Schools have been around since the 1600's. They were primarily based on religion but President Jefferson thought that schools should not be biased on religion or based on social status. Funding for schools going back as early as the Mid. to late 1800's was primarily based on grants and funding from the parents whos children attended these schools. This caused a problem because places with more wealthy individuals were the only places that were able to provide funding for schools. Places with a lower economy did not have the luxury of having an educational system. By the end of the century they were in full force providing free public schooling which was different then the private schools the wealthier areas were provided. Funding for public schooling was still difficult in the late 1800s but in the beginning of the 1900s state aid programs (many still existing today) were created to help fund the public schools. The states began to get involved in order to reduce the inequalities in the school system a high majority of the funds came from local sources and a very small amount came from state, roughly 15 percent from state and 85 from local sources.
Sources:
A History Of Public Education In The U.S.
Encyclopedia of educational reform and dissent
Rick, This is an excellent post. The school system, even in the present, are very underfunded. Politicians in Washington are constantly cutting back on education. This may play a part in why the United States keeps falling lower in education when compared to other countries. Other countries value the education of their students more than the United States. The United States needs to recognize the importance of educating our citizens and start giving more funding so this can be achieved. As they say, the students are our future!. Thanks for the great post. Mary Ann Reday,
ReplyDeleteGraet post Rick. It’s nice to see that the government stepped in to help even out the educational system. This allowed people in lower income towns to become educated and have a chance at better jobs. And the government needs to continue to fund education today.
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