Education is one of the priorities of government in industrialized countries, and has been since the middle of the nineteenth century. In the United States, education is a prime example of the operations of federalism, insofar as each state has its own educational system, and makes most major decisions about how to put educational policy into effect and how to provide education to its residents and citizens.
| Level of Gvt | Geographical Unit | Source of Authority | Structures/Institutions | Powers & Actions |
|---|
| Federal | United States | [Constitution is silent on education]: "Implied powers" — > federal legislation;
Constitution protects various rights, including religious freedom and "equal protection of the law" — > Court decisions | Department of Education
(Secretary of Education)
This Cabinet-level Department was only created in 1979, which is a reflection of the distance the federal government kept from education prior to that. | Funding of actions to achieve objectives
(e.g., funds to promote racial desegregation in 1960s-present;
funds to promote equal achievement and improved performance: No Child Left Behind Act 2002 [contested by many]).
Federal court decisions on what constitutes impermissible intrusion of religion in public education (creationism, "intelligent design"); federal court decisions on interpretation of "equal protection" (Brown vs Board of Education 1954 etc.). |
| State |
State
(e.g., California, Vermont, etc.) | State Constitution & implementing legislation | Department of Education
(State Superintendent of Education [usually a member of the governor's cabinet]) |
Establish general rules & regulations for public education in the state
- School age (e.g., 6-16, 6-17)
- Teacher certification
- Number of credits req'd for HS diploma
- Gnl Outlines of curriculum (i.e., program[s]) + Authorized textbooks
|
|---|
| (Local) |
School District (local geographical entity, superimposed on cities etc.) | State Constitution & implementing legislation creating special districts | School Board or Board of Education
(usually a professional superintendent of schools sees to the day-to-day administration of the school district) |
Specific rules & regulations for public education in the district
- Building construction & maintenance
- Teacher employment
- hire / fire
- salary scale / working conditions / tenure
- books in school libraries
- this power has sometimes led to oddities, such as prohibiting classics of American literature that contain "impolite" vocabulary
- details of curriculum in District Schools
- incl details of req'ts for graduation
(cf req't for scholastic record in Adm Appl)
- textbooks (chosen from those OK'd by state)
- elements of curriculum (see some information about the "intelligent design" controversy here)
|
|---|
| (Local) |
Individual School | School district decisions | Principal, Teachers | Discipline, Daily operations |
|---|