Polish higher education provides a particular example of a system that, until very recently, has been largely reform-resistant as it has a long-standing tradition of bottom-up 'academic self-governance' at both the system and the institutional levels. This article explores the process of the structural reforms of the higher education system,…

A human right to higher education was included in the International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which came into force in 1976. Yet the world has changed significantly since the ICESCR was drafted. State legislation and policies have generally followed a neoliberal trajectory, shifting the perception of higher…

Much of the evidence translation literature focuses narrowly on the use of evidence in the initial policy formulation stages, and downplays the crucial role of institutions and the inherently political nature of policy making. More recent approaches acknowledge the importance of institutional and political factors, but make no attempt to…

This paper subjects to critical scrutiny the critique by Stephen and Joan Baratz of the "social pathology model" as the social scientific base that authorizes interventionist social action programs. (Editor)

Pleads for a more complex conceptualization of the policy process that considers the factors of time, policy areas, level of government, and nation. Available from The American Academy of Political and Social Science, 3937 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19104; $15.00 annually. (Author/IRT)

Examines three models of social science inputs to social policy formulation and argues that they are all inadequate, because they fail to account adequately for the nature of the policy process and the political environment. (Available from NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science, P. O. Box 9155, Rosslyn Station, Arlington, VA 22209; $19.00…

Discusses social science research and policy decisions in terms of a closely scrutinized RAND Corporation project for the United States Commission on Civil Rights. Describes the design process of the RAND proposal for desegregation research and critiques the style of social science associated with technical and theoryless empiricism. (RH)

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) each have developed ideal models of legislation for the regulation of teacher-school board negotiations. The AFT's collective bargaining model and the NEA's professional negotiations model attempt to reflect the philosophical uniqueness of their respective…

This paper is concerned with policy-making and policy processes in education and with the role of the administrator in these processes. More specifically it aims to explore ten conceptual tools or models that appear to have utility in developing our understanding of these areas. This examination includes policy-making and policy processes in…

This paper suggests that a first, important, step toward a broadening of the skills of the educational planner is a clear conceptualization of some implications that accompany differing styles of decision-making. It has been suggested that planning traditionally employs a rational decision model that leaves the planner poorly equipped to deal with…

This paper examines the political behavior of local school boards in terms of two models of political governance. The first model discussed is the "sacred vs. secular" model that distinguishes between "sacred" governing bodies that reach consensus in private and generally support the sociocultural status quo and…

The history of evaluation utilization in policy making and political features of program evaluation are discussed. A five-part continuum describes the evaluation process. Evaluation practice modifications contribute to real growth in evaluation use in congressional policy making as evaluation research improves the quality of information available…

During 1974-75, a nine-month field study of the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) was performed. Researchers observed MDE members at work, attended meetings, conducted interviews, and read documentary material. Attention was focused on the MDE at a system level and on the top 30-40 persons whose actions both caused and reflected…

Models for university planning must adapt to the political process of decision making, and to the structures and priorities of each institution. In this regard, the limitations of conventional models are discussed, and an approach to model-building that emphasizes institution-specific devices is described and applied to the University of…