Topic Objectives

“Individually we are one drop, together we are an ocean.”-Ryunosuke Satoro

  • Understand the roles and responsibilities of the governor, state legislature, state board of education, the chief state school officer, the state department of education, the local school board and Superintendent, and the school principal.
  • Discuss the educational impact of Supreme Court rulings in areas such as desegregation, rights of the disabled, gender equity, equitable state and local funding of education, including the Serrano case.
  • Introduce the typical pattern of school funding by local, state, and federal agencies, and explain the relationships among the local economy, tax structure, and the quality of education.
  • Discuss the philosophy supporting and the effectiveness of compensatory education programs.