Policy Enablers, Innovations, and Work-Arounds: State and Local Perspectives in Eight States

• In Event: 33.078 - Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: 33.078-22 - Governing Schools Today: Local Players

Abstract

This study examines how different approaches to education governance constrain and facilitate the work of schools, districts, and states, demonstrating relationships and tensions among political actors and organizations involved in decision making and implementation. Researchers conducted 68 semi-structured interviews of state and local policy actors across eight states strategically chosen for their classification in a typology researchers devised from states’ (a) levels of local versus state control, (b) fragmented versus unified policy environment, and (c) democratic versus politicized processes. Interviews centered around (a) curriculum guidelines adoption, (b) annual teacher evaluations, (c) teacher licensure/certification, (d) instructional materials adoption, (e) takeover of schools/districts, and (f) taxation authority. Findings supported similarities and differences on the bases of typology classification.

Authors

• Joanna R. Smith, University of Oregon

• Michael Thier, International Baccalaureate

• Ross C Anderson, Educational Policy Improvement Center

• Hovanes Gasparian, University of Southern California

• Christine Pitts, University of Oregon

• Yue Shen, University of Oregon