| Education is primarily the
responsibility of the states. State constitutions set up certain standards and
rules for the establishment of school. State laws require children to go to
school until they reach a certain age. The actual control of the schools,
however, is usually a local matter. The control of the schools does not usually come directly from the local government. In each of the three types of city government, public schools are generally quite separate and independent. They cooperate with local officials but are not dominated by the municipal government. Most Americans believe that schools should be free of political pressures. They believe that the separate control of the school systems preserves such freedom. Public schools are usually maintained by school districts. The state often sets the district boundaries. Sometimes the school district has the same boundaries as the city. Sometimes it is larger than the city. In the South, county boards of education members are elected. In some places they are appointed by the mayor or city council. The state legislature decides which method should be used. Most district boards of education try to give all pupils a chance to get a good education. A good education prepares a person to live a better life. It helps him to become a better citizen. Nearly all states give financial aid to local school districts. State departments of education offer other kinds of aid. States offer help with such things as program planning and the school districts. The federal government also helps. The National Defense Education Act allows school districts to get financial aid for certain purposes. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 added many other kinds of financial help. But neither the state nor the federal government dictates school policy. This is determined by local school boards. |