Module 3: American Public School Structures and Processes
Module 3 Outcomes
- MLO 3.1: Differentiate the educational roles and responsibilities of each level of government: federal, state, and local governments. (CLO VI, InTASC 10l, 10p)
- MLO 3.2: Examine the disparities of learning opportunities that arise through school funding (CLO VI, InTASC 10j)
- MLO 3.3: Identify different K12 governance models. (CLO VI, InTASC 9o)
Introduction
To be effective as an educator, it’s crucial to understand how schools, districts, and broader systems are organized, funded, and guided. Understanding how these entities are organized will allow future educators to see how structures and funding have the propensity to affect learning opportunities.
This module describes the funding and legislative impact of school governance at the federal, state, and local levels and examines the impact school funding has on learning opportunities. The first chapter discusses school governance, outlining responsibilities at all levels of government and describing models used by state governments. The second chapter of the module covers how schools are funded and the roles and responsibilities of each level of government for allocating school finances while also exploring historical and systemic issues with school funding. The final chapter concludes the module by introducing the various models of schools in America today.
Reflect
Thinking Back on Your K12 Experience
Think back to your K12 learning experience. Where you attended school was perhaps influenced by several factors, such as where you lived, your family’s belief systems, your family’s socioeconomic status, and the types of school choices available to you.
As you reflect on the questions below, explore what influences you might not have realized at the time that determined your K12 learning opportunities.
- Where did you attend elementary, middle level, and high school?
- What type of schools did you attend?
- What factors influenced where you attended school?
- What educational opportunities were available to you?
Navigate the contemporary structures and processes common to American public school systems.
Knowledge. The teacher understands schools as organizations within a historical, cultural, political, and social context and knows how to work with others across the system to support learners.
Disposition. The teacher actively shares responsibility for shaping and supporting the mission of his/her school as one of advocacy for learners and accountability for their success.
Performance. The teacher advocates to meet the needs of learners, to strengthen the learning environment, and to enact system change.
Disposition. The teacher understands the expectations of the profession including codes of ethics, professional standards of practice, and relevant law and policy.
