Standardised International Large-Scale Assessments (ILSAs) have gained prominence in global and national educational discussions. ILSAs claim to offer valuable insights for improving education systems, but their impact on educational policy varies and has become a contested arena. This article analyses how these assessments fed educational…

A 1979 reputational survey, duplicating a 1977 study, sought to identify the most influential educational decision makers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. Both studies found that a top policy maker is likely to be a white male noneducator from certain policy-making or policy-impacting institutions. (Author/SJL)