Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
Section I – The U.S. Educational System
Chapter One – Federal Education Policy
A Nation at Risk catalyzing education reform
The Governors catalyze stronger federal involvement
Obama administration and The Race to the Top’s avoidance of ESEA
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Questions
Activities
Further Readings
Reference List
Chapter Two –State Systems of Education
History of State Control
State Education Structures
Referenda
Policy development across states: The Story of the Common Core
Pushback to the Common Core
Moving forward with the Common Core
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Questions
Activities
Further Reading
Reference List
Chapter Three – Local School Districts, Citywide Change, and Rural Dilemmas
Influencing the Local Level
District Consolidation
Community Control
School Boards
Compositions of school boards
School board responsibilites
Consolidation of power in cities: Mayoral Control
Policy Regimes and Civic Capacity
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Questions
Activities
Further Reading
Reference List
Chapter Four – Influential Policy Actors
National and state actors
Teachers Unions
Parents/Parent Teachers Association
The new major actors
Foundations
Education Management Organizations
Business community
Think tanks
Research-Practice Partnerships
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Questions
Activities
Further Reading
Reference List
Section II – The Policy Process
Chapter Five: Public Policy and Power
Rational Decision Making Process
Policy as a Political Process
Policy as Power
Policy as Argument
Process Matters
The Importance of Ethical Policy
Defining the Policy Process
Comprehension Questions
Activities
Further reading
Reference List
Chapter Six: Problem formation, Agenda Setting and Framing
Problem Formation
Framing Ideas
Defining a Target Audience
Agenda Setting
Finding the Policy Window
Social media and framing
Behavioral Economics
Steady work
Punctuated Equilibrium
Public Idea
Framing a Problem
Policy Entrepreneurs
Timing
Comprehension questions
Discussion questions
Activities
Reference List
Chapter Seven – Policy Formation
Policy tools
Metapolicy
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Questions
Activities
Future Reading
Reference List
Chapter Eight: Policy Implementation
Relating the top and the bottom
Loose coupling
Street-level Bureaucrats
Policy Feedback, Layered Policy, and Sensemaking
Will, capacity and fidelity
Intermediaries as facilitators of change
District as intermediary
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Questions
Activities
Further Reading
Reference List
Chapter Nine: Sustainability and Scale
Institutionalization
Pillars of Institutionalism
Scale
A comprehensive model of scale
Improvement science
Comprehension questions
Discussion questions
Activities
Further Reading
Reference List
Section III – Ideals of the U.S. Educational System
Chapter Ten: Understanding U.S. Ideals
Equity
Markets
Societal control
U.S. Political Parties
Discussion Questions
Activities
Further Reading
Reference List
Chapter 11 - Market Driven Reform: The Foundation for the Accountability Movement
Market Theory
Rational Choice Theory
Critique of a Market Based System
Academic achievement in market models.
Equity and markets.
Vouchers
Research on vouchers.
Charter Schools
Funding of charter schools
History of charters
Research on charters
Comprehension questions
Discussion questions
Activity
Further Reading
Reference List
Chapter 12 - Equity
Power
Critical Pedagogy
Critical Race Theory
Equity and accountability
Opportunity to Learn as a way to frame equity and accountability
Equity and the Courts
Race and the Courts
Social Class and the Courts
Student voice and the right to participate
Policy topics with an equity focus
Early-childhood education
Community Schools
Comprehension Questions
Discussion Questions
Activities
Further Reading
Reference List
Dana L. Mitra is Professor of Education (Educational Theory & Policy) at The Pennsylvania State University.
'A unique blend of education policy analysis concepts with the underlying political structure and actors that influence the outcomes of policies. The broad scope and specific insights of the book makes it essential for both students, educators, and scholars.'—Michael Kirst, president California State Board of Education, Professor Emeritus , Stanford University'Educational Change and the Political Process' brings together issues foundational to educational policy with recent debates over such issues as education governance, funding and accountability in a well-written, accessible textbook. It clearly explains how education policy problems, opportunities, actors and instruments differ by location in the education policy system, raise different challenges of implementation and evaluation, and play out in terms of major touchpoints for policy and practice. A useful addition: each chapter concludes with questions and activities designed to engage students in concrete discussions of the chapter’s policy tradeoffs and perspectives. I know of no other textbook that affords this all-inclusive, system-wide treatment of education policy making—and in-depth reference list. Mitra’s textbook provides an invaluable resource for instructors and students of education policy, and will be relevant for years to come.'—Milbrey McLuaghlin, David Jacks Professor Emeritus of Education and Public Policy, Stanford University
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