Due to concerns about college affordability, in 2011, the Department of Education began producing two annual public lists of institutions with the highest change in tuition and fees and average net price within sector (top 5% and at least US$600 increase). This study investigates the effect of this low-stakes federal accountability tool on…

Using congressional testimony on teacher quality from 2003 to 2015 and analysis of 60 elite interviews, we show how the political economy of knowledge production influences idea uptake in education policy discourse. We develop and assess a conceptual framework showing the organizational and financial infrastructure that links research, ideas, and…

Between the late 1980s and early 2000s, schools, districts, states, and the federal government devoted enormous resources to the implementation of Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) models. With more than 1.6 billion federal dollars distributed through the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration (CSRD) project and its successor, the CSR project,…

American Educational Research Association's (AERA) lobbyist in Washington promotes educational research as a positive resource for educators. He acts to influence governmental policies which affect research. AERA represents a diversified membership by supporting a broad portfolio of government investments in educational research. AERA never takes…

The purposes, structure, and component parts of the newly formed Department of Education (ED) organizations from which educational research programs will be administered are discussed. As the climate surrounding ED changes, opportunities to take advantage of the elevated status of research will be presented. (Author/RL)

Paul Copperman presents his views on the performances of American education at the elementary through secondary levels and draws attention to the federal authorities seizing power from local school officials. (Author/GK)

In this critical review of TM 506 654, important design considerations surrounding metapolicy are described as the author argues the main points presented in the aforementioned. (GK)

Educator and author Laurence E. Lynn recommends the case study as a method for training policy analysts to understand the cognitive style and uniqueness of the decision makers they serve. Analysts must be interdisciplinary, politically knowledgable, yet unbiased. Policy analysis, particularly by external institutions, is spreading to Congress. (CP)

This synthesis of six commissioned papers on state education agency evaluation practices describes the sources of influence or factors affecting the context of their evaluation practices. Evaluation is viewed as testing, management, and policy formation conducted within a highly complex social setting. (PN)

Describes how the social contract framework and matching and cost-sharing requirements affect agency and university decisions at three different stages of the research funding cycle. Draws on a national survey of research universities to examine responses to changing conditions set by federal agencies. Explores policy issues of cost-sharing and…

In his critical response to TM 506 654, the author points to three major strengths of the aforementioned. These include: (1) breadth of perspective; (2) significance of federal presence; and (3) recommendations concerning the future role of the federal government in education. Also discussed are areas deemed questionable by the author. (GK)

This paper continues and elaborates several themes contained in the conclusions of TM 506 654. These include: (1) preference for a passive federal role in curriculum development; (2) federal presence is controversial and unlikely to diminish; and (3) deprofessionalization of the teaching role by the federal government. (Author/GK)

Four issues are addressed which particularly concern the involvement of the federal government in school curriculum. The issues are: (1) historical circumstances; (2) effects of federal involvement, 1950-80; (3) needed reforms of school curriculum; and (4) design of the curriculum policy system. (Author/GK)

Five activities are proposed for a federal evaluation agenda for the 1980s: (1) measuring net impact of social program cost containment; (2) implementing and evaluating new social experiments; (3) examining appropriateness of current social programs; (4) testing alternatives to established programs; and (5) developing procedures to ensure…

The history of the federal government's involvement in elementary and secondary school curriculum development is traced. An attempt is made to place this involvement within a social and political perspective. Effects of policies and programs are outlined, and questions concerning the federal role in curriculum development are explored. (Author/GK)