Education Funding Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Education Funding - Research Paper Example From its beginnings, debate and contention has surrounded the funding of education: with primarily imbalances and inequities being pointed to as major problems within the US education system. The initial legislation making Federal support possible was enacted in 1965, with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) according to which federal grants could support elementary and secondary schoolchildren from lower-income families. At the same time, the federal funds were directed towards school libraries, textbooks, education centers and services, State education agencies, research in education, and professional development for education staff (Spellings, 2005, website). Again in 2001 federal funding was allocated to national education with the No Child left behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) intending to ensure that the achievement levels of all students, nationwide, are raised, and that the achievement gap across the nation is narrowed (Federal Education Budget Project website (febp), 2011). Notably, historical court decisions have continually favored the idea that American education should be made more equal. The United States Supreme Court (USSC) decision in the Brown v. Board of Education overturned on constitutional grounds, for example, the â€Å"separate, but equal† court decision in the Plessy v. Ferguson (1896). The outcome of the San Antonio v. Rodriguez (1973) case went further in this move toward equalization of education, by recognizing education as a fundamental right, and this meant that States had to fund education equitably. But in the matter of increased funding for education, the courts have been less successful. The courts are able to interpret and rule on existing law, but cannot in effect change it. Funding for K-12 education is legislated, not judicially determined. The education funding issue it appears will have to be solved by the interest groups surrounding it – the parents, administrators, teachers and legislators who feel the effects of changes in educational funding most directly (Sanchez, 2011). And the consistently decreasing federal and State spend on education is clear to observe. By the 2004-2005 financial year federal spending on education was estimated to be $536 billion, an allocation that exceeded national tax-spend on defense (Spellings, 2005, website); in 2010, the education discretionary budget was $64.1 billion; and in 2011, the request for the 2012-13 financial year for the discretionary education budget is $77.4 billion (U.S. Department of Education website (A), 2011). In nominal terms, educational funding actually declined between 2006 and 2008, and thanks to economic stimulus legislation, showed a one-year real growth in only in 2009 (febp website, 2011). At the end of 2010, though, the federal stimulus money had been spent. States faced serious shortages, and anticipated that they would have to lay off thousands, and cancel numerous popular school programs in many States. Although they had saved teachers’ jobs, States had cut their own expenditure on education, and replaced these shortfalls in their budgets with stimulus money (Cavanagh & Hollingsworth, 2011). With the current view that reform rather than increased spending is the route to take, and that federal subsidies will continue to be cut for the foreseeable future, opposition to the direction being taken by the Obama administration’s proposals has been widespread. An important group of

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 11

Reflection paper - Essay Example Specifically, the emotional intelligence (EI) skills I have learned in this semester shall enable me to understand my strengths and weaknesses as a public administrator, the effects of those qualities on my workmates and the public in general as well as my effectiveness in different capacities. The EI skills shall enable me to acknowledge the origin of tension and other risks that impede normal working relationships in public administration and identify emotional undercurrents that work best in every situation. As such, I will be more capable to manage my impulses and emotions as well as maintain knowledge of the social needs and interests of various stakeholders in public administration1. The capacity to identify and summon appropriate emotions within me and in others will definitely contribute towards my effectiveness as an administrator. By accurately assessing the feelings of my subordinates, for instance, I will use the outcomes to manage their emotions so as to achieve the overall goals of the organization. This is especially true considering that knowledge of the emotions will play a pivotal role in improving my decision making capacities in respect of their administration. And researchers have noted, owing to my massive EI skills, I will be able to make accurate assessments of emotions and thus make an effective judgment about those which are associated with opportunities or challenges, and thus make appropriate decisions based on their respective potential impacts2. In addition, the EI skills I have obtained already will enable me to develop the capacities to motivate subordinates by identifying their emotions and modeling their behavioral changes to the better. As a public administrator, I will be ready and better-placed to handle conflicting demands of administration policy requirements and public needs, for instance, by managing stress occasioned by the conflict by taking a middle-ground stance. A public