Description
Education governance in the U.S. has been criticized as fragmented, politicized, and bureaucratic among other things and is, the authors and editors note, a significant obstacle to school reform. Structural problems are partially caused by the absence of integration within the four levels of governance, which are Washington, the state capital, the local school district, and the school. The scholars, practitioners, and analysts who have contributed to the book contend that careful analysis of education's governing system is required to understand the effects of policy changes in areas like standards, testing, and teachers. The contributors identify specific problems, the changes occurring in institutions, lessons from other nations and sectors, and the way ahead. Editors are Manna (government and public policy, College of William and Mary) and McGuinn (political science and education, Drew U.). Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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A Brookings Institution Press with the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and the Center for American Progress publicationAmerica's fragmented, decentralized, politicized, and bureaucratic system of education governance is a major impediment to school reform. In this important new book, a number of leading education scholars, analysts, and practitioners show that understanding the impact of specific policy changes in areas such as standards, testing, teachers, or school choice requires careful analysis of the broader governing arrangements that influence their content, implementation, and impact.Education Governance for the Twenty-First Century comprehensively assesses the strengths and weaknesses of what remains of the old in education governance, scrutinizes how traditional governance forms are changing, and suggests how governing arrangements might be further altered to produce better educational outcomes for children.Paul Manna, Patrick McGuinn, and their colleagues provide the analysis and alternativesthat will inform attempts to adapt nineteenth and twentieth century governance structures to the new demands and opportunities of today.Contents:Education Governance in America: Who Leads When Everyone Is in Charge?,Patrick McGuinn and Paul MannaThe Failures of U.S. Education Governance Today,Chester E. Finn Jr. and Michael J. PetrilliHow Current Education Governance Distorts Financial Decisionmaking,Marguerite RozaGovernance Challenges to Innovators within the System,Michelle R. DavisGovernance Challenges to Innovators outside the System,Steven F. WilsonRethinking District Governance,Frederick M. Hess and Olivia M. MeeksInterstate Governance of Standards and Testing,Kathryn A. McDermottEducation Governance in Performance-Based Federalism,Kenneth K. WongThe Rise of Education Executives in the White House, State House, and Mayor’s Office,Jeffrey R. HenigEnglish Perspectives on Education Governance and Delivery,Michael BarberEducation Governance in Canada and the United States,Sandra VergariEducation Governance in Comparative Perspective,Michael Mintrom and Richard WalleyGovernance Lessons from the Health Care and Environment Sectors,Barry G. RabeToward a Coherent and Fair Funding System,Cynthia G. BrownPicturing a Different Governance Structure for Public Education,Paul T. HillFrom Theory to Results in Governance Reform,Kenneth J. MeierThe Tall Task of Education Governance Reform,Paul Manna and Patrick McGuinn
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