Overview

Methodological in focus and educational in context, Policy Analysis for Educational Leaders: A Step-by-Step Approach presents a guide to the study of educational policy analysis. This text not only discusses and evaluates existing educational policy and relevant literature, but offers a walk through that leads readers through the stages of successful policy analysis while providing the background and foundational knowledge that educational administrators need to understand and implement. This text offers instruction for aspiring school leaders on not only how to understand and study educational policy, but how to do it themselves.

Full Product Details

Author:   Nicola Alexander
Publisher:   Pearson Education (US)
Imprint:   Pearson
Dimensions:   Width: 19.50cm , Height: 1.50cm , Length: 24.00cm
Weight:   0.539kg
ISBN:  

9780137016006

ISBN 10:   013701600
Pages:   240
Publication Date:   26 April 2012
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Tertiary & Higher Education
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In stock  
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Table of Contents

  Dedication Chapter 1: Laying the groundwork Chapter objectives Education vignette Why should leaders study policy analysis Players on the leadership landscape What policy analysis can do The role of persuasion Users of policy analysis Why use this text? What is policy analysis? A brief definition Why policy analysis? The goal of policy analysis Types of policy analysis Ex Post and Ex Ante Analysis Forecasting, prescribing, monitoring, evaluating Rational, Structural, Cultural Lens Transparency versus Objectivity Philosophies of education Values: Cornerstone of worldviews and philosophies Brief overview of worldviews Eight common values Defining philosophy Key philosophies and their role in education policy Idealism Realism Pragmatism Phenomenology and existentialism Neo-Marxism Postmodernism and critical theory Policy values in action Chapter summary Review questions News story for analysis Discussion Questions Selected websites Selected references   Chapter 2: Getting started at the beginning: thinking of policy analysis as problem analysis Chapter objectives Education vignette Where do you start? The role of leaders Policy analysis as problem analysis The problem is the beginning of analysis Differences between condition, policy problems, and policy issues The policy analysis process The complexities of policy analysis Policy analysis versus policymaking The role of policy analysts Phases in policymaking Problem stream Politics stream Policy stream Stages of the policy-making process Issue definition Agenda setting Policy formulation Policy adoption Policy implementation Policy evaluation Policy Analysis is not Policy Evaluation Focusing on the problem Policy evaluation Policy evaluation as feedback Policy evaluation as summative judgment Going beyond evaluation The steps to policy analysis The craft of policy analysis Key questions of the policy analysis process Creating a policy analysis roadmap Ten steps of policy analysis Define the problem Make the case Establish your driving values Come up with alternatives Weigh your options Make recommendation Persuade us Implement solution Monitor outputs Evaluate outcomes Stepping stones of policy analysis Chapter summary Review questions News story for analysis Discussion Questions Selected websites Selected references   Chapter 3: Taking the first step: Define the problem Chapter objectives Education vignette Structuring the problem Writing a clear description of the problem Different phases in problem structuring Problematic Characteristics of policy problems Personal versus policy problem Interdependence of problems Subjectivity and artificiality of structuring policy problem Dynamic nature of policy problems Building on your condition statement Making the condition a problem Scope of the problem Bounding the problem Who is included? Causes of the problem Rational perspective Institutional perspective Cultural perspective Goals and objectives of solving the problem identified The goal is the obverse of the problem Objectives are working definitions of goals Chapter summary Review questions News story for analysis Discussion Questions Selected websites Selected references   Chapter 4: Make the case by assembling the evidence Chapter objectives Education vignette Purpose of assembling the evidence Functions of research Transforming data into evidence Assessing the nature and extent of the problem Assessing the particular features of an identified policy situation Assessing past policies Using the purpose of the evidence to determine what is needed Evidence for monitoring Evidence for prescription\ Evidence for evaluation Evidence for forecasting Determining the value of specific data How do you make good use of data Building your argument Assessing data contexts How to locate relevant sources People and documents are key Collection strategies Data from people within and without your organization Data from documents from within and without your organization How to categorize types of data Quantitative or qualitative debate Chapter summary Review questions News story for analysis Discussion Questions Selected websites Selected references   Chapter 5: Establish your driving values Chapter objectives Education vignette What do you care about? Establish evaluative criteria Relationship between values and criteria What does success look like? What are the specific criteria that frame policy decisions Does it work? How will you know? Is it fair? Horizontal equity Vertical equity Transitional equity Ability to pay Benefits principle Can we afford it? What is the role of economics? Opportunity costs Private versus public benefits Market failures Provision versus production Counting the costs Costs versus benefits Decision tools How can you tell? Using the economic tools Cost-benefit analysis Will people support it? How acceptable is the alternative to different groups? What factors will influence the political acceptability of policy? How can you measure the acceptability of a policy? How can you change the acceptability of policy intervention? Who will implement it? Is there sufficient administrative capacity? What are the major organizational limitations? How can you tell? Difference from the status quo Policy instrument Personnel support Available resources What if the criteria conflict? Chapter summary Review questions News story for analysis Discussion Questions Selected websites Selected references   Chapter 6: Come up with alternatives Chapter objectives Education vignette What are alternatives? Alternatives are not outcomes Alternatives are not an implementation plan Basic alternatives and their variants Finding alternatives by modeling the system The metaphor of the market Production metaphor Evolutionary models Doing nothing different How do you generate alternatives Sources of alternatives Generic alternatives Customizing policy interventions Policy types Policy mechanisms and best practice context Inducements Capacity-building System change Mandates Hortatory Chapter summary Review questions News story for analysis Discussion Questions Selected websites Selected references   Chapter 7: Weigh your options (Evaluating alternatives) Chapter objectives Education vignette How do you weigh your options? Anticipating the future Safeguards in forecasting Discussing relevant criteria Measuring effectiveness Measuring equity Measuring costs Measuring political feasibility Measuring implementability Packaging your alternatives Distinguishing between alternatives Using quick quantitative analysis Creating a scorecard Evaluating alternatives – single step, “norm based” approach Evaluating alternatives – two-step, “criterion-base” approach Chapter summary Review questions News story for analysis Discussion Questions Selected websites Selected references   Chapter 8: Make Recommendation Chapter objectives Education vignette Transforming tradeoffs into preferred results Beyond eenie, meenie, minie, moe Role of the analyst Transform values into results Education leader as researcher, bureaucrat, or entrepreneur Policy analyst as advisor and decision maker Need for advocacy Value laden arguments Ethically complex arguments Is there one best way? Refine approaches to recommendation Testing the credibility of your recommendation Chapter summary Review questions News story for analysis Discussion Questions Selected websites Selected references   Chapter 9: Persuade us Chapter objectives Education vignette The art of communication How to convey your analysis Who is your audience? Expectations of audience Audience knowledge and understanding Audience response to solution Audience forum Homogenous or diverse Complete or abridged analysis Time Making the policy argument Authority Method Generalization Classification Cause Sign Motivation Intuition Analogy Parallel case Ethics Checklist of communicating analysis Timeliness Clarity of findings So what? Chapter summary Review questions News story for analysis Discussion Questions Selected websites Selected references   Chapter 10: Implement recommended action Chapter objectives Education vignette Setting the stage for change Why won’t it work Creating an implementation plan Outline the plan Expand the outline Check your plan Implementing strategically Major implementation challenges Human (people-related) problems Process (program-related) problems Structural (setting-related) problems Institutional (program; setting-related) problems Stages in implementation Mobilization Implementation proper Institutionalization Chapter summary Review questions News story for analysis Selected websites Selected references   Chapter 11: Monitor outputs of action Chapter objectives Education vignette What is monitoring? Functions of monitoring Compliance Accounting Auditing Explanation What should we track? Functions, data, and data sources Three key monitoring questions Why should we track these data? Who should track the required data? How often should we track these data? Methods of tracking Establishing baselines Determining what change is being measured Measurement across space and time Units of analysis Displaying data Chapter summary Review questions News Story for Analysis Discussion Questions Selected websites Selected references   Chapter 12: Evaluate outcomes Chapter objectives Education vignette Evaluating versus monitoring Focus of evaluation Types of evaluation Purpose of evaluation Formative evaluations Summative evaluations Users of evaluation Approaches to evaluation Methods of evaluation Components of an evaluation plan Analytical considerations Common methods of assessment Randomized control trials Direct controlled experiments Quasi-experimental models Matching Before and after comparisons With and without comparisons Non-experimental direct analysis Political considerations Chapter summary Review questions News Story for Analysis Discussion Questions S elected websites S elected references   Chapter 13: Concluding remarks and Pullout Field guide Chapter objectives Education vignette Remember why we do policy analysis Policy analysis and you Policy analysis and the community Policy analysis and change Policy analysis and evaluation An Illustration of the steps in Policy Analysis using an existing policy example Elementary and Secondary Education Act Define the problem Make the case Establish your driving values Come up with alternatives Weigh your options Make recommendation Persuade us Implement solution Monitor outputs Evaluate outcomes Chapter summary Review questions News Story for Analysis Discussion Questions Selected websites Selected references Summary of checklist for each step (Pullout field guide)   References

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Author Information

Nicola A. Alexander is an Associate Professor in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development at the University of Minnesota. Her formal educational background is in public administration and policy; she is particularly interested in issues of adequacy, equity, and productivity as they relate to PK-12 education. Dr. Alexander is a board member of the National Education Finance Association and has published in American Educational Research Journal, Educational Policy, Journal of School Business Management, and Journal of Education Finance.

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