
+ …state & local taxes (E.g. 2010: 12 % from fed gov’t, …43…% fr …
state…, 44…% fr …local community.)

III. Edu Issues + Efforts to Fix

A. Issues:
1. Inequality educational opportunity in pub sch: pub sch funded mainly fr
local taxes 🡪 chil in poorer areas not receive as gd edu as wealthier areas
2. Funding of private school education🡪 stud’s par pay tuition. Par may
wonder why have 2 pay tax 4 pub sch.
B. Efforts to fix
1. State lev:
a. Charter School = type of pub sch……..:
- fund’g fr taxes
- compt w/ reg pub schls for Ss
- operate
+ under charter/contract…….
+ Charter school…( i.e. > indep)
• selectng Ts
• curric
• $$
- CSs-Stats
• 1st chart sch opened t/w end of 1980s.
• AY 1999/2000 🡪 2009/10 # Ss 🡩 fr 0,3 mil->1,6 mil. (4X 🡩)
 • AY 2009/10 CSs = 5% pub sch=charter sch…
- effective ?? - studies mixed
- Critics fear CSs mngd by priv comp’s w/ intrust in $$ not edu
b. …School voucher concept
- Basic idea: Par choose sch 4 chil (pub/ priv) 🡪 that sch receive …a set
amount of $/stu fr pub sch fund…
- Vou sch usu = priv sch usu. …religious organization…..
- Sch vou concept > controversial w. both support & oppose
2. Nat lev:
a. Edu bill NCLB (‘……no child left behind…..’)
- Sta & impl test prog & oth sys 🡪 ensure adequate yearly student
progressWidely criticized 4 many reas.
b. ……common core state standards……. (CCSS)
- Establ clear goals 🡪 Ss prepared 4 success
- Aim to …provide knowledge&skills needed to succeed…….