Education Governance for the Twenty-First Century: Overcoming the Structural Barriers to School Reform

by Paul Manna (Editor), Patrick McGuinn (Editor)

Overview

America'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 alternatives that 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 Manna
The Failures of U.S. Education Governance Today, Chester E. Finn Jr. and Michael J. Petrilli
How Current Education Governance Distorts Financial Decisionmaking, Marguerite Roza
Governance Challenges to Innovators within the System, Michelle R. Davis
Governance Challenges to Innovators outside the System, Steven F. Wilson
Rethinking District Governance, Frederick M. Hess and Olivia M. Meeks
Interstate Governance of Standards and Testing, Kathryn A. McDermott
Education Governance in Performance-Based Federalism, Kenneth K. Wong
The Rise of Education Executives in the White House, State House, and Mayor's Office, Jeffrey R. Henig
English Perspectives on Education Governance and Delivery, Michael Barber
Education Governance in Canada and the United States, Sandra Vergari
Education Governance in Comparative Perspective, Michael Mintrom and Richard Walley
Governance Lessons from the Health Care and Environment Sectors, Barry G. Rabe
Toward a Coherent and Fair Funding System, Cynthia G. Brown
Picturing a Different Governance Structure for Public Education, Paul T. Hill
From Theory to Results in Governance Reform, Kenneth J. Meier
The Tall Task of Education Governance Reform, Paul Manna and Patrick McGuinn

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780815723943
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	01/18/2013
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	434
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Paul Manna is associate professor in the Department of Government and the Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy at the College of William & Mary. Patrick McGuinn is associate professor of political science and education at Drew University.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

1 Education Governance in America: Who Leads When Everyone Is in Charge? Patrick McGuinn Paul Manna 1

Part I The Problem

2 The Failures of U.S. Education Governance Today Chester E. Finn Michael J. Petrilli 21

3 How Current Education Governance Distorts Financial Decisionmaking Marguerite Roza 36

4 Governance Challenges to Innovators within the System Michelle R. Davis 58

5 Governance Challenges to Innovators outside the System Steven F. Wilson 78

Part II Traditional Institutions in Flux

6 Rethinking District Governance Frederick M. Hess Olivia M. Meeks 107

7 Interstate Governance of Standards and Testing Kathryn A. McDermott 130

8 Education Governance in Performance-Based Federalism Kenneth K. Wong 156

9 The Rise of Education Executives in the White House, State House, and Mayor's Office Jeffrey R. Henig 178

Part III Lessons from Other Nations and Sectors

10 English Perspectives on Education Governance and Delivery Michael Barber 209

11 Education Governance in Canada and the United States Sandra Vergari 231

12 Education Governance in Comparative Perspective Michael Mintrom Richard Walley 252

13 Governance Lessons from the Health Care and Environment Sectors Barry G. Rabe 275

Part IV Paths Forward

14 Toward a Coherent and Fair Funding System Cynthia G. Brown 301

15 Picturing a Different Governance Structure for Public Education Paul T. Hill 329

16 From Theory to Results in Governance Reform Kenneth J. Meier 353

17 The Tall Task of Education Governance Reform Paul Manna Patrick McGuinn 375

About the Authors 393

Index 401

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"McGuinn, Manna, and their fellow authors ask this fundamental question: Can the oftendisappointing performance of our education system be explained in part by the way it's organized? Are 14,000 separate districts ruled by elected school boards the best arrangement for 21st-century America? Their superb analysis shows how this long-standing form of education governance can present significant barriers to needed reform —and how to think about possible alternatives." —Christopher D. Cerf, New Jersey Commissioner of Education

"A searing indictment of our fragmented and incoherent education governance system inherited from the 19th century. It illuminates the negative consequences of no one in charge. The book includes a stimulating array of promising alternatives for the contemporary school governance context." —Michael W. Kirst, Professor Emeritus of Education and Business Administration, Stanford University, and President of the California State Board of Education

"This book provides a provocative look at how we govern our education system. The authors take a critical look at how we currently govern and identify concrete alternatives to ensure more of our youth are successful in school." —John E. Deasy, Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District

"This book deals with the elephant in the room in education reform —the governance challenges that are myriad, persistent, and obtrusive at multiple levels —and puts forward a broad range of arguments, evidence, and case examples culled from the brightest minds studying these issues today.... The ideas and recommendations advanced in this volume are strategic, well-informed, and insightful, making it a must-read for anyone seeking to be a driver of bold and formative change in education policy." —Carolyn J. Heinrich, Sid Richardson Professor of
Public Affairs, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin

Editorial Reviews

"McGuinn, Manna, and their fellow authors ask this fundamental question: Can the oftendisappointing performance of our education system be explained in part by the way it's organized? Are 14,000 separate districts ruled by elected school boards the best arrangement for 21st-century America? Their superb analysis shows how this long-standing form of education governance can present significant barriers to needed reform—and how to think about possible alternatives."—Christopher D. Cerf, New Jersey Commissioner of Education

"A searing indictment of our fragmented and incoherent education governance system inherited from the 19th century. It illuminates the negative consequences of no one in charge. The book includes a stimulating array of promising alternatives for the contemporary school governance context."—Michael W. Kirst, Professor Emeritus of Education and Business Administration, Stanford University, and President of the California State Board of Education

"This book provides a provocative look at how we govern our education system. The authors take a critical look at how we currently govern and identify concrete alternatives to ensure more of our youth are successful in school."—John E. Deasy, Superintendent, Los Angeles Unified School District

"This book deals with the elephant in the room in education reform—the governance challenges that are myriad, persistent, and obtrusive at multiple levels—and puts forward a broad range of arguments, evidence, and case examples culled from the brightest minds studying these issues today.... The ideas and recommendations advanced in this volume are strategic, well-informed, and insightful, making it a must-read for anyone seeking to be a driver of bold and formative change in education policy."—Carolyn J. Heinrich, Sid Richardson Professor of
Public Affairs, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin

From the Publisher