Education and State Politics: The Developing Relationship between Elementary-Secondary and Higher Education.

Overview & Synopsis

A detailed survey of education officials, State office holders, informed citizens, and media representatives in 12 of the 15 most populous States revealed that educational organization has fragmented into the elementary-secondary and higher education levels due to the practices that developed in the past. The former level has recently fallen from the leadership position due to a split in its ranks over teacher militancy and public questioning of traditional teaching practices. As the latter level moved into prominence the relationship between the two changed from benign resentment to open conflict over such issues as sharing funds, control over teacher training, and responsibility for vocational-technical education and for the 13th and 14th grades. This report outlines the status of these issues in each of the 12 States, detailing the political structures involved in policy making. The report concludes that cooperation between the two levels is necessary for a continually improving educational system, and suggests the creation of new overall coordinating mechanisms that will enable the States to undertake rational planning in education. A related document is EA 002 255. (LN)