The Shifting Landscape of Education Governance

In recent decades, education governance has seen many important shifts that influence how education services are provided to students. This chapter introduces three of the most pronounced changes. First, the formal actors responsible for education have shifted from an environment most centered on local school boards to one where city, state, and federal politicians have more responsibility and influence over education. Second, due to policies enabling vouchers, charter schools, and cyber schools, public funding for education is now distributed to a wider array of school types beyond traditional brick-and-mortar public schools. Third, the role of outside private money from philanthropies has increased over time, and the organizational form favored by these donors may be changing in ways that limit the amount of transparency required of these funders. Cumulatively, these changes have eroded the traditionally insulated and localized character of education governance, making education more similar to other areas of U.S. policymaking.