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The Context for School Council The Cabot School Council, at the center of Figure 1, exists within the broader architecture of the public education system. The Newton Public School System sets and oversees district-wide standards and budget. The Newton School Committee provides a key venue for these decisions. The Massachusetts State Department of Education (DOE) sets and oversees state-wide standards, such as MCAS, and budget. Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 71, Section 59C mandates the existence of a School Council -- a source of site-based decision making -- at each Massachusetts Elementary School. The Federal Department of Education sets and oversees national policies and standards, such as No Child Left Behind, and budgets. Beyond the architecture of our Public Education System, the global context is changing: education and knowledge are now commodities in a flattening, globalizing world. All of these influences set the context for how we approach education at Cabot School, and many of the mandates that come with the laws established at local, state and federal levels impact the day to day operations of the school. |