Using a data set that captures the introduction and enactment of "campus carry" bills between 2004 and 2016, we examined how the state policy adoption and diffusion framework explains the policy process related to allowing concealed weapons on the campuses of U.S. colleges and universities. Panel data logistic regression analyses…

Trans-informed administrative guidance introduces concepts from trans studies to educational leaders, but researchers have relatively ignored these policy implementation tools. This content analysis describes the design of administrative guidance using a representative sample of 112 Illinois districts: the who, what, how, and why of supporting…

Both the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and recent efforts to hold schools and teachers accountable have been hotly debated among practitioners, policymakers, and the public at large. Much of the debate centers on the merits and demerits of these initiatives and the general approach they represent to reforming teaching and learning. In this…

Educational policy might productively be conceptualized with an ecology metaphor. Each policy, thus considered, exists within a complex system that reflects varied international, national, regional, and local dynamics. Using this metaphor provides policy analysts with a view of the regularities and irregularities of any policy, its process, its…

Critiques attempts to resurrect aspects of positivism and argues that the work of certain post-positivist philosophers (in particular, Toulmin's discussions of the role that purpose plays in rational decisionmaking) provides a more adequate response to the problems associated with relativism. (Author/GC)

Uses an ecology-of-games metaphor to highlight the messiness and discontinuities in the policy process, the variety of games played by different people for different reasons, and the linkages between those separate games. Suggests that educational research can also be conceived as a game that is related to various policy games. (FMW)

This change sheet states the policy on sexist language in APA journals, offers some general principles for journal authors to consider, and suggests some ways to avoid sexist language. (Author)

Illustrates and describes the historical roots and major characteristics, including environmental conditions and value orientation dilemmas, of two competing models of organizational decision making used in educational operations and research and development, the comprehensive/prescriptive (C/P) paradigm and the incremental/remedial (I/R)…

Suggests that it is inconceivable that more schooling, other relevant variables being constant, will not produce more learning. The critical question for policy is: How large is the effect? (Author/AM)

Examines why instructional, curricular, and political reforms return again and again. Rejects the common explanation that reforms fail because of a lack of rational proposals and implementation, and suggests political and institutional causes. (FMW)

The perception that educational research does not significantly contribute to policy and practice is inaccurate. However, the impact of research is not as frequent or effective as it might be. To remedy this, researchers should study the action mind frames of policymakers and practitioners. (BJV)

Defends an earlier argument concerning statistical analysis and its use in influencing educational policy and resource allocation for improving student performance. The original argument states that there is no meaningful relationship between resources and performance: throwing money at schools is not tantamount to improving them. (GLR)

Notes that before making claims for the large impact attributed to quantity of schooling--claims that are aimed at influencing policy decisions--its effects should be examined in a wide variety of school settings, with attention to individual student differences and to the importance of cumulative effects. (Author/AM)

This organization has been shown to double in size every ten years. While it is doubtful that such a pace can be maintained, 100,000 members are estimated for 1990. Unless handled with great care, problems faced today could determine whether this organization can adequately represent all of psychology. (AM)

Although important progress has been made in educational evaluation during the past decade new problems believed to be more serious threaten the progress that has been made. These problems are said to be a mixture of logistics and politics and are in large part an outgrowth of the increasing pluralism of American society. (Author/AM)