C&I 212Dr. Brown

State Board of Education

The legal governing body that exercises general control and supervision of the schools in a state.

Responsibilities: Supervise teaching licenses Establish length of school

year Standards & Accreditation Gather data (test scores,

enrollments, demographics) Curriculum and Textbooks

School Districts

Administrative unit within a state that is defined by a geographical boundary and is legally responsible for the public education of children within those boundaries

Data: 15,000 school districts 48% less than 1,000

students In 1930 – 130,000 school

districts

School Board

Group of elected lay citizens responsible for setting policies that determine how a school district operates

Functions Finance Infrastructure Personnel Curriculum Students

Data 96% Elected, 80% White, 61%

Male Problems: Voter turnout, at-large

Superintendent

District’s head administrative officer

Data Hired by school board Often leads/sets direction for

the school board Increasingly from outside of

education (NYC, LA, Chicago) 13% Women, 5% Non-white Average Tenure – 6 years Average Salary - $122,000 Runs the district office

Principal

Individual given the ultimate administrative responsibility for a school’s operation.

Flat Grant: (Iowa, example) Fixed dollar amount per student in the state Local communities can raise additional funds

Full State Funding: (only Hawaii) State pays 100% of education costs Uniform property tax

Foundation Support: (Illinois and most states) A foundation level is determined Local property taxes are used first State funding is used to reach the foundation level

(Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, 2006)

“The state shall provide for an efficient system of high quality public educational institutions and services…The state has the primary responsibility for financing the system of public education” (Sec 1, Article 10, Illinois Constitution)

In 2008F

unding ranged between $5,500 and $22,000 per studentS

tate Average $10,470

The 2010 foundational level: $6,119 per pupil Foundation amount is arbitrary; not the actual cost of education

Funding Formulas: Foundation Formula: Local resources are less than 93% of

foundation level (80% of districts) Foundational level – Local resources = State Aid If a district raises $4000 per student they would receive $2119 per

student from the state. Alternative Formula: Local resources are between 93% and 175%

of the foundation level (15% of districts) Provides between 5% to 7% of the foundational level per student

(roughly between $306-$428) Flat Grant: Local resources are over 175% of foundational level (5%

of districts) These districts receive $218 per student in State Aid

State Poverty Grant Funding based on the number of students living in

poverty Based on a formula (2007: Poverty grant was between

$300-$3000 per low income student )S

tate Mandated Services Schools are reimbursed for services that are required by

law These include: free/reduce lunch, special education,

transportation, summer school

Findings and Questions related to the article?

Illinois Funding Examples: Adlai Stevenson High School:

http://iirc.niu.edu/School.aspx?schoolID=340491250130001

Simeon Career Academy: http://iirc.niu.edu/School.aspx?schoolid=150162990250537