Chapter 11 Notes

As a result of the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which reserves all powers to the states that are not specifically designated to the federal government.  Each of the fifty states has legal responsibility for the operation and administration of public schools within its own boundaries.  Although legal responsibility for school governance belongs to the states policy decisions and administrations have usually been delegated to local school boards, which exist because Americans have come to insist on control of schools at the local level.  Recently, however states have been reasserting their policymaking prerogatives.

Influence on American Public Education is through professional education organizations, such as NEA and AFT.  There is also influence from parents, business, standardized testing, the courts, and the federal government.

 Schools are financed through the total amount of money available to a school district for education is the sum of locally raised revenues, state aid, and miscellaneous revenues.  Currently state governments contribute about 50 percent, local governments offer about 2 percent, and the federal government provides almost 8 percent toward the financing of public schools.