EDEL 2300
February 4, 2003
There is great diversity in the legal governance of our schools in America. This can be traced back to colonial times when our country had only local community governments. The first educational legislation was endorsed 150 years before the U.S. Constitution was written and by that time, the control of schools by local groups was already established.
School policies originate from many sources which include: professional educators, school board members, state legislators, superintendents, court decisions, special interest groups, and the general public. State board of education agencies are responsible for educational policies. However, there are many other agents of school governance besides the state board of education. Chief school officers are elected by the boards of education and are more commonly known as superintendents. They are responsible for managing school policies and activities. Another agency of education is known as the state department of education. This organization certifies teachers, distributes funding, and make sure that local school systems conform to state laws. School districts are also considered an agency of education. They are responsible for taxing, budgeting, hiring, and making school policies.
Education is clearly defined in the Constitution as a responsibility of the states, but most states assign much of their power to local levels. However, many states have taken action and made new educational laws. For example, in the mid 1980’s, tougher high school graduation requirements were legislated and many states increased their teacher certification criteria.
School boards “represent the public’s interest in shaping the policies and practices of their local schools” (281). Even so, there are many major criticisms about school boards today. For example, “school boards are not representing local communities,” and “they have become immersed in administrative details” (281). School board practices do need to be improved and hopefully that is something we will see in the near future.
Business involvement in education has increased dramatically over time and schools accept this to prepare students to accept business ethics. To succeed, businesses require effective schools and in return, these businesses are greatly involved in schools. For example, Coca-Cola and Nabisco have allocated $80 million for public schools.
Principals are responsible for school personnel decisions like hiring and firing. However, parents and school secretaries also play an important role. “These unofficial but highly involved persons and groups constitute the hidden government in schools” (286).
Superintendents are the most powerful education officers in all school districts. They are responsible for budgets, long-term goals, and daily operations. Superintendent turnover was extremely high during the 1920’s due to the determination to increase school efficiency. The stress from this did not attract many applicants.
Over the past century, there has been a decrease in the number of school districts and an increase in their overall sizes. This shift is known as consolidation. There is no ideal size of a school district. However, the National Institute of Education suggested that some decentralization of school districts into smaller units could be beneficial.
The federal government pays for less than 10 percent of public education. Though their financial contribution is small, they have made a big impact on our schools. Most federal aid is through categorical grants, which are directed at specific educational needs. However, along with this aid comes many rules and regulations. In fact, some schools have refused the federal aid to avoid complying with the extensive rules.
Parents also play an important role in education. Unfortunately, many studies have shown that most parents are not involved with their children’s schoolwork. To emphasize parental participation in 1990, 20 states enacted parent involvement legislation.
Schools have also turned to community groups. For example, in Houston, architects taught students about the history and structures of the city’s buildings. “As schools reach out to community and business sectors, they are enhancing their chances of improving the quality and effectiveness of education” (295).
Traditionally, teachers are not involved in school governance regardless of their expertise. In fact, less than one quarter of teachers surveyed said they had an opinion in choosing the subjects and grade levels they teach. A 1989 poll also found that teachers are highly unsatisfied with the amount of control they have in their profession.
Last Updated: April 15, 2004