Deck 10: School Governance and Structure

Question 1

In Plyler v. Doe what did the U.S. Supreme Court rule?

A) States cannot withhold education funds to localities who enroll students who are not legally admitted to the United States.
B) Enrollment in school cannot be denied to children of illegal immigrants.
C) The 14^th Amendment states that equal protection under the law cannot be denied to any person under the State's jurisdiction and students are persons under the State's jurisdiction.
D) All are false
E) All are true

Answer 1

All are true

Question 2

Which of the following statements is false concerning the Chief State School Officer?

A) Not every state has such a position.
B) The position may go by different names such as Superintendent of Public Instruction, Commissioner of Education, or the State Superintendent.
C) This position is filled in a variety of ways. In some states, the governor appoints this person to carry out the governor's educational agenda. In others, the public elects this person directly. In still others, the State Board of Education appoints the individual. Or the governor appoints the State Board of Education which, in turn, appoints the state superintendent.
D) Generally, this person serves as the state Department of Education's chief administrator.
E) The Chief State School Officer reports on the "state of education" within the state to the governor, the state legislature, and the public.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is not true of the State Department of Education?

A) It can also be called the State Education Agency.
B) It is usually located in the state capital and the chief state school officer heads this agency.
C) The State Department of Education passes the laws that govern its operation.
D) This department translates the legislature's laws into workable practices for the public schools.
E) The state Department of Education assures state compliance with the federal Department of Education's rules on federally-funded programs.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following statements is true concerning the governor's role in education?

A) All governors serve a four-year term.
B) Governors have total control over education in their state
C) The 10^th Amendment leaves control of education to the governors.
D) All governors' influence in education is felt largely by appointments to head state agencies that work with education (unless they are elected) and by the liaison appointed by the governor to work with education officials.
E) With federal involvement in education increasing, governors' power is diminishing at the state level.

Question 5

Which of the following statements is false?

A) President Washington established the first Department of Education in his second term as president.
B) President Andrew Johnson established the U.S. Office of Education in 1867 to help strengthen growing federal support for education.
C) In 1869, the Office of Education was transferred to the U.S. Department of the Interior and became the Bureau of Education.
D) In 1953, the U.S. Bureau of Education merged with other offices to become the Department of Health Education and Welfare (HEW).
E) In 1979, President Jimmy Carter established the cabinet-level Department of Education.

Question 6

Who was confirmed as the U.S. Secretary of Education in 2009?

A) Rod Paige
B) Margaret Spellings
C) Jeb Bush
D) Arne Duncan
E) Dunkin Donut

Question 7

Perhaps the most substantial federal education spending initiative occurred in 1965 under President Lyndon Johnson's administration when Congress passed the

A) Elementary and Secondary Education Act
B) National Defense Education Act
C) No Child Left Behind Act
D) Civil Rights Act
E) Omnibus Spelling Act

Question 8

In Griffin v. Country School Board of Prince Edward County what did the U.S. Supreme Court rule?

A) Separate but equal was inherently unequal.
B) School officials do not need to read the Miranda rights to students before searching their lockers.
C) Busing to achieve integration was legal.
D) A state's closing of public schools and contributing to the support of private segregated schools is unconstitutional.
E) All schools must be integrated by the start of the 1970 school year.

Question 9

Which of the following is true about the State Board of Education?

A) The State Board of Education is the policy-setting agency that oversees and directs the State Department of Education.
B) In some states the State Board of Education is known as the State Education Agency.
C) All states have a State Board of Education.
D) Each state's constitution and state legislatures' laws define how the State Board operates.
E) All are true
F) All are false

Question 10

Which of the followings statements is true?

A) Education is a federal interest.
B) Education is a state responsibility.
C) Education is administered mostly at the local level.
D) All are true
E) None are true

Question 11

Which of the following amendments defines the state and federal role in education?

A) The First Amendment
B) The Fifth Amendment
C) The Tenth Amendment
D) The Fifteenth Amendment
E) None are correct

Question 12

Which of the following statements is true of the Local School Board?

A) In some states, it is possible for the state to "take over" local school operations under certain conditions established in law.
B) Boards of education are usually elected by the school district's residents but may also be appointed by mayors or other executives of jurisdictions such as cities or counties whose jurisdictions include the school district.
C) The local school district's power varies from state to state depending on the state constitution's wording.
D) All are true
E) None are true

Question 13

Which of the following is a major responsibility of the central office?

A) Focusing on the district's instructional priorities and how the school district's employees will meet them
B) Communicating the school district's information to classroom teachers, parents, and the community
C) Fostering teacher leadership
D) Providing service and expertise to help teachers improve their professional practice
E) All are correct

Question 14

Which of the following statements is false concerning the federal legislative branch of government and public school education?

A) Through the legislative branch, the federal government provides congressionally-approved funding and monitors its use.
B) Over the years, the U.S. Congress has given public education a great deal of fiscal support.
C) In response to Sputnik, the U.S. Congress authorized a massive infusion of federal dollars into public education with the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) of 1958.
D) The most substantial federal education spending initiative occurred under President Lyndon Johnson's administration when Congress passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1965.
E) The federal legislative branch of government has almost total control of state and local school systems.

Question 15

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act is better known today as

A) NAEP
B) ECS
C) NCLB
D) USDOE
E) AYP

Question 16

Which of the following statements is false concerning the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)?

A) It began under President Johnson's Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 1965.
B) The Education Commission of the States (ECS) received the authority to design and conduct a national assessment.
C) In 1969, ECS received U.S. Office of Education assurances that it would give funds, but not interfere with state policy or analysis.
D) The NAEP data show regional, state, and national student achievement trends in various subject areas.

Question 17

The U.S. Constitution and federal legislation limits the federal role in education to three areas of local and state education policies and practices. Which is not one of those three areas?

A) Providing funding approved by Congress and monitoring states' compliance in using those funds
B) Setting national guidelines for qualifications of teachers for licensure
C) Ensuring state and local compliance with federal laws
D) Assessing student achievement at the national level

Question 18

According to one national analysis of 15 years of school leadership research, an outstanding principal exercises a measurable though indirect effect on school effectiveness and student achievement by

A) Attracting, selecting, and retaining good teachers
B) Working with the community to establish a common mission and vision
C) Creating a school culture grounded in collaboration and high expectations
D) Finding fair and effective ways to remove low-performing teachers
E) All are correct

Question 19

Empirical studies on students K-12 from 1954 - 2007 who participated in fully implemented guidance and counseling programs - as compared with students in less comprehensive or well-established programs - show markedly higher scores in which of the following areas?

A) Educational achievement, school success skills, and occupational levels
B) Emotional stability and preparation for the future
C) Enrollments in math, science, and vocational technical courses
D) None are correct
E) All are correct

Question 20

Currently, the federal share of all education budgets is about what percentage of local school budgets?

A) 5%
B) 10%
C) 15%
D) 25%
E) 42%

Question 21

List and explain at least three responsibilities of the school nurse.

Question 22

First, explain the advantages and disadvantages of having larger schools versus smaller schools from the student's standpoint. Second, make a case for which you feel would be best.

Question 23

List at least five types of disabilities that would be covered in special education.

Question 24

List three reasons that are driving forces for consolidating smaller school districts.

Question 25

List six key areas of responsibility that belong to the local school board.

Question 26

List at least four benefits of reduced class size.