This paper examines recent reforms in English-language testing in Japan using a policy distraction framework. We identify the term 'washback (effect)' and other related discourses as major distractors and investigate how 'washback' discourses have functioned as political slogans or catchphrases in policy deliberation processes and how they have…

Building on the resources offered in the first volume of this series, this second volume offers governance members, leaders, and other academics valuable insights into the governance process in higher education. In a chapter drawn from his keynote address at the March 2015 SUNY Voices conference, Steven Bahls, president of Augustana College,…

How can States address the continual and extraordinary challenge of sustaining and adapting the reforms they have implemented to improve student outcomes? What steps can States take to do so in the face of inevitably evolving conditions--such as a change in resources (for example, the end of a grant), leadership (a transition in personnel or…

This report by the Kentucky Department of Education states that "the school council shall have the responsibility to set school policy consistent with district board policy which shall provide an environment to enhance the students' achievement and help the school meet the goals established in KRS 158.645 and 158.6451." The report's 18…

In October 2014, The National Center for Education Research (NCER) and the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER), in the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the U.S. Department of Education, convened a Technical Working Group (TWG). The purpose of this TWG meeting was to discuss critical education problems and issues on which…

Over the last decade, Colorado has emerged as a national leader in crafting innovative solutions for challenges facing its public school system. From implementing the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) reforms to more recent legislation including standards and assessments for a preschool-through-college…

This paper (1) defines the concept of equalization as it has been used in school finance, (2) examines some selected problems in the measurement of the concept of equalization, and (3) applies the concept of equalization to current State educational fiscal policy matters. The definitional problems are investigated by posing what are believed to be…

The college or university academic affairs committee of the governing board holds the primary responsibility for defining, overseeing, and modifying the "policies" that fulfill the institution's academic mission, including: ensuring that the academic program is consistent with the institution's mission and strategies; ensuring that the academic…

After analyzing the needs of special student populations in vocational and technical education in South Carolina, private sector involvement in vocational and technical education, and the distribution of funds for secondary and postsecondary vocational education in the state, the South Carolina Council on Vocational and Technical Education…

The November 1996 national election pits different education philosophies against each other; republicans want more local control, fewer rules, and greater school choice, while democrats talk of more federal funding while balancing the budget. The future of the Higher Education Act, African American influence in Congress, education committee…

This document summarizes the major activities of the Michigan Council on Vocational Education (MCOVE) during the years 1992-93 and 1993-94. The preface outlines the objectives and functions of the MCOVE, which is composed of 13 individuals representing citizens and various groups interested in vocational education in Michigan, including secondary…

Designed for use by students, policy-makers, educational administrators, social scientists, and lay citizens, this book analyzes three basic educational issues: the economics of education, the politics of educational finance, and the "new political economy" of education, which employs economic methods to study those governmental institutions…

As part of a multiphased study of trends and priorities in vocational education in Missouri, four project consultants were hired to write reports on labor market needs in Missouri, vocational education delivery systems in the state, and fiscal resources available for Missouri vocational education programs. These individual reports were synthesized…