Roles And Authority Of States In Policies For Teachers And Teaching

This paper highlights recent trends, issues, and research related to the roles and authority of states in policies for teachers and teaching. A review of literature demonstrates an increased role for state policymakers in education decision making. Decisions that had typically been within the domain of professional educators are now subject to state mandate. Trends, however, suggest that state policymakers will focus their attention more on educational outcomes and accountability systems and less on prescribing how education should be delivered, thus making the role of local institutions increasingly important. While there is major agreement between educators and policymakers that systemic changes in the education system are necessary, in contrast to the surface changes of earlier reform mandates, there is substantial disagreement on how such change will be achieved. Many policy analysts advocate a capacity-building approach to effecting changes in the education delivery system. Many state policymakers are looking at system-changing policies rather than capacity-building strategies as the best method for effecting change; e.g., the advocacy of alternative teacher certification programs that bypass traditional education programs entirely. (JD)

This book provides valuable insights into a dynamic structural change that is being experienced, but not completely understood, by educators and policymakers alike--the transfer of power from the local to the state and national levels. What will become of our public schools in this new era of leadership? The author traces the origins of this process, examines the implications, and considers where these changes might lead. This extremely timely volume: -Explores the direction of education policy and the ways in which both policymakers and educators can adapt and provide leadership in this new landscape.-Offers a concise, accessible summary of a multitude of specific programs and policies, helping us to think more systematically about the shifts in power relationships among education governance levels.-Presents an outline of actions that can be taken at the local, state, and national levels to help facilitate better working relationship and to help improve schools.-Examines the new federal role and recent federal legislation, including the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

Focusing specifically on the two largest federal education programs, Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142), this study analyzes how states implement federal and state education programs. The book is divided into six chapters. Chapter 1 offers background on federal-state relations and explains the research methods used, the grants-in-aid system, and the conceptual framework guiding the study. Chapter 2 describes the four states in the sample and identifies those political and organizational characteristics that shape policy implementation. Chapter 3 presents a comparative analysis of the data and discusses the conditions under which state political factors are most likely to enhance the state education agency's role and capacity. Chapters 4 and 5 examine Title I, PL 94-142, and state programs serving similar student groups. The final chapter addresses policy questions, especially those related to state capacity and its implications for changing federal and state roles in public education. (Author/WD)

Challenging students to question the political and philosophical assumptions underlying the law, Education Law, Policy, and Practice promotes a depth of understanding about the key cases and statutes. The authors integrate the law with policy and practice, following related political, financial, and practical issues. The law is presented through a teachable mix of key cases and materials on the practice and political aspects of school law, and an effective macro organization helps place topics into an integrated framework. Each of the major issues in education law is discussed at length: the boundaries of public and private, church and state, relations; school governance and the tensions between federal power and local control; the rights and responsibilities of students and teachers; and the educational environment and its liabilities. “Practicums” in each section allow students to apply the law to realistic situations. Features: New cases: Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District; Fisher v. the University of Texas. A complete description and analysis of the brand new Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. A series of key questions and answers that follow each major section, and are designed to provide formative and summative assessments of student learning outcomes.

This book provides a comprehensive description of the federal government's relationship with higher education and how that relationship became so expansive and indispensable over time. Drawing from constitutional law, social science research, federal policy documents, and original interviews with key policy insiders, the author explores the U.S. government's role in regulating, financing, and otherwise influencing higher education. Natow analyzes how the government's role has evolved over time, the activities of specific governmental branches and agencies that affect higher education, the nature of the government's influence today, and prospects for the future of federal involvement in higher education. Chapters examine the politics and practices that shape policies affecting nondiscrimination and civil rights, student financial aid, educational quality and student success, campus crime, research and development, intellectual property, student privacy, and more. Book Features: Provides a contemporary and thorough understanding of how federal higher education policies are created, implemented, and influenced by federal and nonfederal policy actors. Situates higher education policy within the constitutional, political, and historical contexts of the federal government. Offers nuanced perspectives informed by insider information about what occurs behind the scenes in the federal higher education policy arena. Includes case studies illustrating the profound effects federal policy processes have on the everyday lives of college students, their families, institutions, and other higher education stakeholders.

Examines how federal and state governments have assumed ever-greater control over the education process since the 1960s.