Chapter II.

STATUS OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY

EDUCATION.

The purpose of this chapter is to point out for the guidance of school officials the strong points in the school system which should be continued, and also to set forth the weaknesses which need correction and revision. In many ways the schools of Arizona rank high, comparing favorably with those of States most advanced in education. The expenditure for public education in comparison with the wealth of the State, and the expenditure per school child, are about the average for Western States. The method of raising funds for school support has proved excellent. The unit of support is large, and the small school is provided with at least $850 for maintenance each year. Suitable new buildings are being erected at a rapid rate to replace the pioneer buildings. The percentage of teachers who are professionally trained is larger than in a majority of the States, and the salaries paid are higher than those paid in any other, with possibly two or three exceptions. The State seems alive with the desire for the best in education. In all of these respects an excellent beginning has been made and progress may be expected by the continuation and enlargement of these policies. On the other hand, there are weaknesses pointed out in this and succeeding chapters due largely to the fact that the State lacks the cooperation of educational agencies and the definite constructive leadership which comes as a result of a centralized administrative system. Such a system and the cooperation and leadership which eventuate from it are essential not only that the best results may be obtained in specific instances, but they are especially necessary for that State-wide progress which is the concern of the Commonwealth considered as a whole rather than as separate individual communities.

Section 1.-STATE ADMINISTRATION.

Arizona is organized for school management on the district basis, each school district maintaining the kind of school it wishes, with little interference from the county or State. Progress depends on

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local sentiment and initiative. It has been rapid, but not uniform. Adjacent to districts with schools of the best type are other districts with very poor schools. County superintendents have influence in school improvement, but their influence comes from ability to persuade rather than from legal authority. The State itself assumes little leadership. It has given its State department of education neither the authority nor the means to make it possible for it to determine educational policies and to enforce their execution. It should have a State department organized to give definite and continued State leadership, under which State-wide progress may result. It should recognize that education is a function of the State, and that it is its business to see that approximately equal educational opportunities are given to the children in all of its parts. Before Arizona can provide the necessary centralized State organization, several constitutional amendments are required. The committee recommends that immediate efforts be made to obtain:

(1) A constitutional amendment abolishing the present ex officio State board of education. In its place there should be a board of seven persons especially fitted for the work, selected and appointed by the governor with the approval of the State senate.

(2) A constitutional amendment to convert the office of the State superintendent of public instruction from a political elective one to an appointive one, to be filled only by a person especially fitted and equipped for educational work. (3) Legislation conferring on the State board of education and the State superintendent of public instruction enlarged and clearly defined functions and power to perform them.

In addition to a centralized State department of education there is need of centralizing local administration into larger units, preferably the county as the county is now the unit of support in school affairs. The committee recommends for local administration:

(1) County boards of education charged with the general management of the schools of the county, particularly with the disbursements of the county school funds, fixing district boundaries, and the appointment of the county superintendents, assistants, and teachers.

(2) The retention of the local trustees as custodians of the school property, with the duties of attending to repairs, upkeep, and minor supplies, and acting as the immediate overseers of the schools. They should represent the district before the county board, recommending supplies, equipment, and teachers desired.

(A) STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

The State constitution now prescribes that the State board of education shall be composed of the governor, the superintendent of public instruction, the president of the State university, and the principals of the State normal schools as ex officio members, and of a city superintendent of schools, a principal of a high school, and a county superintendent of schools, all three appointed by the governor.

The board has no legal authority to assume definite responsibility for the State's educational system. Its principal functions are:

To supervise the apportionment of the State school funds; to adopt regulations governing State aid to high schools; to prescribe the course of study for common schools and determine the qualifications of graduates from high schools and entrance to normal schools; to administer the free textbook and teachers' pension laws; to issue life certificates to teachers; to have charge of the education of the deaf and the blind.

The principal objections to the composition of the present board

are:

(1) It is not continuous; five of its eight members are either political officers elected by the people or members appointed by a political officer and their terms expire with any change in State administration.

(2) The board is composed, with the exception of the governor, entirely of men in educational work. This shows a wrong conception of the functions of such a board. A board of educational experts is not required. The State superintendent is supposed to be the educational expert. One of the principal functions of the State board is to secure such an expert for the State superintendency and then to give to him the support, advice, and assistance so badly needed of persons from occupations other than education.

(3) The members are required to serve on the board regardless of their personal fitness and regardless of whether or not they have time for the work. The governor of the State has so many other duties that he has little time for those of the State board of education, and he will have less time as the population of the State increases. The same is true of the presidents of the State university and State normal schools.

(4) The governor appoints three members of the board, although himself a member of it, which may give him undue influence. The creator can hardly sit in council with his creatures on equal terms.

Several States have tried Arizona's present plan of a board composed of persons in educational work serving ex officio. The plan has not as a rule proved satisfactory. An evidence of this is the action of the State of California, which in 1911 abandoned the ex officio board made up of educational officers, and provided for an appointive board, no member of which "shall during his term of office hold any salaried education position."

The committee recommends a board of seven members composed of men and women of affairs, scholarship, and business ability, appointed from various parts of the State by the governor, with the approval of the senate, and that the term of office be at least eight years with not more than two terms expiring in any biennium. In this way a continuity of service and freedom from political inter

ference may be secured to the members. The board may or may not include persons engaged in educational work; the majority, however, should be in other occupations. Certainly none should be employees in institutions under the charge of the board. The members should serve without pay, but should receive their actual traveling and other expenses in attending board meetings and perhaps a reasonable per diem. A certain number of fixed meetings should be held each year and provision made for special meetings on the call of the governor, the State superintendent, or a majority of the members. The State superintendent should not be a member of the board, but should be its secretary and executive officer.

The powers and duties of the State board of education should be clearly defined by law. It should have power and it should be its duty

(1) To have general charge of the educational interests of the State and determine educational policies, particularly in organization and administration, as to the general scope of the public-school system.

(2) To appoint and fix the salary of the State superintendent of public instruction, and upon his recommendation to appoint all assistants and employees of the State department of education and fix their salaries.

(3) To assist the State superintendent of public instruction in the duties conferred upon him by the constitution and laws.

(4) To have general oversight of vocational and other special schools or departments of schools receiving special State aid and Federal or other financial aid given through the State, whether the schools are established and controlled by the State or by local authorities.

(5) To control and manage the two State normal schools now in existence and all other teacher-training schools that may be established, replacing the present local boards of control.

(6) To control and manage the State Industrial School and such State institutions for the education of orphans, the deaf, blind, feeble-minded, and other special classes as may be established, and to exercise general oversight of similar institutions receiving special State aid established by local communities and under immediate local control.

(7) To apportion the State school funds to the counties and to enforce State laws and regulations by withholding funds from counties in which schools are not maintained in accordance with the State laws.

(8) To have final approval of a State course of study prepared by the State department of education and fix standards for graduation from high schools. (9) To have final approval of the charters of all higher education institutions that may be established in the State, and to determine standards on which collegiate degrees may be conferred, under such regulations as may be fixed by law.

(10) To select or provide for the selection and purchase of textbooks for use in the elementary and high schools.

(11) To exercise the functions, powers, and duties now conferred upon the State board of examiners, transferring the work to the State department of education, granting certificates upon the recommendation of the State superintendent.

(12) To determine under general regulations fixed by law the kinds of teaching certificates to be issued and the requirements for each.