The No Child Left Behind Act declared that improving education in every school in the United States was a top national priority. However, this act did not acknowledge how state departments of education have successfully constructed reforms for the past few decades, despite the power struggle between governors, legislators, school districts, and state boards of education. Drawing upon archival sources, state budget documents, interviews, and statistical analysis, Splintered Accountability amply demonstrates that sustained education reform is best left in the hands of the relatively autonomous state departments of education in order to maintain curriculum standards, school finance, and teacher licensure systems. Comprehensive and successful education reform originates from within state education agencies, propelled by savvy state superintendents.
Author(s): Arnold F. Shober
Series: SUNY Series in Public Policy
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Year: 2010
Language: English
Pages: 291
Splintered Accountability......Page 5
Contents......Page 9
Tables......Page 11
Figures......Page 13
Acknowledgments......Page 15
Abbreviations......Page 17
Part 1......Page 19
1. Introduction......Page 21
2. Autonomy and Scope in Government Agencies......Page 41
3. Expectations for Scope-Seeking Agencies......Page 65
Part 2......Page 73
4. Historical Roots of State Involvement......Page 75
5. Bringing Them to the Table: Managing Interests......Page 95
6. Leading by Example: State Superintendents’ Infl uence......Page 121
7. Making New Friends: Institutional Turnover......Page 159
Part 3......Page 181
8. The View from the Dome: Legislative Salience......Page 183
9. Budgeting for Success......Page 207
10. Conclusions and Implications......Page 221
Appendix A. Historical Appendix......Page 235
Appendix B. Statistical Appendix......Page 239
Appendix C. A Note on the Sources......Page 253
Notes......Page 257
References......Page 273
A......Page 299
C......Page 300
D......Page 301
G......Page 302
I......Page 303
M......Page 304
P......Page 305
S......Page 306
U......Page 308
Z......Page 309
