Chapter 10 Public Education Philosophy and Funding

Understanding Public Education in the U.S.

Overview of Public School Attendance

• Most young people in the U.S. attend public schools due to compulsory education laws, which require attendance until age sixteen or completion of ninth grade.

• A small percentage of students attend private schools, but the majority are enrolled in public institutions.

Structure of Control in Education

Levels of Educational Control

• Unlike many countries with a centralized curriculum, U.S. public education lacks a nationwide curriculum and standardized examinations set by the government.

• Control is exercised locally at three levels: state department, school district, and individual school.

State Department Responsibilities

• Each state's department of education sets basic curriculum requirements and determines graduation credit requirements for high school students.

School District Functions

• School districts vary based on population size; they are managed by elected school boards responsible for course content and operational decisions.

• The district decides specific subjects taught and manages hiring teachers and administrators.

Individual School Autonomy

• Teachers at individual schools have primary responsibility for teaching methods and assessment preparation.

Funding Sources for Education

Financial Contributions Breakdown

• Approximately 7% of funding comes from federal sources; most funding is derived from state (49%) and local taxes (44%).

Key Issues Related to Educational Funding

Inequality in Educational Opportunities

• Schools funded primarily through local taxes create disparities; poorer communities often lack resources compared to wealthier areas, affecting educational quality.

Controversy Over Private School Funding

• The First Amendment's separation of church and state complicates funding discussions for private religious schools amidst historical support for publicly funded education.

Parental Concerns About Public Education Quality

• Increased dissatisfaction with perceived secularism in public education has led some parents to seek alternatives that align more closely with their values or concerns about educational quality.

Responses to Educational Concerns

Alternative Educational Opportunities

Educational Alternatives: Charter Schools and Vouchers

Overview of Charter Schools

• Charter schools are nonsectarian public schools that compete with traditional public schools for students, operating under a contract with a sponsor, typically a state or local school board.

• They are accountable to their sponsors, parents, and the public funding them through taxes. This accountability grants them greater autonomy over teacher selection, curriculum, and resources compared to regular public schools.

• The first charter schools emerged in the late 1980s; by 2003, there were 2,695 charter schools serving nearly 685,000 students—a significant growth of 15% from the previous year.

Performance and Accountability

• A study published in 2003 indicated that charter school students performed slightly better on standardized exams than their peers in public schools.

Understanding School Vouchers

• The concept of school vouchers is more controversial; it involves government funding provided to students for attending any school of their choice—public or private—with the belief that competition will enhance educational quality.

• Voucher programs primarily support private (often religiously affiliated) institutions, contrasting with charter schools which are nonsectarian and must adhere to public admission standards.

Controversies Surrounding Vouchers

• Supporters argue that vouchers lead to better education options through private schooling. In contrast, opponents claim they drain essential funds from public education and impose restrictive admissions criteria that limit true choice.

• Critics also assert that using taxpayer money for private religious education violates the separation of church and state as outlined in the U.S. Constitution.

Standardization in Education

• There has been an increased focus on raising educational standards through standardized testing across various states over the past two decades.