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 1 st 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 4 th 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 (2 nd 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 – 1 st 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 Sources States provide almost 50% of school funding, state aid States provide almost 50% of school funding, state aid Sources: sales taxes, income taxes, licenses, misc. Sources: sales taxes, income taxes, licenses, misc. Gambling, casinos, river boats, horse racing, lotteries. Gambling, casinos, river boats, horse racing, lotteries. Courts have held that education is not a fundamental right Courts have held that education is not a fundamental right States debating advertising, corporate, student fees, fundraiser schemes States debating advertising, corporate, student fees, fundraiser schemes Foundations of American Education, 15e Johnson, et al 9-15

State aid Primary purpose of state aid threefold Primary purpose of state aid threefold States primarily responsible for educating citizens States primarily responsible for educating citizens Financial ability of local districts to support education varies Financial ability of local districts to support education varies Personal wealth less related to real property Personal wealth less related to real property State provides general, categorical aid State provides general, categorical aid General aid, idea that each child deserved basic education General aid, idea that each child deserved basic education General aid administered through a foundation program General aid administered through a foundation program Foundations of American Education, 15e Johnson, et al 9-16

How foundations work Foundation, determines dollar value of basic education Foundation, determines dollar value of basic education Establishes minimal level of local contribution Establishes minimal level of local contribution School districts put up equal effort, not amount School districts put up equal effort, not amount Poor districts collect less, receive more state aid Poor districts collect less, receive more state aid Criticism, foundational level usually below expenditure Criticism, foundational level usually below expenditure Special and vocational education usually cost more Special and vocational education usually cost more Foundations of American Education, 15e Johnson, et al 9-17