ORGANIZING AND PAYING FOR AMERICAN EDUCATION

ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOLS

Principal In charge of school Meets with superintendent & district supervisors Site-based management Alabama –

Administrative endorsement Performance contract but no tenure Contract can be 3 to 5 years after 1st probationary

contract Assistant Principal

Shares duties of principal – may be responsible for a specific area (discipline, athletics, etc.)

Required to have administrative endorsement Some schools have curriculum coordinators

ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOLS Department heads and team leaders –

teachers serving as leaders Teachers (largest group of adults in schools)

Principal & teachers must work to maintain communication

Alabama Student teachers Probationary teachers Tenured teachers

Superintendent can recommend to board & when the board approves contract is offered – when teacher accepts 4th contract they are tenured

Teacher contract length can vary – usually 187 days

ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOLS Support staff

Classified employees Examples – secretary, library media specialist,

custodian Students

Compulsory Education Law – nonspecial ed. students required to attend from age 6 until 18

Every school district required to provide kindergarten Attendance for 180 days / at least 6.5 hours per day

Teachers who need help or want to try something new should work up the chain of command beginning with team leaders or department heads

ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS Local Board of Education

legal authority for operating school systems 92% in US are elected Alexander City – appointed for 4 year terms Powers & duties

Only have powers granted by statute Some duties cannot be delegated (awarding tenure,

providing money, etc.) Other duties are discretionary & can be delegated to

the superintendent Business must be conducted in public meetings Examples of powers – obtain revenue, maintain

schools, purchase land, purchase materials & supplies, organize & provide curriculum, control conduct of students, select and support the superintendent

ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS Superintendent (Director) of Schools

Serves as the local “expert” on education Some superintendents are elected & some are

appointed Must have Superintendent endorsement

Central office staff includes clerical staff but also assistants to the

superintendent and curriculum specialists Work to help superintendent carry out the program

of education

ORGANIZATION AT STATE LEVEL US Constitution does not mention education – states are

charged with that responsibility State legislatures grant powers to state boards of educ.,

departments of educ., chief state school officers, & local boards

Alabama Board of Education

8 members elected Tallapoosa County – Betty Peters (2nd district)

State Superintendent of Education – Dr. Tommy Bice (appointed 2012)

State Legislature Meets annually for about 90 days State can take over low performing schools

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S ROLE IN EDUCATION Leadership – especially in times of

trouble US Department of Education

Established in 1867 as Office of Education directed by Henry Barnard

1979 – cabinet status Arne Duncan appointed in 2009

Federal educational aid can be categorical or a block grant

ALTERNATIVES TO REGULAR PUBLIC SCHOOLS Publicly funded schools

Magnet schools – focus on a subject area Charter schools – 1st were in CA in 1992 Year-round schools – reg. no. of days spread out across the

whole year Privately funded schools

Independent – funded by tuition & gifts – non-profit – board of trustees

Parochial – funded and governed by a religious body Vouchers – public money that can be used by student to go

to a private school “For-profit” K-12 schools – such as Edison Project that

has taken over failing public schools Home schooling – growing in no. (1999=4% of all

students)

FINANCING EDUCATION TAXATION

Property taxes are source of local revenue Advantage – stable income Disadvantage – accurate assessment difficult Assessment – determines value of property – done every 5

years Progressive or Regressive?

Progressive – based on ability to pay Regressive – lower income affected disproportionately

State revenue sources Sales tax Income taxes Gaming (casinos – not in AL) Lottery – used for scholarships and some states give $ to

schools (not in AL)

FINANCING EDUCATION Education spending

Expenditure per pupil varies widely 2012 $8881 in AL

State $ required for 3 reasons State has primary responsibility for education Wide variation in school districts’ ability to pay Personal wealth in real estate is lower

2 types of state funding Categorical - $ targeted by provider for specific purpose General – $ provided centrally but budgeted locally

Provides equality of opportunity Basic Education Program - $ for the basics Extras are a local expense

Educational Funding Sources Education primarily funded by state and

local sources Equity question addresses same funding

for all districts Adequacy funding refers to sufficiency

of funding Property taxes, sales or use taxes,

income taxes, primarily

State Funding SourcesState Funding Sources

States provide almost 50% of school funding, States provide almost 50% of school funding, state aidstate aid

Sources: sales taxes, income taxes, licenses, Sources: sales taxes, income taxes, licenses, misc.misc.

Gambling, casinos, river boats, horse racing, Gambling, casinos, river boats, horse racing, lotteries.lotteries.

Courts have held that education is not a Courts have held that education is not a fundamental rightfundamental right

States debating advertising, corporate, student States debating advertising, corporate, student fees, fundraiser schemes fees, fundraiser schemes

Foundations of American Education, 15e Johnson, et al 9-15

State aidState aid

Primary purpose of state aid threefoldPrimary purpose of state aid threefold States primarily responsible for educating citizensStates primarily responsible for educating citizens Financial ability of local districts to support Financial ability of local districts to support

education varieseducation varies Personal wealth less related to real propertyPersonal wealth less related to real property

State provides general, categorical aidState provides general, categorical aid General aid, idea that each child deserved basic General aid, idea that each child deserved basic

educationeducation General aid administered through a foundation General aid administered through a foundation

programprogram

Foundations of American Education, 15e Johnson, et al 9-16

How foundations workHow foundations work

Foundation, determines dollar value of basic Foundation, determines dollar value of basic educationeducation

Establishes minimal level of local contribution Establishes minimal level of local contribution School districts put up equal effort, not amountSchool districts put up equal effort, not amount Poor districts collect less, receive more state aidPoor districts collect less, receive more state aid Criticism, foundational level usually below Criticism, foundational level usually below

expenditureexpenditure Special and vocational education usually cost Special and vocational education usually cost

moremore

Foundations of American Education, 15e Johnson, et al 9-17