SUMMARY CHART XVII

LEGITIMATE EXPENDITURES OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL FUNDS

!

summary.

* The year following the name of the state indicates the date of the school laws used in this

Key Number

KEY CODE XVII (Cont'd)

Provision

1635 Tuition of students to a secondary school in another district by non-secondary school district (required) (16)*

1636 Tuition of students to a secondary school in another district by non-secondary school district (permitted) (20)*

1637 Tuition of students to a secondary school in another state (authorized) (6)*

1638 Lunches to public secondary school students at

cost (authorized) (5)*

1639 Free milk to public secondary school students under fourteen years of age (authorized) (1)*

1640 Board and lodging of students attending public secondary schools of district of residence (authorized) (7)*

1641 Transportation of students from a "non-secondary school" district to suitable secondary school, paid by state (1)*

1642 Tuition of students from a "non-secondary school" district to suitable secondary school, paid by state (1)*

1643 Board of students from a "non-secondary school" district to suitable secondary school, paid by state (3)*

LABORATORY SUPPLIES

1644 Laboratory supplies (optional) (1)*

SYNOPSIS

The local public secondary school program is maintained under the direction of a school board composed of public-spirited citizens who donate their services. Only twelve states permit the payment of public school board members. As aids to the school boards in the general control of the school systems, the statutes of the various states include the services of superintendents of schools, secretaries, clerks, treasurers, accountants, examiners, census enumerators, attendance officers, business managers, superintendents of buildings, inspectors of construction, architects, and attorneys.

In addition to authorizing the payment of teachers' salaries, the statutes of some states permit the payment of necessary traveling expenses of teachers, supervisors of instruction, and members of public secondary school boards.

A majority of the states either permit or require local school boards to furnish instructional supplies to students. Such statutory provisions, when combined with the provisions of many states authorizing or requiring the furnishing of free textbooks, library books, free transportation, tuition, board and lodging, are significant influences upon the movement toward the equalization of educational opportunities for all.

Approximately two-thirds of the states have provided some plan for pensions or retirement salaries for teachers. The courts, in uniformly sustaining the legality of retirement salary statutory provisions, have stressed in their opinions the constructive influence which such provisions should have upon the development of teaching into a permanent profession of high standards.

Insurance on and repair of public secondary school buildings is now required by the statutes of several states as means of providing for the proper maintenance of school plants. The legal provisions relative to expending public school funds for improvement and landscaping of school grounds indicate laudable interest in making public school environments beautiful and homelike. In addition to providing attractive environments where an appreciation of beauty may develop, the statutes of the majority of the states require the United States flag to be displayed in a prominent position with the apparent aim of inculcating feelings of pride and patriotism in the student bodies of the Nation.

Legal provisions which emphasize the horizontal expansion of the public secondary education program are those authorizing the purchase of land for playgrounds, athletic fields and agricultural plots. Similar expansion is also indicated by the statutes specifically authorizing the building of gymnasia, industrial education buildings, buildings for other special types of instruction, and auditorium buildings.

The legal authorization to build dormitories for students and homes for teachers is a significant step in advance for the effectiveness of the secondary education program. The less favored districts are no longer handicapped by the lack of suitable living quarters for students and teachers. The courts have uniformly supported the legality of the foregoing practices as long as they are authorized by constitutions and statutes, and as long as they are exclusively under public school supervision and control. The data heretofore shown indicate that the movement to equalize the educational opportunities for all has already made progress.