1. The States to the Rescue

How do the current school budgets in your state differ from school district to school district? How do per-student expenditures vary? To find out, visit your state's department of education web site and see if that information is provided, or if it can be obtained through the site. Click here to access a complete list of links to state education department Web sites. Write a one-page summary of the major school budget issues facing your state.

Then, to see what is going on elsewhere, look at the Web sites of two other states -- preferably in different regions of the country. Are these states facing the same kinds of budget issues? Compare and contrast theses states with your own in terms of school expenditures and the forces that drive school budget decisions.

For further investigation, the School Funding Equity homepage is a good place to learn about the critical role states play in the educational funding issue.

2. The Federal Government's Role in Financing Education

Click here to visit the U.S. Department of Education Web site. Based on the information provided, write a one-page synopsis of this department's purpose and primary initiatives. Of all the issues covered here, how many relate directly to financing America's schools? Based on its Web site, do you think that the U.S. Department of Education is focused on the right kinds of issues? Explain your answer.

3. The Legal Control of Schools

Click here to view a recent story from CNN Interactive regarding the Kansas State Department of Education. After reading this article and exploring the related stories and sites, write a brief summary of the key issues surrounding this situation. What does this story imply about the relative power of state boards of education? What is your opinion on this issue, and what do you think the state board of education's role should be in situations like this?

4. Superintendents

Click here to visit the Web site of the New York State Council of School Superintendents. After perusing this site to get a sense of its purpose and scope, download and read the following article:

Click here to visit the Web site of the New York State Council of School Superintendents. After perusing this site to get a sense of its purpose and scope, answer the following questions. What are the main issues facing the superintendency profession in New York State and elsewhere? Would you ever want to be a school superintendent? Why or why not?

5. School Boards Under Fire

Click here to visit the National School Boards Association Web site. Based on this site's content, what is this organization doing to help local school boards address the issues discussed in the "State Influence Grows as School Boards Come Under Fire" section of your textbook pp. 403-407? Does this site reflect any local school board issues not covered in the textbook? If so, write a paragraph summarizing each new issue.

6. The Business of America is Business

First, click here to visit the Web site of the Business Roundtable. What is the purpose of this organization and who are its members? Next, check out the Business Roundtable's education page. Summarize the priorities and initiatives described here. Do you agree with their focus? What are the potential benefits and pitfalls of these kinds of reforms? Are these issues much different from those emphasized by the general public?

7. Trends in School Governance: Educational Partnerships

All of the following Web sites represent educational partnerships. Peruse these sites and answer the questions below.

Compact Six

“Trends and Issues: Educational Governance” Want to learn more? Check some of these articles summarized at http://cepm.uoregon.edu/trends_issues/edgov/selected_abstracts/district_governance.html

Los Angeles Educational Partnership

As you explore these sites, make a list of all the different kinds of educational partnerships you can identify. Does your list contain at least one of each type mentioned in your textbook?

Choose one of the above partnerships and summarize its potential benefits. What needs is this partnership intended to address? Can you see any potential pitfalls in this type of partnership program? Explain your answer.