Chapter 10: Public Education in the United States

U.S. public schools – intro

A. …Most states………. (must att) to age 16 or gr 9
B. fr K/1st (age 5/6) to 12th gr (18) = “………K though 12…….”
C. 90% stud in pub. sch; sm no. priv sch.
+ priv: relig …or secular……....; pub: …secular…………
D. No national curric or exams
+ Fed gov. fund special prog
a. ……education for the handicapped………
b. ………bilingual education……
Control of edu by indiv states (today)
I. 3 levels of contrl w/i a state
II. How edu funded
III. Issues + efforts (st & nat) to fix

I. Three Levels of Control w/n States

A. Sta Dept of Edu
1. Responsibilities
a. Sets curriculum requirem’ts
b. sets the number of credits a student must compete in order to
graduate high school
B. School district
1. Numbers depend on …the size of the state and its population …
2. School board is elected or appointed
3. Responsibilities
a. …………courses taught in its schools…
i. required courses
ii. …the choice of electives…
b. hires teacher & admin
C. ……The school……
 1. Teachers’ responsibilities
a. ………deciding how to teach each course………
b.…preparing and giving classroom examinations to the students

II. How Edu Is Funded

Pub sch funded by:
+ fed gov’t
+ …state and local taxes…. (E.g. 2010: 12 % from fed gov’t, 43…% fr
……states…, …44…% fr ……local communities…….)

III. Edu Issues + Efforts to Fix

A. Issues:
1. ……inequality of educational opportunity….: pub sch funded mainly fr
local taxes  chil in poorer areas not receive as gd edu as wealthier areas
2. …involves private school…  stud’s par pay tuition. Par may wonder why
have 2 pay tax 4 pub sch.
B. Efforts to fix
1. State lev:
a. Charter School = ……type of public school…..:
- fund’g fr taxes
- compt w/ reg pub schls for Ss
- operate
+ under ……charter, contact from a state a local school board, or
another public organization……….
+ ………have greater automony………. ( i.e. > indep)
• selectng Ts
• curric
• $$
- CSs-Stats
• 1st chart sch opened t/w ……the end of 1980s……….
 • AY 1999/2000 à 2009/10 # Ss á fr ………0.3mil to 1.6mil .
(4X á)
• AY 2009/10 CSs = ………………about 5% of all public
schools were charter schools…………
- effective ?? - studies mixed
- Critics fear CSs mngd by priv comp’s w/ intrust in $$ not edu
b. ……the school voucher concept..
- Basic idea: Par choose sch 4 chil (pub/ priv)  that sch receive
…………set amnt $ per stu fr pub schools fund….
- Vou sch usu = priv sch usu. …affiliated with religious
organizaion………..
- Sch vou concept > controversial w. both support & oppose
2. Nat lev:
a. Edu bill NCLB (‘…………No children left behind…………..’)
- Sta & impl test prog & oth sys  ensure ……student
progress………………
- Widely criticized 4 many reas.
b. ………Common Core state……. (CCSS)
- Establ clear goals  Ss prepared 4 success
- Aim to provide students with the skills and the
knowledge……………….