Policy Studies for Educational Leaders

Description

Frances Fowler worked as a classroom teacher in Tennessee for 15 years. During that time she was active in both her union and her school district and was also involved in state and local politics. Eventually, she became so interested in politics and policy that she completed her Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she majored in educational administration with a concentration in educational politics and policy. In 1990 she accepted a tenure-track position at Miami University, where she taught educational politics and policy for 19 years, ending her higher education career as a Full Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in her department.  Frances retired in 2009 and she remains politically active at the local level and is active on the Education Committee of the Cincinnati Area League of Women Voters. In addition to this book, she is also a co-author of Educational Governance and Administration

For courses in Educational Policy and Educational Leadership;

For potential and current K-12 administrators

From a leader in the field–a comprehensive text covering education policy and the policy process that encourages future educational leaders to be proactive–and gives them a firm understanding of educational policy and the important political theories upon which it is based.

While expressing the belief that it is important for today’s school leaders to know how to track educational policies and to seek to influence them, Frances Fowler, a well respected authority in the field of educational policy, recognises that most leaders have little or no background in political science or policy studies and even less experience with the state politics of education. For these future and current administrators, Professor Fowler presents essential background information about the cultural, economic, demographic, and institutional roots of educational policy. She identifies and describes the major policy actors, and gives educators in depth descriptions of each stage of the policy process, complete with numerous examples of how policy unfolds in the development of educational policy. A goal of the book is to ensure that educational leaders understand the basic political theories that underpin educational policy development. To that end, the author provides example of how to apply this knowledge in everyday practice.

In this Fourth Edition of renowned authority Frances Fowler’s Policy Studies for Educational Leaders, future educational leaders and actual K-12 administrators get a solid, comprehensive grounding in education policy and the policy process and the important political theories upon which it is based. Included is essential background information about the cultural, economic, demographic, and institutional roots of educational policy and an incisive look at the history of educational policy.

Students get a comprehensive look at all aspects of educational policy—theory, analysis, development, and implementation. They also see the reasons for change in educational policy, ways to track its evolution, and techniques for influencing its ultimatedestination.

The issues are all put into perspective for readers through an enlightening look at the history of educational policy.

The major concepts are reinforced for students through News Stories for Analysis and Case Studies sections that address current issues such as charter schools, bilingual education, high-stakes testing, and the implementation of the No Child Left Behind act.

Readers get understandable, up-to-date information presented through numerous current examples of educational policy issues and problems.

The concepts are made exceptionally clear through focus questions at the beginning of each chapter and instructional activities and suggestions for further reading at the ends of chapters.

The Fourth Edition of this highly authoritative, widely-popular text features all new “News Stories for Analysis” sections, new information on the economy and demographic information based on the 2010 census, a chart that links parts of the book and the new ISLCC standards, a section on distributive leadership and power, a section on the Tea Party Movement, an up-dated discussion of the factions within the Democratic party, many opportunities to use the Internet to further explore the concepts, new figures and tables, and a glossary of important terms.

• Opportunities for pertinent classroom discussions or writing assignments about current issues in the all new “News Stories for Analysis” sections throughout the book help to bring the concepts to life for students.
• Students are lead to a better understanding of the policy issues facing schools today through new information on the economy, including the Great Recession, as well as demographic information based on the 2010 census. (Chapter 5)
• To help students see how their course relates to what is expected of them professionally, the links between various parts of the book and new ISLCC standards are made clear on a chart included on the inside front cover.
• Students get additional current, immediately useful knowledge they can use as they think about various matters and act on them. Included is a section on distributive leadership and power, a section on the Tea Party Movement, and an up-dated discussion of the factions within the Democratic party.
• Students get a chance to use the Internet to track educational policy through the book’s numerous Internet assignments at the end of most chapters. In addition, two appendices of URLs offer students and teachers a ready-made repertoire of Internet resources to use for in-class and homework assignments, as well as individual self-study projects.
• Important points are made particularly clear through a variety of illustrative figures and tables throughout the book.
• Special terminology is highlighted in a glossary of important terms at the end of the book.

• Preface
• PART ONE: THE BACKGROUND OF EDUCATION POLICY
• Chapter 1: Policy–What It Is and Where It Comes From
• Chapter 2:  Power and Education Policy
• Chapter 3:  The Economy and Demographics
• Chapter 4:  The Political System and Political Culture 
• Chapter 5:  Values and Ideology
• PART TWO: POLICY ACTORS AND THE POLICY PROCESS
• Chapter 6:  The Major Education Policy Actors
• Chapter 7:  Setting the Stage and Getting on It: Issue Definition and Agenda Setting
• Chapter 8:  Getting the Words and the Money: Policy Formulation and Policy Adoption
• Chapter 9:  Looking at Policies: Policy Instruments and Cost Effectiveness
• Chapter 10:  Policy Implementation: Getting People to Carry Out a Policy
• Chapter 11:  Policy Evaluation: Determining If the Policy Works
• Chapter 12:  Education Policy in the United States: Retrospective and Prospective
• Glossary 

From a leader in the field, this new edition provides future educational leaders with a firm understanding of educational policy and the important political theories upon which it is based.

In these pages, Frances Fowler gives readers essential background information about the cultural, economic, demographic, and institutional roots of educational policy. She identifies and describes the major political actors and gives educators in-depth descriptions of each stage of the policy process complete with numerous examples of how policy developments. This book ensures that aspiring educational leaders understand the basic political theories that underpin educational policy development and provides examples of how to apply this knowledge in everyday practice.

Additional information