Deck 11: How Are Schools Governed, Influenced, and Financed

Question 1

Ms.Pfluger is interviewing for a teaching position in the Florham Park school system. According to school management and organization, which of the following is the formal hiring authority?

A) Building principal
B) Assistant superintendent of instruction
C) Local school board
D) School superintendent

Answer 1

C

Question 2

What effect did the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution have upon public education?

A) The state department of education was established.
B) Legal responsibility for school governance was delegated to the states.
C) Responsibility for the majority of funding for public education was assumed by the federal government.
D) Equal educational opportunity was guaranteed for all.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The agency that administers and distributes state and federal funds, certifies or licenses teachers, and accredits professional training programs is the

A) state department of education.
B) state board of education.
C) office of the state superintendent.
D) local school board.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Bill Hickey is an employee of the Middleburg school district, and John Morgan is associated with that district as well. At meetings, Bill frequently has to push to get new school programs approved or to hire particular personnel, whereas John frequently derails Bill's proposals, looking to cut costs or to recommend his own candidate for employment. Which of the following most likely describes their positions?

A) Bill is a teacher, and John is the department chairperson.
B) Bill is the assistant superintendent of instruction, and John is a building principal.
C) Bill is the superintendent of schools, and John is the chair of the school board.
D) Bill is the assistant superintendent of instruction, and John is the assistant superintendent of personnel.

Question 5

Susan Breiner has just completed interviewing two prospective faculty members, has sent in a large teaching supply order, has proofread the new school discipline policy written by a team of teachers, and has reviewed the school budget for the next academic year. Based upon those activities, what is Susan?

A) Department chairperson
B) Superintendent of schools
C) Assistant superintendent of personnel
D) School principal

Question 6

Which of these bodies makes law and is considered the most influential in setting up educational policy?

A) State legislature
B) State department of education
C) State board of education
D) Local school board

Question 7

During recent presidential elections, hundreds of thousands of educators have been mobilized to support a particular party platform and the candidate endorsed by that party. Which organization has been instrumental in influencing the educators to support a particular candidate?

A) National Association of School Boards
B) National Education Association
C) Association of Teacher Educators
D) National Parent Teacher Association

Question 8

Assess the involvement of the corporate world in public education. Is greater business involvement in public education a benefit, a disadvantage, or a mixture of both benefit and disadvantage to public education? Explain.

Question 9

Overseeing the administration of teacher licensure requirements, organizing programs of study, supervising elementary and secondary education program assessment, and applying school finance laws are all tasks of

A) the chief state school officer.
B) the state department of education.
C) the federal Department of Education.
D) the school principal.

Question 10

The typical holder of this position is white, male, and college-educated, and has a managerial or professional job unrelated to the position. The position is

A) state superintendent.
B) school principal.
C) local school board member.
D) state department curriculum specialist.

Question 11

Ms.DuPree, a teacher at Belleville High School, volunteers as the drama coach. The school musical selected this year, Little Shop of Horrors, has generated widespread student involvement; however, because of the tight school budget, Ms.DuPreehas not been able to get the necessary costumes or props for the show. Which of the following would be the most likely and able candidate to provide her with what she needs for the school play?

A) District superintendent
B) Assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction
C) Parent-teacher organization
D) Local school board

Question 12

Title I was designed to provide federal funds to divisions for

A) education of special needs students and hiring of instructional aides.
B) reading instruction for ESL students and supplementary services for families of these students.
C) reading instruction for low-achieving students.
D) education of students from low-income families and supplement services to low-achieving students.

Question 13

The state of Illinois wants to establish a policy regarding its public education in the twenty-first century. Illinois wants to create a broad-based policy outlining its priorities and establishing its goals for the state's students. Which agency would issue this policy?

A) The state department of education
B) The federal Department of Education
C) The local school boards
D) The state board of education

Question 14

Which of the following most aptly characterizes the historical stance that business has had toward public education?

A) Business was and still is interested in educational efficiency, standardization, and productivity.
B) Business was interested in standardization and regulation; now, it is almost exclusively concerned with commercialization of education.
C) Business was more concerned with efficiency and quantitative evaluation; now, it is much more concerned with authentic evaluation and student satisfaction.
D) Business used to be exclusively concerned with productivity; now, business is exclusively concerned with educational expenditures, seeking to lower costs.

Question 15

Why are the demographics of a typical school board member important? What are the implications of those demographics to the running of public schools?

Question 16

Which of the following people is most representative of the typical school board member?

A) Loretta Padovani, a white, sixty-eight-year-old retired bookkeeper with grandchildren in the public schools
B) Carla Wilson, an African American, forty-year-old, with a master's degree in nursing, who is a nurse practitioner at a large hospital
C) John Baster, a white, fifty-one-years old, who has an M.B.A. and is an executive at a computer software company
D) Joe Eichler, a white, forty-four-year old high school graduate, who works in a tool and die factory

Question 17

Brian Bomberger spends part of his work time interviewing and promoting personnel. He ensures that there are adequate funds to run school facilities through his planning and administration of the budget, and he also is responsible for administering curriculum and instruction. What is Brian's occupation?

A) Chief state school officer
B) Curriculum coordinator
C) Chairman of the board of education
D) District superintendent

Question 18

Why might one say that the school district superintendent's job is precarious? What are the potential difficulties inherent in the position?

Question 19

Explain the relative fiscal contributions of the federal, state, and local communities to schools, and tell how state and local funds are raised. Describe the implications of the Serrano decision for equity of funding for educational opportunity.