School Funding and School Reform

School Funding- 3 main sources Local44% State50 % Federal 6%

Local: Property Taxes- 90% of local revenues Major disparity between wealthy suburbs and rural areas Determines teacher supplements Local school bonds pay for new schools and repairs Disparities in supplemental monies among individual schools

State: Sales tax and personal income Large variation in the amount spent on education state to state Differences in spending depend on the amount of total budget as well as total percentage of what budget spent on education States aid local school districts with a minimum amount per student NC offers schools grants for specific reforms

Federal: Two types of funding –Categorical Grants- funding for specific groups –Block Grant- funds for general purpose. Greater freedom to local administrators

School Reform A RESPONSE TO CHANGING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS –Shift from manufacturing to service industries –Inability to compete worldwide –Apparent decline in academic skills of US students

4 Major Themes in School Reform (last 2 decades) (Not including No Child Left Behind) 1. Improve Academic Achievement 2. A tension between concerns for excellence and concerns for diversity and equity 3. Choice in Schooling 4. Restructuring school governance, school processes, and the teaching profession

1. Improve academic achievement Nation At Risk report (1983) –Reagan Era –Suggested common core of 5 subjects be taught- English, Math, Computer Sciences, Social Studies, and Science –More homework and longer school days and years –Higher standards for teachers –Primarily looked at standardized test scores Read exhibit 14.7, p. 451—be familiar with the content in it

America 2000 (1991) –President George Bush announced the report, President Clinton signed it into law on March 31, 1994—P.L , the Goals 2000 –5 subjects should be math, science, history, geography and English –Calls for greater accountability –Better trained teachers –Called for US students to be the 1 st in the world in math and science by 2000 –Every school would be drug and violence free –Every adult would be literate and possess the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship –Review the National Education Goals of P.L : Goals 2000 (1994), p. 445.

2.A tension between concerns for “excellence” and concerns for diversity and equity Can we have equity and excellence for all? Focusing on a narrow core of common values and content stemming almost entirely from a male- dominated European tradition may exclude or disadvantage children that are not white, middle class and male Standardized tests will further disadvantage students from cultures that are unaccustomed to the language and codes of such tests Some changes through legal challenges to make school funding more equitable America 2000 proposal gave little notice to the multicultural perspective of education

3. Choice in Schooling Parents and students should be allowed to select any school of their choice Schools would be supported by a voucher Designed so that better schools would flourish because of high state revenues derived from high attendance Poor schools would have to improve or perish

4. Restructuring school governance, school processes, and the teaching profession Nation at Risk proposed –Career ladders –Higher salaries –Merit pay New ways of structuring the teaching profession to enable experienced teachers to take a greater role in inducting new teachers into the profession Higher standards for entering the profession Major structural changes of the teaching profession Teachers should have more decision making autonomy in schools Increased role for citizens and business community Decentralize school governance

1986 report Tomorrow’s Teachers: A Report to the Holmes Group set 5 goals for the teaching profession p. 453

Late 1990’s School Reform: New and Continuing Initiatives Computer Technology Teacher Professionalization School ChoiceParent Involvement in schools and decision making School to Work reforms Vouchers Charter SchoolsMagnet Schools