Final answer:
Southern states responded to public education slower than northern states.
Step-by-step explanation:
Southern states responded to public education slower than northern states. In the rural, more agricultural regions of the south and west, school reform was not as effectively implemented. Taxes on land remained low, which limited the revenue for education, and efforts to increase taxes were often rebuffed. Additionally, school segregation was not limited to the South, as other states also maintained segregated schools.