School district: Difference between revisions
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'''School districts''' are a form of [[special-purpose district]] which serves to operate the local public [[elementary school|primary]] and [[high school|secondary]] schools. |
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==United States== |
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In the United States, public schools are run by '''school districts''', which are independent special-purpose governments, or dependent school systems, which are under the control of state or local government. A school district is a legally separate [[body corporate and politic]]. School districts are local governments with powers similar to that of a [[town]] or a [[County (United States)|county]] including [[taxation]] and [[eminent domain]], except in [[Virginia]], whose [[school division]]s have no taxing authority and must depend on another local government (county, city, or town) for funding. Its governing body, which is typically elected by direct popular vote but may be appointed by other governmental officials, is called a ''[[school board]]'', ''board of trustees'', ''board of education'', ''school committee'', or the like. This body appoints a ''[[Superintendent (education)|superintendent]]'', usually an experienced public school administrator, to function as the district's [[chief executive]] for carrying out day-to-day decisions and policy implementations. The school board may also exercise a [[quasi-judicial]] function in serious [[employee]] or [[student]] [[discipline]] matters. |
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Not all school systems constitute school districts as distinct bodies corporate. A few states have no school systems independent of county or municipal governments. One prominent example is [[Maryland]], where all school systems are run at the county or, in the case of [[Baltimore|Baltimore City]], the county-equivalent level. Other states, such as [[New York]], have both independent [[Administrative divisions of New York#School district|school districts]] and school systems that are subordinate to cities. The [[Hawaii State Department of Education]] functions as a single state-wide school district. This is unique among the states, but the [[Puerto Rico Department of Education]] operates all schools in the Commonwealth of [[Puerto Rico]], thus also functioning as a single school district. |
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In the 2002 Census of Governments, the [[United States Census Bureau]] enumerated the following numbers of school systems in the United States: |
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*13,506 school district governments |
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*178 state-dependent school systems |
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*1,330 local-dependent school systems |
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*1,196 education service agencies (agencies providing support services to public school systems) |
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=== Terminology === |
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{{Geographical imbalance|school districts in states across the U.S|date=December 2010}} |
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Although these terms can vary slightly between various states and regions, these are typical definitions for school district constitution: |
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====Schools==== |
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* An ''elementary'' school usually includes [[kindergarten]] and grades [[First grade|one]] through [[5th grade|five]] (sometimes [[Sixth grade|six]]). In some school districts these grades are divided into two schools. |
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* A ''middle school'' usually includes grades [[Sixth grade|six]] or [[Seventh grade|seven]] through [[Eighth grade|eight]] (in some places, the alternative terms ''junior high school'' or ''intermediate school'' are still used). ''Junior high school'' often referred to schools that covered grades seven through nine. ''Intermediate school'' is often used for schools that cover grades 3-5 or so when they are separated from elementary schools. |
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* A ''high school'' usually includes grades [[Ninth grade|nine]] through [[Twelfth grade|twelve]] and may include grades [[Seventh grade|seven]] and above. There are many high schools that cover only grades ten to twelve, which are sometimes referred to as a ''senior high school''. |
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====Districts==== |
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These terms may not appear in a district's name, even though the condition may apply. |
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* A [[unified school district]] includes [[Primary education|elementary]] and [[Secondary education|secondary]] ([[middle school]] and [[high school]]) educational levels. |
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* The word ''central'' in a district's name indicates that there is one central administration that oversees the entire district. |
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* The word ''free'' in a district's name indicates that no tuition is charged to attend district schools. In New York, it is used in conjunction with ''union'' to indicate a district composed of multiple, formerly independent common school districts now ''free'' of restrictions placed on New York State's common school districts. |
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* The word ''union'' or ''consolidated'' in a district's name indicates that it was formed from two or more districts. |
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* The word ''joint'' in a district's name indicates that it includes territory from more than one county. |
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* The word ''[[independent school district|independent]]'' can have different meanings, depending on the state. |
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** [[Kentucky]] — Here, "Independent" districts are separate from county districts, the standard form of school district in the state. If [[List of counties in Kentucky|a county]] has no independent district, its school district boundaries coincide exactly with its borders. As of 2007, the state has 54 independent districts scattered throughout the state, with major concentrations in [[Northern Kentucky]] and the [[Eastern Mountain Coal Fields|Eastern Coal Fields]] region. These districts are generally associated with a city, or sometimes with a cluster of adjoining cities. Unlike county districts, independent districts can cross county lines, as in the Caverna Independent Schools centered on [[Cave City, Kentucky|Cave City]] and [[Horse Cave, Kentucky|Horse Cave]] and the [[Corbin, Kentucky|Corbin]] Independent Schools. Note that some districts in the state are independent despite not having "Independent" in their official name, as in the [[Owensboro Public Schools]] and [[Paducah Public Schools]]. |
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** [[Minnesota]] — Per Minnesota Statue 120A.05, "Independent" denotes any school district validly created and existing as an independent, consolidated, joint independent, county or a ten or more township district as of July 1, 1957, or pursuant to the Education Code.<ref>[https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=120A.05 Minnesota Statute 120A.05]</ref> |
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** [[Texas]] — Here, "Independent" denotes that the district is separate from any county- or municipal-level entity. All of the state's school districts, with only one exception ([[Stafford Municipal School District]]), are independent of any municipal or county control. Moreover, school district boundaries rarely coincide with municipal limits or county lines. Most districts use the term "Independent School District" in their name; in the few cases where the term "Common School District" is used the district is still an independent governmental entity. |
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*In [[Ohio]], school districts are classified as either ''city'' school districts, ''exempted village'' school districts, or ''local'' school districts. City and exempted village school districts are exempted from county boards of education, while local school districts remain under county school board supervision. School districts may combine resources to form a fourth type of school district, the joint vocational school district, which focuses on a technical skills–based curriculum.<ref>[http://ohioline.osu.edu/b835/b835_4.html Special Purpose Governments], Ohio State University. Accessed 2008-01-05.</ref> |
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*In [[Michigan]] there are Intermediate School Districts (ISD), Regional Education Service Districts (RESD), or Regional Education Service Agencies (RESA) largely at the county level. The local schools districts run the schools and most programs, but often bi-lingual aides, programs for the deaf and blind, special education for the severely impaired, and career and technical education programs are run by the Intermediate School District or equivalent. |
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==International comparisons== |
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Outside the United States, other jurisdictions often will have autonomous districts (or equivalent) authorities to represent various groups seeking autonomy, such as linguistic groups, or religious groups. The U.S. school districts, which tend to be based largely on geographical divisions, generally avoid these issues, as English is such a dominant language, and religion is largely excluded from public education by the legal doctrine of the [[separation of church and state]] and the widespread existence of [[private school]]s run by religious organizations. In much of the world, religious (confessional), linguistic, and other divisions, are a significant factor in organizing school districts or equivalent authorities. |
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In [[England and Wales]], [[School board (England & Wales)|school boards]] were established in 1870, and abolished in 1902, with [[county council]] and [[county borough]] councils becoming the [[Local Education Authorities]].<ref>[http://archives.powys.gov.uk/hold/board.html archives.powys.gov.uk]</ref> |
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In France, the system of the [[carte scolaire]] was dismantled by the beginning of the 2007 school year. More school choice has been given to French students, however, priority is given to those that meet the following criteria: |
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* students with disabilities |
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* students on scholarships or special academic merit |
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* students who meet "social cohesion" criteria (essentially to [[Diversity (politics)|diversify]] the school population) |
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* students who require specialized medical attention from a hospital |
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* students who want to study a course offered only by the school |
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* students who have siblings that attend the school |
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* students who live close [[proximity]] to the school |
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==Examples== |
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* [[London School Board]] |
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* [[List of school education areas in New South Wales|Education areas in New South Wales, Australia]] |
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* [[:Category:School districts in Canada|School districts in Canada]] |
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* [[List of education districts in Queensland|Education districts in Queensland, Australia]] |
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==See also== |
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* [[Lists of school districts in the United States]] |
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* [[List of the largest school districts in the United States by enrollment]] |
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* [[State education agency]] |
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* [[School division|School division (Virginia)]] |
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* [[Unified school district]] |
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* [[School district drug policies]] |
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* [[School Improvement Grant]] |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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* [http://www.census.gov/govs/www/gid2002.html 2002 Census of Governments] |
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* [http://www.allthingspolitical.org/school_districts/school_districts.htm U.S. School Districts Online] |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:School District}} |
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[[Category:School districts| ]] |
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[[es:Distrito escolar]] |
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[[it:Distretto scolastico]] |
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[[ms:Daerah sekolah]] |
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[[ja:アメリカ合衆国の学区]] |
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[[pt:Distrito escolar]] |
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[[vi:Học khu]] |
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[[yi:סקול דיסטריקט]] |
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[[zh:学区]] |
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Revision as of 17:52, 10 May 2011
School makes people's heads explode...