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The DOE is primarily concerned with how the small percentage of federal funds are distributed.  It does collect and disseminate information on education studies.  The fed funds available to schools which are based on the NCLB program are test results.  Many school districts teach for the test, so the DOE does have some affect of what is taught.  But for the most part curriculum is decided and developed by state and local officials.  And while free lunches may be from a federal grant, free condoms are always a state and/or local program.

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Originally Posted by Bryant Platt:

When do you think parental involvement should end? In several districts if the community had their way real science and history would never make its way into the classroom.

In our county, the school board of education AND the Superintendent of education is elected by the people...rather than appointed.  Parental rights here do not end at the schoolhouse door.  Parents here have a LOT of say as to what happens with their kids.  So the people have a lot of control over that as well as what goes on in the schools.  

We have science here as well as history and both are accredited by the State.  No problems so far.  And many of our kids have gone on to graduate from universities around the country with honors.