Policy Studies for Educational Leaders

Book excerpt: 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.