Title: Criticism of Public Education - Inequality of Opportunity, Highly Bureaucratic Systems, Achievement-Based Outcomes, School Choice, Reform after Reform   - StateUniversity.com
Headings: Criticism of Public Education
Criticism of Public Education
Inequality of Opportunity, Highly Bureaucratic Systems, Achievement-Based Outcomes, School Choice, Reform after Reform
Inequality of Opportunity
Highly Bureaucratic Systems
Achievement-Based Outcomes
School Choice
Reform after Reform
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INTERNET RESOURCES
Additional topics

Content: Attached to most federal government funding are layers of rules burdened by paperwork and regulation; thus, federal programs become difficult to implement or change. This institutionalized problem of excessive bureaucracy shuffles funds and responsibility around to various bodies and, in the case of public education, shifts the responsibility of academic achievement onto parents, administrators, teachers, and students. The result of public education being tied to the agendas of so many stakeholders–voters, politicians, school boards, administrators, teachers, unions, parents, and students–has been fragmentation and lack of control, leaving the public to wonder who has the authority in the system. The same burden of bureaucracy also exists at the state, district, and school level. Critics assert that oversight of public schools is unnecessarily heavy. The state boards of education and administrative regulation by state departments of education add yet another layer to the policymaking process. Locally, elected school boards attempt to maintain the mission and vision of the district, yet they are often accused of micromanaging and adding layers of bureaucracy. District administrations, with central authority over the schools, are often fighting for control with the school boards. One way to decrease bureaucracy is to decentralize control to the district or site level, known as site-based management.