“Expanding the Moral Community” or “Blaming the Victim”? The Politics of State Education Accountability Policy

2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn A. McDermott
Keyword(s):  
Educational Opportunity ◽  
Educational Accountability ◽  
Press Coverage ◽  
Equal Educational Opportunity ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Public Education System ◽  
The Public ◽  
State Education ◽  
Accountability Policy ◽  
Education Accountability

Advocates of educational accountability policies say that the policies are intended to use the state’s authority to ensure equal educational opportunity. Opponents make essentially the opposite claim: that expanded state power is intended to disempower local communities and to single them out for blame, in response to larger political and economic imperatives. This article analyzes the enactment of educational accountability policies in four U.S. states, drawing upon legislative documents, hearing and debate transcripts where available, and press coverage. The analysis concludes that policy makers did intend to make the public education system more equitable. However, the results of the policies as implemented show a significant gap between aspirations and results. This gap increases the accountability-policy critics’ credibility.

The Role of Politics and Governance in Educational Accountability Systems

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic J. Brewer ◽  
Kieran M. Killeen ◽  
Richard O. Welsh
Keyword(s):  
Educational Accountability ◽  
Illustrative Case ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Accountability Systems ◽  
State Education ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Education Accountability ◽  
Technical Capacity

This brief utilizes case study methodology to illustrate the role of governance in educational accountability systems. Most research on the effectiveness of such systems has focused on technical components, such as standards-setting, assessments, rewards and sanctions, and data collection and reporting. This brief seeks to demonstrate that this focus may miss the importance of the institutional set-up. We argue that effective accountability systems are largely dependent on associated government structures, rules, and procedures, and the individuals responsible for implementing them. We use an illustrative case from the state of Oklahoma, where a lack of independent oversight, few checks and balances, and little in-state technical capacity combine to call into question the effectiveness of this state's accountability system. We urge researchers and policy makers to focus more attention on the “messy” governance and politics of educational accountability, and conclude the brief with specific policy proposals to strengthen state education accountability systems.

Unequal Opportunities and Inequitable Outcomes

2018 ◽  
pp. 209-239
Author(s):  
Josephine M. LaPlante
Keyword(s):  
School Finance ◽  
Educational Opportunity ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Educational Opportunities ◽  
Equal Educational Opportunity ◽  
Learning Resources ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
State Education ◽  
Political Forces ◽  
Unequal Opportunities

This chapter reviews social, economic, and political forces that cause and exacerbate educational disparities across and within states and considers how federal and state education finance policies are contributing to the persistence and growth of differences that deprive some children of needed learning opportunities. Many school finance experts and policy makers believe that providing the same number of dollars for each pupil will purchase similar educational opportunities. However, an expectation that different conditions require schools to spend different per pupil amounts has been guiding analysis in school finance challenges. The efficacy of equalizing per pupil dollars as a strategy for ensuring equal educational opportunity is tested empirically by comparing learning resources across Maine school districts. The results reveal educational resources available in schools where there are larger proportions of needy children are notably lower than those in schools with smaller percentages of needy children.

Education

2020 ◽  
pp. 259-264
Author(s):  
Danny M. Adkison ◽  
Lisa McNair Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Public School ◽  
School System ◽  
Educational Opportunity ◽  
The State ◽  
Board Of Education ◽  
Equal Educational Opportunity ◽  
The Public ◽  
Compulsory Attendance ◽  
State Board Of Education

This chapter addresses Article XIII of the Oklahoma constitution, which concerns education. Section 1 mandates establishment and maintenance of a public school system but does not guarantee an equal educational opportunity in the sense of equal expenditures of money for each and every pupil in the state. Section 2 states that “the Legislature shall provide for the establishment and support of institutions for the care and education of persons within the state who are deaf, deaf and mute, or blind.” Meanwhile, Section 3—which was entitled “Separate Schools for White and Colored Children”—was repealed on May 3, 1966. Section 4 states that “the Legislature shall provide for the compulsory attendance at some public or other school, unless other means of education are provided.” Section 5 grants power to the State Board of Education to supervise the instruction in public schools. Section 6 provides for the establishment of a uniform system of textbooks to be used in the public schools, making it clear that the books must be free to students.

Civic Engagement in Education: Insights from California's Local Control Funding Formula

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 761-774
Author(s):  
Julie A. Marsh ◽  
Tasminda K. Dhaliwal ◽  
Michelle Hall ◽  
Morgan S. Polikoff
Keyword(s):  
Local Control ◽  
Low Income ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Funding Formula ◽  
The Public ◽  
Target Populations ◽  
State Education ◽  
Local Control Funding Formula

In this policy brief, we use the case of California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) to provide policy makers and educators guidance on how to involve the public in goal setting and resource distribution decisions. We provide clarity around who is and is not participating, why, and what broader lessons we can draw for implementing federal and state education policies mandating public engagement. Our findings indicate tremendous room for improvement. LCFF's target populations (e.g., low-income, English learners) are not more likely to be aware of or participate in decisions than nontargeted groups, which suggests weak accountability for the use of public funds by the policy's target populations. Although LCFF has defined a broad set of stakeholders, only a narrow segment of the public (i.e., individuals with stronger ties to and positive views of schools) is aware of and engaging with the policy. Finally, we find a substantial gap between actual participation in LCFF and interest in participation, which may relate to a lack of self-efficacy, time, trust, perceived appropriateness, and information. As states and districts respond to mandates for engagement, these results suggest the need for greater investments in: (1) communication, (2) targeting a range of stakeholders, and (3) capacity building.

scholarly journals Foreword

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudha N. Setty
Keyword(s):  
Educational Opportunity ◽  
Legal Education ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Public ◽  
Legal Reforms ◽  
Current State ◽  
Law And Policy ◽  
The Law

Published: Sudha Setty, Foreword, 41 W. NEW ENG. L. REV. 1 (2019).In this Article, the Author reflects on legal education and the role of law reviews. Law reviews not only serve as an educational opportunity, but offer potential legal reforms to help legal scholars, practitioners, and the public understand possible shortcomings of the current state of the law and help law and policy makers contemplate potential improvements.

Despite the Best Intentions: Inconsistencies Among Components in Kentucky's Systemic Reform

1997 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 426-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas R. Guskey ◽  
Ben R. Oldham
Keyword(s):  
Public Education ◽  
Education Reform ◽  
Education System ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Systemic Reform ◽  
Education Reforms ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Public Education System ◽  
The Public ◽  
Comprehensive Education

Comprehensive education reforms are crafted by legislators and policy makers to address multiple aspects of the public education system. Although individual components of such initiatives may appear promising, little thought typically is given to inconsistencies that may result from implementing multiple reform components simultaneously. This article describes some of the unintended consequences that have come about as a result of inconsistencies between and within components in Kentucky's systemic education reform. It is argued that policy makers must give serious attention to these inconsistencies and their consequences for modern reform efforts to succeed in bringing about the improvements for which they are intended.

The Impact of the Public Expenditure Cuts Policy on the Labor Market in Vietnam

2012 ◽  
pp. 22-46
Author(s):  
Huong Nguyen Thi Lan ◽  
Toan Pham Ngoc
Keyword(s):  
Labor Market ◽  
Computable General Equilibrium ◽  
Impact Evaluation ◽  
Public Expenditure ◽  
Computable General Equilibrium Model ◽  
Living Standard ◽  
Input Output ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of public expenditure cuts on employment and income to support policies for the development of the labor mar- ket. Impact evaluation is of interest for policy makers as well as researchers. This paper presents a method – that is based on a Computable General Equilibrium model – to analyse the impact of the public expenditure cuts policy on employment and income in industries and occupations in Vietnam using macro data, the Input output table, 2006, 2008 and the 2010 Vietnam Household Living Standard Survey.

Information Literacy and Education Policy: An Instrumental Case Study of the Ontario Public School Curriculum

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pia Liv Russell
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Rhetorical Analysis ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Public Education System ◽  
Instrumental Case Study ◽  
Student Access ◽  
Literacy Policy ◽  
Étude Cas

This interdisciplinary case study explores information literacy policy in Ontario’s public education system. Using interviews with policy makers and a rhetorical analysis of information literacy policy documents, it finds Ontario’s current information literacy policy inadequate to the task of providing equitable student access to opportunities for information literacy development.Une étude cas interdisciplinaire explore la politique de littératie informationnelle du système d’éducation publique de l’Ontario. En utilisant des entrevues avec les décideurs et une analyse rhétorique des documents sur la politique de littératie informationnelle, il est démontré que la politique de littératie informationnelle actuelle de l’Ontario est inappropriée pour la mission qui vise à offrir aux étudiants un accès équitable aux possibilités de développement de la littératie informationnelle. 

Penguatan Wilayah Perbatasan: Studi Kasus Pulau Sebatik Kabupaten Nunukan Provinsi Kalimantan Timur

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 110
Author(s):  
Baskoro Wicaksono
Keyword(s):  
Central Government ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Management Policy ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Public ◽  
East Kalimantan ◽  
Border Policy

This study describes the border management policy conducted by the central government, provinceof East Kalimantan and Nunukan. Policies such as the establishment of regulatory, institutionalstrengthening, programs and infrastructure development. The policy is getting good responsefrom the elite and the masses. On the other hand policy makers have expectations of localcommunities border synergism Sebatik Island in order to build and develop the border areas so asto break the chain of dependence on Malaysia. The research was conducted in Sebatik Island,East Kalimantan province Nunukan with the formulation of the problem (a) what policies areoriented to maintain borders, (b) How is the public response to government policy, (c) What areyour expectations of policy makers in local communities to regional border. This study usedqualitative methods to phenomenological research strategy. Techniques of data collection in thisstudy using two ways, namely in-depth interviews and secondary data view Results indicate thatthe existing policy of both the central and provincial to district borders do not solve the problembecause it is made on the island of Sebatik with other border regions. The policy does not includelocal knowledge, where it is desperately needed by the people Sebatik. In addition to policies onprograms and infrastructure development of the center, the district adopted a policy of inactionagainst the illegal cross-border trade, which on the one hand against the rules but if enforced thenpeople can not perform economic activities that impact well-being. Policies like this gets a positiveresponse from the public. Expectations for the future border policy is to load local content orlocal knowledge.Keyword: border policy, local knowledge, dependent relationship

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