Credibility in the "Post-Truth" Era: Public Views of Stakeholders in Education

• In Event: 66.075 - Politics of State and Federal Education Reform

Abstract

Scholars have documented the increasing roles of different stakeholders in shaping educational policy in the United States. Yet, we know little on the public credibility of these stakeholders. This paper uses data from a national survey of American adults (n=3,040) to examine public views toward the desired policy influence of different stakeholders in education and its link to their perceived knowledgeability of the educational problems. Results show that stakeholders who are closer to the educational process – teachers and parents – are perceived to be more informed than others. Perceived knowledgeability has a direct effect on views toward stakeholders’ policy influence; this effect is stronger for stakeholders who are far removed from schools, such as think tanks, business leaders, and elected officials.

Authors

• Oren Pizmony Levy, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Aaron Pallas, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Chanwoong Baek, Teachers College, Columbia University