Politics of Education Teaching Services (POETS)

Politics of Education presentations

Billy Boyd power point presentation: Insurmountable Obstacles?

Supporting course materials

Privatization and the History of Vouchers in Education

POETS, the Politics Of Education Teaching Services, is a data base of course materials related to the teaching of the Politics of Education and Education Policy. The goal is to have a resource for sharing, using, and improving the teaching in our fields. The table below provides a summary of course syllabi. You can click the title of the course itself to view the full syllabus. If you would like to submit syllabi to be included in this database, please contact Dana Mitra at Penn State University, dana@psu.edu.

Summary of Syllabi

Name	Course objectives and themes	Topics covered	Readings	Assignments
William Black Indiana University-Indianapolis Political Context of Education Audience: Doctoral students	How educational politics and policies permeate educational systems and decision-making in schools. What are the goals and purposes of public education? Is policy a cultural concept or better characterized as technical and (imperfectly) rational instrumentation? What is the nature of federal and state support to K-12 education? Which key interest groups and coalitions influence education policy? How are education policy development, implementation, and evaluation structured at multiple levels? What characteristics of district and school governance or culture influence federal and state roles in education? How do teachers and principals act as power brokers and policy makers? How have the politics of testing and high-stakes accountability shaped education policy?	Frameworks for puzzles in Politics and Policy Alternatives for advocacy politics Globalization, New Public Management, and Spectacle State and Federal Role in Education Politics of Policy Implementation and School-Level Reform Globalization, high-stakes education, and inequality: Chicago reform The role of research and assumptions: Title 1 Policy development and implementation Politics of bringing reform to scale Micropolitics- Authority and the classroom	Datnow, Hubbard, & Mehan (2002). Extending educational reform: From one school to many. Lipman, P. (2004). High-stakes education: Inequality, globalization, and urban school reform. Marshall, C. & Gerstl-Pepin, C. (2005). Reframing educational politics for social justice. Pace, J. & Hemmings, A. (Eds.). (2006). Classroom authority: Theory, research, and practice.. Stein, S. (2004). The culture of education policy. Readings by Kingdon, Lindblom; Bjork,.& Lindle; Mawhinney, & Lugg; Opfer; Pillow; Brantlinger; Hess & Leal; Noguera; Gebhart; Valenzuela, Wiley, & Wright; Court; Fusarelli & Johnson; Rustique-Forrester; Alexander; Anderson, & Gallegos; Ball; Humes & Bryce; Smith; Hess. & McGuinn; Manna; Olson & Hoff; Cohen & Hill; Elezar, Opfer; Tonn; Cuban; Kirst; Rowan; Cooper, Ehrensal, & Bromne.; Firestone, Schorr, & Monfils; Walker	Class discussion and summative essay: During the first 5 class sessions students will read articles (selected by the instructor) which extend perspectives and/or theoretical frameworks introduced in the Marshall and Gerstl-Pepin text. Working in pairs, students will write and distribute a 2 page summary of the readings to all class members. Review of Articles: Each student will submit a 3-5 page review of three interrelated peer-reviewed articles. The articles should address political and policy aspects of an issue that relates to a potential dissertation topic. Book Review: Each student is to submit a 3-5 page review of a book approved by the instructor. The book content should address political and policy aspects of an issue that relates to a potential dissertation topic. The book review should contain the following elements- Literature Review: Students will consult with the instructor to select an area of educational politics and policy that relates to a potential dissertation topic. The final literature review will range from 12 - 20 pages.
Lora Cohen-Vogel Florida State University Politics of Education Audience: Graduate students	To habituate the conceptualization of schooling as political; To understand the political contexts and institutional environment in which educators operate; To recognize how resources and values are allocated through the system; To develop a general awareness of some conceptual frameworks used to examine the politics of education; Engaging in political analysis, students will obtain, assess, and assemble data, and interpret those data within the logic and confines of an orienting framework; and To identify the roles, purposes, and decision-making authority of educational stakeholders; To become familiar with the governmental agencies, policy issue networks and interest groups that affect educational policymaking	What's political about education? Conflict, Turbulence & America's Schools: Who's in Charge? Debating the Purposes of Education - Education for State Building? State Maintenance? Something Else?; Frameworks to Guide Political Analysis: The Study of Politics in Education (Systems Framework; Diffusion Framework; Narrative/Discourse Analysis); Values, Demands, and Interest Groups in Education (Sex Ed, School Choice, Compensation, Curriculum Content); Local Control: School Boards, Chief Administrators and Micropolitics; Politics of Religion in Schools; State Politics and Politics of Teaching & Learning: The Reading Wars; Federal politics and Politics of Standards & Accountability: The Case of NCLB; Education Politics and the Courts; Intergovernmental Relations; Cases of State and Local Tension	Wirt, & Kirst, M. (2006). Political Dynamics of American Education. Plus readings by: Wong & Apple, Easton, Walker, Berry, McLendon, Heller & Young, Cohen-Vogel, L. et al., Stone, Fischer, Shipps, Cohen-Vogel & Hunt, Scapp, Moe, Hess & west, Hannaway & Rotherham, DeBray, Cross, Cohen	Reflection Brief: What is/are the purpose(s) of education? The two to three-page brief should reflect your current beliefs about the function of our public school system (K-12 and/or Higher Ed). Political Analysis Paper. Each student will write a political analysis of an education policy decision. The purpose of the exercise is to help students articulate and apply a framework for political analysis (e.g., innovation diffusion) to guide a mini case study of a decision event. In addition, each student will prepare a short presentation summarizing the key findings of his/her political analysis paper. Discussant Group Project. The assignment is intended to help students discover connections and contradictions, pull critical themes and concepts from the readings, and clarify students' perceptions about course content. During the semester, each student will be assigned to a group acting collectively in the role of discussant.
Lora Cohen-Vogel Florida State University Federal Role in Education Audience: Graduate students	To characterize the federal role in education as bumpy, fragile, and evolving; To unravel the complexity of the federal government's involvement in American schooling; To expose students to the various federal programs that assist students, and the conditions - political, demographic, and economic - that led to their adoption; To provide students with the opportunity to conduct primary research on topics that have been understudied;	The Early Years: Analyzing Purposes and Politics The Truman and Eisenhower Years: The Force of a Rocket; The Kennedy and Johnson Years; The Nixon, Ford, and Carter Years; The Reagan Years; The Bush, Clinton, and Bush Years; No Child Left Behind, Preparing Teachers: From Summer Institutes to "Highly Qualified"; Defining "Good" Research: The Feds Role in Educational Research; National School Lunch Program: Feeding the Undernourished, (then) Readying Students to Learn, (now) Fighting Obesity; The Federal Role in Education in the Years to Come	Cross, C. (2005). Political Education: National Policy Comes of Age. Plus readings in: DeBray, Jennings, Slavin, Cohen-Vogel; Eisenhart & Towne; Stanovich & Stanovich	Federal role assignment Through content analysis of federal legislation, court documents, government and budget documents, and appropriations bills, student tracks the role of the federal government in an educational topic of your choice over time, including: 1. Paper Proposal 2. List and Description of Relevant Congressional Legislation, Court Decisions, Executive Orders 3. Paper Draft 4. Presentation 5. Final Paper
Lora Cohen-Vogel Florida State University Policy Development in Education Audience: Graduate students	To conceptualize public policy making as dynamic (continually responsive to demands and supports at many points throughout the process); political (involving negotiation and the authoritative allocation of values); and, fundamental to the human condition (establishing the conditions that facilitate or constrain organizations and individuals) To understand the policy making process and all of its stages To develop the skills for analyzing policy alternatives, building support for policies, developing implementation strategies, and forecasting outcomes To build awareness of current policy trends at the state and national levels	What is public policy? What is it?; Policy types; Theoretical approaches to the study of public policy Who makes policy? Who should make policy? Debating the role of government. Who does make policy? Federal, State, Local Actors, unofficial players Pre Enactment Period: How is policy made? Identifying policy problems and agenda setting; Proposal formulation; Policy adoption Post Enactment Period How are policies implemented? Factors that influence compliance; Implementation and Institutionalism How are policies evaluated? How are impacts measured? By whom? What problems do evaluators face?	Anderson, James E. (2006). Public Policymaking: An introduction. Rothstein, Richard (1998). The Way We Were? Theodoulou, S. & Cahn, M. (1995). Public Policy: The Essential Readings	Bill tracking assignment Choose two education-related bills that have been introduced for consideration by the Florida Legislature during the 2007 legislative session. Follow those bills in committee and in the media to analyze the problem they seek to address, the arguments offered in support/opposition, their movement (or lack of movement) through the political system, and their status as of the April assignment deadline. The assignment consists: A Bill Tracking Journal; A Final Bill Tracking Paper; Extra Credit: Conduct an Interview Policy memo assignment. You are staff to an elected official or a candidate for elected office. Your official/candidate is in the process of developing a legislative platform. Your job is to develop a policy memo that argues for policy attention to a particular issue. The issue can be generic, like education reform; it can deal with a more focused proposal, like school vouchers; or it can address specific legislation, such as the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. Regardless of the approach you take, you must incorporate the following five components: Problem, Jurisdiction/Level of government, Policy alternatives, Recommendation, Political feasibility.
Bruce Cooper Fordham Univ. School Management and Public Policy Audience: Doctoral students	To provide an introductory overview of the conceptual and practical issues surrounding the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of education policy; and, second, to introduce students to some of the major policy areas in education. To assist students in becoming more effective educational leaders through a better understanding of education policy. To provide a conceptual framework or "lenses" to examine education policy. To provide an opportunity to apply these theoretical perspectives to key areas of educational policy such as governance, curriculum and testing, accountability, school improvement, teachers, and school finance.	Overview of Policy and the Change Process Conceptual Framework for Understanding Education Policy Policy Formulation Policy Implementation Policy Evaluation No Child Left Behind (Governance, Standards, Accountability, Teachers, Fiscal Equity)	Cooper, Bruce S., Fusarelli, Lance D, & Randall, E. Vance (2003). Better policies, better schools: Theories and applications. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Recommended David, Jane L. & Cuban, Larry (2006). Cutting through the hype: A taxpayer's guide to school reforms. Hess, & Petrilli (2006). No Child Left Behind. Kahne, (1996). Reframing educational policy: Democracy, community, and the individual. Popham, W. James (2004). America's "failing" schools: How parents and teachers can cope with No Child Left Behind.	Education Policy Paper that includes: Introduction, Literature Review, Problem Identification and Statement, Criteria for Selecting the Recommended Policy, Review and Assessment of Alternatives, Policy Recommendation, Implementation and Evaluation, Summary and Conclusion
Bruce Cooper Fordham Univ. Political Factors in Educational Administration: Understanding and Using Politics To Improve Our Schools Audience: Doctoral students	To understand how politics is used in transforming social values and public resources into public policy and education. To analyze the roles of the Federal, State, and Local governments To relate the work of the political process to the policies and outcomes of education.	- Local, state, and federal educational agencies and institutions. -Educational agencies and institutions as political systems or subsystems -Political cultures within political systems: -Power, influence, and control: rational vs. irrational understandings -Conflict and political culture: pluralistic values, individualistic and traditionalistic cultures; -Micropolitics: analysis of departments, divisions, schools, school districts, universities, governing boards and committees. -Macro-politics	Wirt, F. M. & Kirst, M. W. (2001). The political dynamics of education (2nd ed.). Conley, D. T. (2003). Who govern our schools? Changing roles and responsibilities.	Oral Presentations Each student will make two presentations, one, describing a theory and how it could be used in leadership and school reform; and a second presentation as part of the final group paper Short Paper Pick a Political Theory: This 5 to 8 pp. paper is an analysis of a political theory applicable to education; summarize the theory, perhaps starting with of the Wirt and Kirst book, drawn from a chapter, as selected, and from readings on that theory Long Group Paper Produce a 12-15 pp. paper with an Introduction, Statement of the Problem, Theories that Apply, and Usefulness (of the process in improving the skills and acumen of school leaders), dealing with one of the political scenarios presented below.
Lance Fusarelli NC State Policy Research in Education Audience: Doctoral students	To introduce doctoral students to the conceptual frameworks, theories, and research methods used to study educational policy, including institutional theory, neopluralist interest groups and advocacy coalitions, political culture, critical theory, feminist, and postmodernist /poststructuralist approaches to policy research. To identify the key elements of an educational policy, outline procedures for interpreting and evaluating policy research, and analyze the historical foundations of policy.	What is educational policy?; What key assumption guide policy research?; Why study policy research?; Politics and policymaking in education; Theoretical frameworks; Challenges to conducting policy research; Values in policymaking; How federalism affects policymaking; Problem definition and agenda setting; Systems theory; Policy stages; Implementation and policy evaluation; Political culture and policymaking; Punctuated-equilibrium theory; Interest groups and advocacy coalitions; Institutional theory; Rational choice approaches	Heck, R. H. (2004). Studying educational and social policy: Theoretical concepts and research methods. plus readings by Plank Scotch, R. K., & Gamble, J. L. , Fusarelli,, Benham, & Heck, Mazzoni & Clugston, Mintrom & Vergari, Stout, Tallerico & Scribner, Fuller, Cooper, Fusarelli & Randall, Portz,	Case Study Analysis-Decentralization Each student will analyze a case study of a significant school policy controversy that will be distributed in class. You are to write a brief essay detailing the major problems and issues raised by the case. Offer potential solutions or courses of action that need to be taken to address the situation. Policy Research Paper Choose an educational policy of interest to you and write a 12-16 page analysis from a policy framework that you find compelling. In addition to your preferred framework, you will be expected to discuss the policy from one other perspective that you might find challenging. For example, assume you were going to discuss the issue of national/state accountability systems for public education, and you have decided that a pluralist model best describes your approach to the concern. You might also want to consider the implications that a race-based framework/perspective might have on how the problem is framed, analyzed, and what solutions are recommended and adopted to address the problem. Finally, sketch out a research or evaluation design (1-2 pages max) that describes how you might study the issue raised in the paper (include a description of data sources and methodology).
Lance Fusarelli NC State Politics of Education Audience: Doctoral students	To gain an understanding of the political contexts and institutional environment in which educators operate; To develop an awareness of the conceptual frameworks used to examine the politics of education; To identify the roles, purposes, and decision-making authority of educational stakeholders, including governmental agencies, policy issue networks, and interest groups that affect educational policymaking.	Topics covered in class include the analysis of micropolitics and macropolitical systems at the school, district, municipal, state, and federal levels, as well as political culture, interest groups, advocacy coalitions, and institutions; Politics, Power & Conflict in Education Concepts and Historical Perspectives; Education as a Political System; Interest Groups & the Media - Values & Ideologies; School Boards, Mayors, Local Elections, & Referenda: Politics at the Local Level; Superintendents as Politicians; Micropolitics in Schools: Principals and Teachers as Politicians; State Politics of Education Federal Politics of Education; Elections & Education Policymaking Judicial Politics of Education; Politics of Standards Politics of School Choice	Book: Wirt, F.W., & Kirst, M.W. (2005). The political dynamics of American education Readings by: Bolman & Deal Murphy; Cibulka.; Feuerstein; Bjork & Gurley, Malen & Vincent; Mazzoni; Fusarelli; Thomas, & Brady; Hess & McGuinn, Plank, D. N., & Boyd, W. L.	Research Proposal on the Politics of Education (maximum of 16 points) Imagine you were going to conduct a study of education politics. What and who would you study? How would you study it? What data would you collect and what methodology would you use? Group Case Study Analysis In groups, students will analyze a case study of school politics that will be distributed in class. The group will write a 4-6 page essay detailing the major problems and political issues raised by the case. Offer potential solutions or courses of action that need to be taken to address the situation.. Political Analysis Paper - "The Politics of …" Each student will write a 14-16 page political analysis of a political issue, policy, or conflict. The purpose of this exercise is to help students articulate and apply a framework for political analysis to guide a mini-case study of a decision event. Questions to be considered may include: How and why was this policy proposed, adopted, and implemented? What types of politics erupted from the issue or conflict? Has the issue been definitively resolved? Film Analysis: Application of the Politics of Education to School Leadership Students are to write a 5-7 page essay about "The Merrow Report: The Toughest Job in America," addressing the following: (1) Political Content Analysis: Evaluate one or more course concepts (culture, values, interest groups, conflict, power, etc.) exhibited in the video. How would you characterize the political culture of the district? (2) Application to Practice: Contrasts, Comparisons, and Resolutions: Drawing upon your professional experience, identify similarities and differences between the politics that Superintendent Hornbeck encounters and what you have encountered in your professional experience. What would you do to resolve some of the conflicts Hornbeck encounters (or creates himself)?
Michael Kirst Stanford University Politics of Education		Education Politics and Leadership, Philadelphia Reform Politics, Political Theories and Concepts, Models and Concepts for Education Politics, Evolution of School Governance, Political Symbolism, Interest Groups and Community Power, Power, Bargaining and Coalition, Who Controls Our Schools at the Local Level?, School Site Politics and Micropolitics, State Politics of Education and Courts and Politics, Politics of Federal Policy and Administration, Politics of Educational Reform - Intergovernmental Politics and Courts	Wirt and Kirst book Political Dynamics of American Education, plus readings from Kirst, Corcoran and Christman, Cibulka, Hess, Edelman, Lindsay, Coplin & O'Leary, Block, Fisher & Ury, Harvard Case on Long Beach, Marshall & Scribner, Muncey & McQuillan, Spillane, DeBray, Fuhrman	Education Alternatives, Inc. The politics in school districts often provide a complex landscape for reformers and newcomers to the system. Many have misread the political landscape of a district, including for-profit companies such as Education Alternatives, Inc. After a disastrous outcome in both Washington, D.C. and Hartford, John Golle, CEO of EAI, could use some help. Looking to save his company as he negotiates with another district, Golle needs a politically savvy education consultant to help him avoid some of the pitfalls he encountered in other districts. The district with whom he is negotiating is open to either a school or district-wide EAI takeover. The district is similar in size to Hartford and serves a substantially both African American and Hispanic population. The majority of the Hispanic students are learning English as a second language. Golle has engaged you as a political consultant to make this new venture a success. Based on the case study, what political advice would you offer? Draw upon the readings and class discussions to strengthen your advisory memo. You may also draw on other press about the company. Examining the realities of Urban Districts What realities of urban districts does EAI seem to be ignoring or downplaying? What might EAI or Golle do to be more accepted as a partner in an urban district? What would be your recommendations to Golle as he negotiates with this new district? [think about both substance and symbolism] Assume you are the principal of Johnson High School. Drawing upon the PRINCE approach (sourcebook # 12) and the rest of 220B, explain how you would proceed to save the school and its programs. Assume that the seven-member school board will make the final decision. You can make assumptions about the situation, but make your assumptions explicit. Your assumptions cannot contradict the facts in the case.
Stephen Lawton Arizona State University Politics of Education Audience: Ed.D. students in a policy/administration focus at the district and state levels	To identify and describe the principal influences that affect educational policy at federal, state, and local levels. To prepare policy impact analysis. To demonstrate appropriate techniques for influencing policy. To demonstrate the ability to plan a strategy to bring about a policy change in a public school or other educational agency. To describe the relationship of the federal, state and local governments in the creation and implementation of policy in local schools or other local educational agencies. To identify and describe roles of agencies and organizations which have historically influenced educational policy. To demonstrate an awareness of how government policies toward the economy, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity affect educational policy.	Policy impact analysis and evaluation; Governments - Local, State, Federal; School Practice - Local Board and State Department of Education; Family; community; Individual Policy Creation-Federal, State, Local, Personal Policy Issues-Choice, Unions, Efficiency, Adequacy, Urban/Rural	Fowler, F. (2003). Policy studies for educational leaders: An introduction (2nd ed.). Rev. Columbus, OH: Merrill/Prentice Hall. Machiavelli, N. (1999). The prince (trans. G. Bull et al.). New York: Viking Penguin. (plus extensive bibliography of texts and sources for students' reference)	Concept Paper Students should prepare a brief paper 1) identifying and describing an important policy of current interest and 2) defining the concept of policy in their own terms and illustrating, with reference to 1), key elements of their definition. The Prince Read Machiavelli's The Prince and select two quotations that have relevance to you and your work. Book Analysis Prepare an analysis of a book focused on a specific educational, social, political, or economic policy issue that impacts public schools, higher education, or other social or non-profit institutions. Policy Analysis Paper Students should analyze the policy manuals from a local school organization, higher education institution, public or non-profit organization and the process whereby policy is "made" within that organization. Part of the research will involve perusing the organization's bylaws and attending board meetings to observe or learn the policy enactment process, if practicable. Also included in the research should be an interview with a board member to get that person's perspective on the policy development/enactment process. The focal piece of the paper should include the analysis/relationship of a particular policy area with the emphasis of that issue on the state and national scene. Students should be sure to include the following components: (a) review and analysis of the policy manual and policy enactment process; (b) brief review of school board or institution bylaws; (c) synopsis of school board or institutional member interview; and (d) review of specific policy area (major emphasis); (e) discussion and conclusion; and (f) bibliography. Oral Presentation A seven minute oral presentation of the policy analysis paper will be made during the final class meeting(s). The presentation should include: (a) clear identification of the issues, (b) complete and systematic development of the major concepts in the time allotted, and (c) summary and conclusions.
Betty Malen Univ. of Maryland Politics of Education Audience: Masters, doctoral, and administrator certification	To develop a general awareness of prominent conceptual perspectives and literature bases that can be used to examine and interpret the "politics" of education in the numerous formal and informal arenas that comprise the education policy system, To develop a general awareness of the contested character of the concepts and contributions of various political models and empirical studies of political processes, To articulate and apply a foundational conceptual perspective that is a particularly fruitful way of getting at the political processes that shape the formulation, enactment, implementation and impact of education policies, To develop "the habit of being analytic" in their consideration of the political dimensions of education and in their responses to the political issues inherent in education settings, To become more familiar with the environmental forces, institutional features, policy network activities and interest group pressures that affect education policy making in governmental arenas and other organizational contexts, To acquire a basic understanding of the role(s) educators play (or might play) in multiple decision arenas, the resources and strategies that can be deployed to influence education policy and the aspects of leadership that may warrant special attention in efforts to exercise "political leadership."	-Broad overview of the field of study. -A conceptual framework that is a particularly helpful (and foundational) guide to the analysis of political dynamics. (Political Systems and Power-Influence Perspectives) - A political dynamics in federal, state and local arenas. -A issues associated with the exercise of political leadership.	Easton, David (1985). "Political science in the United States, Past and present, "International Political Science Review, Jervis, Robert (2002, June). "Politics, political science and specialization," Policy Studies Smith, R. M (2004). The puzzling place of race in American political science, PS, Fischer, Frank (1990). "Organizations as political systems: The managerial bias in critical perspective," in Technocracy and the politics of expertise Readings by: Easton, Jervis, Smith, Fischer, Hardy, Baldridge, Kanter, Wirt, Frederick M. & Kirst, Campbell, Roald & Mazzoni, Malen & Ogawa, Geary, Allison & Zelikow, Pfeffer, Kanter, Meltsner, Morgan, Rich, Friedman, Wells, Serna, Apple, Sharp, Prestine, Miskel, Mazzoni, Hannah, McAdam, Dahl, Rosenberg, Firestone, Malen, Bolman & Deal, Terrence Kingdon, Malen, McLendon, Rowan, Brian & Miskel, Cecil, McLendon, deGive, Marilyn L. & Olswang, Fowler, Malen & Muncey, Cornbleth & Waugh, Orr Jones, & Hill,, Henig & Rich, Tallerico, Marcus, Eckel, Malen, Muncey & McQuillan, Burns (and extensive bibliography)	Reading Reviews. Each student is expected to complete two reviews of course related readings. Governing Board Paper. Each student is expected to prepare a short (5-7 page) analysis of the public meeting behavior of a governing board in education. The paper is intended to help students see how concepts addressed in class are manifest in "real-world" settings. Political Analysis Paper. Each student is responsible for preparing a political analysis of an education policy decision. The paper is intended to help students articulate a framework for political analysis and use that framework to guide a mini-case study of an education policy decision. Students may select, in consultation with the course instructor, the decision event they wish to examine.
Kathryn A. McDermott U. Mass., Amherst Policy Issues in Educational Administration Audience: Students pursuing educational administrator licensure plus other masters and doctoral students	Federal, state, and local institutions and processes for policy making in K-12 education in the United States; Ways in which various interests in local communities exercise (or attempt to exercise) power over education; Roles of educational administrators as advocates, makers, and implementers of policy;	Inequality in Public Education, Past & Present; The Context of Education Policy; The State Role & Education Finance; States & Standards-Based Reform; The Federal Role in Education Policy; NCLB; Participation in Local School Politics; School Boards: Balancing Professional and Democratic Authority ; School-Level Politics and Policy; Implementation and 'Going to Scale'	Articles and book chapters by: Kozol, Tough, Rothstein, Bardach, Verstegan & Whitney, Reed, Nelson, McDermott, Cross, Nelson, DeBray, Marshall & Gerstl-Pepin, Freedman, Carver & Carver, Smoley, Heifetz, Muncey & McQuillan, Honig.	Weekly papers: Brief Analytical Papers on the week's reading What Needs To Change? Choose a single policy component of a comprehensive state or federal law (like No Child Left Behind, the Massachusetts Education Reform Act, or IDEA) or an entire smaller-scale state or federal law or regulation. Write a paper no more than 10 double-spaced pages in which you: Identify what the policy is supposed to do it, how it is supposed to do it, evaluate the success of the policy instrument, propose change. Implementation Plan: From the perspective of either a principal or a district-level administrator, write a plan for implementing either an actual policy enacted recently in your district or school, or one of the hypothetical examples that will be handed out in class, including what resources you will need, who is likely to support the change, who is likely to oppose, who in the community can provide support, what parts of the change are most vulnerable to misinterpretation, and how you or others can constructively respond. Letter To A Policy Maker: Taking your "What Needs to Change" paper as a starting point, write a letter (no more than 2 pages long, formatted like a business letter) to a policy maker who is in a position to make the change(s) you recommend, OR: Literature Review: Write a review of the scholarly literature on a policy issue of your choice. This review should be between 10 and 20 pages long and should cover at least 15 academic journal articles and/or books.
Jal Mehta Harvard Univ. Schooling and Society Audience: masters and doctoral students; advanced	The relationship between broader social, economic, and intellectual trends and the chosen vehicles for school reform. What are the different visions that educators, policy-makers and the broader public have had for schools? What are the underlying assumptions about the purposes of schooling and the theories of how to create good practice that serve as the basis for these visions? And how do broader social currents direct or delimit the possibilities for school reform?	Background on purposes of schooling (economic, citizenship, social justice, morality); background on good practice (markets, states, professions, accountability, communities, hybrids, educational change) Efficiency, Markets/vouchers/charter schools, Desegregation, Community Control, Unschooling and open schooling, Standards, Professionalism, Deregulation, Accountability and Federal Control	Deborah Meier et al. (2000). Will Standards Save Public Education?; Hochschild & Scovronick. (2003). The American Dream and the Public Schools; Hess (2004). A Qualified Teacher in Every Classroom?. Plus readings by Finn, Hofstadter, Freire, Newman, Rousseau, Grubb & Lazerson, Kaestle, Counts, Lakoff, Friedman, Finn, Fung, Tyack & Cuban, Callahan, Lageman, Kliebard, Gladwell, Berman, Rieder, Kozol, Orfield & Eaton, Kahlenberg, Cuban, Stedman, Murphy, Smith & O'Day, Reich, Jencks, Chubb & Moe, Steven, Dewey, Neill, Illich, Etzioni, Toch, Kerchner, Jencks, Lortie, Hess, Osborne, Stern, Adams & Kirst, Elmore	Design your own school system. Drawing on the readings from the first four weeks of the course, outline your ideal of a good school system. The paper should: Identify the purposes (both educational and social) the schools should accomplish (and connect the discussion of these purposes to the accompanying educational theorists); Identify the model(s) of how to produce good practice that the system embodies (and connect the theory of practice to the appropriate organizational theorist);Identify the most salient weakness(es) in your proposed model (using alternate theories of purposes and good practice), and then make an argument for why the model should be preferred even in spite of this weakness(es). Final paper: Explore a reform of your choosing The reform can be as broad as the "rise of vouchers" or as specific as a particular reform in a particular place at a particular time. The reform can also be a widely adopted reform or one that was only briefly proposed but never adopted (or not widely adopted). For your chosen reform, after defining the nature and scope of the reform, the paper is expected to answer the five questions spelled out in the course objectives. Specifically that means: 1) explaining the underlying assumptions about the purposes of the reform; 2) explaining its theory of how to create good practice; 3) summarizing briefly the evidence on the reform; 4) considering critics' interpretations of each of these first three; and 5) explaining what broader political, economic or social events or political factors facilitated its rise or hindered its success. In the paper's final section you should take a stand on whether the reform should be tried, revived, scrapped, revised, or sustained. Again, be aware of, and refute at least one-and preferably more than one-counter-argument to your preferred case.
Dana Mitra Penn State Education and Public Policy Audience: Undergraduates (pre-service teachers) and masters students (another similar course is designed as a seminar for doctoral students)	This course examines the inherently political process in which educational policies are developed and implemented. It also considers how these formal policies interact with the practice of teaching and learning in U.S. schools. Ability to design and analyze policy (and to study the design and analysis of policy) at various organizational levels Ability to assess implementation opportunities and pitfalls in complex organizational settings Knowledge of current education and social policy topics (e.g., No Child Left Behind, curricular reform, high-stakes testing)	Rational model; Political model; The policy process; Case study on Philadelphia; Public ideas; Ideologies and Values; Policy tools; Target populations; Policy making; Systemic reform; NCLB; Implementation; Scale	Articles and book chapters by: Fowler, Stokey & Zeckhauser, Stone, Majone, Boyd & Christman, Spring, March, McDonnell & Elmore, Chrispeels; Schneider & Ingram; O'Day & Smith, Wirt & Kirst, McLaughlin, Darling-Hammond, Shulman, Coburn, Cohen, Weatherly & Lipsky	Policy analysis paper In 8-10 pages, students will identify a specific policy related to education (current, past or proposed) and analyze the design of the policy. The topic can be any policy discussed in our readings or class sessions, or another policy of federal, state, or local in origin (including an individual school policy). The analysis will be guided by the following questions: 1.What problem does the policy seek to address and how is the problem defined? 2. What are the policy's intended goals and effects? 3.What strategies does it seek to use to achieve these goals? 4.Based on your knowledge of education and public analysis, what are the strengths and weaknesses in this policy proposal?
Dana Mitra and Donald Heller Penn State Educational Policy and Politics Audience: Doctors and masters students	To examine policy models and frameworks, and their application to current policy issues in the K-12 and higher education arenas. To explore theoretical frameworks necessary for understanding public policymaking To offer a perspective on the role that research plays in the policy process; To provide students with the chance to interpret the context of policy development for current policy issues.	Introduction to the study of educational policy ; The educational policy system; The policy process; Case studies; Implementation Higher Education Policy issues; Policy research and evaluation Scale and Sustainability	Readings by: Lipson, Spring, Stokey, E. and Zeckhauser, Stone, Majone, Kingdon, Palumbo, Spillane, Shulman, Gupta, Coburn, Kennedy School Case studies, Kirst	Policy analysis paper: You are a public policy analyst who is serving as advisor to a policy maker. In order to improve education in the United States or another country and impress your boss at the same time, you are going to present her with a carefully researched and written policy recommendation or set of recom-mendations on a specific topic. Your briefing should focus on either: What legislation this specific policymaker should introduce or support, or what the federal or state agency should do about this issue. Your recommendations should be based on a careful analysis of the existing policy environment as well as any research on the topic that has been conducted, and they should be well supported and justified. You will present a 12 minute oral briefing and prepare a 25 page written briefing.