Education IDENTIFIERS Elementary Secondary EduCation Act Title V; ESEA

This study of the impact of unrestricted federal aid on State bureaucracies describes how federal money was spent in nine SEAls (particularly in Massachusetts, New York, and South Carolina). It also examines whether Title V promoted a rethinking of SEA priorities and led to a "thorough overhaul " of SEA activities. Study findings reveal that, while SEA budgets and staffs doubled between 1965 and 1970 (one fifth of the 1970 dollars coming from Title V), SEA strengthening varied significantly from State to State. In New York and Massachusetts, the Title V outcome took the form of marginal adaptations of ongoing activities in procedures, activities, or roles; while in South Carolina, marked changes took place. However, the author notes that in none of these States did Title V stimulate a rethinking of priorities or promote a thorough overhaul of activities._Even in South Carolina, Title V failed to promote basi