EDUCATIONDomestic Policy

Questions to Consider… Should Methacton require school uniforms? Should athletics be a part of a publicly funded education? Should Methacton offer AP classes knowing that they are

costly and serve a small portion of the student body? Should students who come from low income families

receive federally subsidized school lunches? Should Methacton give the Keystone exam to measure

student success? Should teacher effectiveness be measured by student

achievement? Should students of “failing” schools be able to attend a

different school of their choice funded by the taxpayers?

Education Policy Education policy are the principles and government policy-

making in the educational sphere, as well as the collection of laws and rules that govern the operation of education systems Examples: school size, class size, school choice,

school privatization, tracking, teacher education and certification, teacher pay, teaching methods, curricular content, graduation requirements, school infrastructure investment, and the values that schools are expected to uphold and model

Traditionally responsibility of the state

Types of Education in America• Early childhood education• Kindergarten through to 12th

grade• Two and four year colleges or

universities• Graduate and professional

education• Adult education and job

training

K-12 Education In Pennsylvania, there

are 501 Local Education Agencies (LEA) Leadership elected at the

local level (school boards) State and federal

mandates and oversight No Child Left Behind

(President Bush) Race to the Top (President

Obama) Methacton Budget Docu

ment

No Child Left Behind Passed in 2002 by a Republican controlled Congress

and President G. W. Bush States that do not comply with the law would have

sources of federal revenue withheld (highway money, for example)

Highlights: Student testing in math, reading, writing, and science must

show adequate yearly progress (AYP) Teachers must be “highly qualified” Military recruiters must have access to students School choice alternatives for “failing schools”

Schools not meeting AYP must offer alternative choices to parents (think Renaissance Academy in Phoenixville)

Race to the Top To receive federal funds schools were to

design and implement rigorous standards and evaluations

Testing data used in teacher evaluations

Funding Your Education Major Source:

Local Property Taxes (schools and townships get their funding through this tax)

Forumula Property Assessed Value x “mill” rate / 1000 =

property tax bill Methacton’s current millage rate is 27.90

Other Souces: State, Federal funding

Section IV, Education, Housing, & Transportation

Chapter 21

Federal Aid for Education $1.3 billion in direct aid to local public schools $12 billion in additional funds to be distributed

through the states (block grants) Aid to K-12 schools begins in 1917

$17.6 billion in support for institutions of higher learning Federal spending for colleges begins in 1862 with

the Morrill Act, giving federal land for colleges to teach “Agriculture and Mechanical Arts” Pennsylvania State University

GI Bill

Education Issues The Constitution leaves any powers not

given to the federal government to the states (like education)

How and why does the federal government involve themselves?

Housing & Urban Programs Housing Policy

Federally funded loans and housing support programs

Promoting Home Buying FHA – Federal Housing Admin.

Part of HUD (Housing & Urban Development) Insures mortgages – low and middle income

families can secure loans Rent assistance to low income families

Housing & Urban Programs Urban Renewal

Cities apply for federal aid to clear deteriorating areas and rebuild

Remove run-down properties (slums) and sell at a reduced price to private builders

Controversy over neglect of lower income housing

Housing & Urban Programs Public Housing Programs

Government gives money to local governments to construct public housing for low-income families

Government gives subsidies allowing housing authorities to charge very low rents (sometimes cover up to 90%)

Issues: Many public housing projects have turned into slums due to mismanagement

Transportation Programs For homework:

Read Page 600-602 in text (Transportation Programs)