Module 6 Federal Education Policy

As you read the content on this page, think about the role and purpose of government in a democratic society. Take notes on the challenges and opportunities presented by the federal government's involvement in education.

The Role of the Federal Government in Education

In Modules 1 and 2, you learned about the growth of public schooling in the United States during the nineteenth century. For much of that century, the country had what education historian David Tyack called “village schools" that were highly localized. At this time, local communities ran their schools with local school boards or committees that made decisions about how, when, and where education should happen. These efforts were funded by local taxes.

By the middle of the 19th century, as the country began to urbanize, local community schools and local governance transformed into large, centralized districts. At the same time, state and federal governments became more of a presence looking to create uniformity in a rapidly growing school system. This is when the first compulsory school laws were passed and state laws began to significantly shape policy at local levels. For example, in the 1830's Louisiana, Georgia, Virginia, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina all passed laws that prohibited teaching enslaved people to read. After the Civil War, and the abolishment of slavery, the Freedmen's Bureau, run by the federal government, worked with local communities to establish (link optional reading) Freedpeople’s Schools in the Southern and border states.

Today, decision-making differs from state to state but there are common patterns of policy-making at the three levels of government.

So, what does the federal government do?

Today, as in the past, the federal government collects and reports information on the nation’s schools. It also maintains its role of ensuring that states and local school districts do nothing that violates the U.S. Constitution. However, growing national concern about the quality of U.S. education generally and the inequalities you explored in earlier modules, has led to an expansion of the federal role.

Today, much of what states and local school districts do is shaped, even controlled, by federal policy. Although only about 11 percent of the funding for education comes from federal sources, most states and local districts cannot afford to pass up those funds. Because the funds now come with tight restrictions, the federal government can leverage a comparatively small investment into significant influence.

Article

Instructions:

To learn more about the role of the federal government in shaping schools, read Mark Leiberman's article,"7 Ways the Federal Government Shortchanges Schools."

As you read, take notes using the guiding questions below, then take the Quick Check self-assessment to check your understanding.

Guiding Questions:

What does the article highlight about the role the federal government plays our system of education?
The author discusses a new report by the Economic Policy Institute. What does the date from the report show about the current limitations to federal intervention in education? What does the author advocate for to address these limitations?