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 walkthrough 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. Educational, practical, and student-focused, Policy Analysis for Educational Leaders: A Step-by-Step Approach meets the needs of aspiring and practicing educational administrators and policy leaders. The reliance on a step-by-step method to policy analysis is accompanied by relevant educational vignettes, case studies, and current news stories that inspire critical analysis of existing educational policies. Each chapter also includes additional helpful organizers such as Chapter Objectives, Focus Questions, Suggested Resources and chapter-by-chapter Annotated Bibliographies that synthesize applicable print and web resources to help to inspire further research and continued education. A foundational resource for students of policy analysis and acting educational leaders, this book find a unique place within the libraries of policymakers and administrators for years to come.

In a context of increased politicization led by state and federal policymakers, corporate reformers, and for-profit educational organizations, The Politics of Education Policy in an Era of Inequality explores a new vision for leading schools grounded in culturally relevant advocacy and social justice theories. This timely volume tackles the origins and implications of growing accountability for educational leaders and reconsiders the role that educational leaders should and can play in education policy and political processes. This book provides a critical perspective and analysis of today’s education policy landscape and leadership practice; explores the challenges and opportunities associated with teaching in and leading schools; and examines the structural, political, and cultural interactions among school principals, district leaders, and state and federal policy actors. An important resource for practicing and aspiring leaders, The Politics of Education Policy in an Era of Inequality shares a theoretical framework and strategies for building bridges between education researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.

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.

Anti-Racist Educational Leadership and Policy helps educational leaders better comprehend the racial implications and challenges of the current educational policy landscape. Each chapter unpacks a policy issue such as school choice, school closures, standardized testing, discipline, and school funding, and analyzes it through the racialized and market-driven lenses of the current leadership context. Full of real examples, this book equips aspiring school leaders with the skills to question how a policy addresses or fails to address racism, action-oriented strategies to develop anti-racist solutions, and the tools to encourage their school community to promote racial equity. This important book demystifies a complex policy context and prepares current and future teacher leaders, principals, and superintendents to lead their schools towards more equitable practice. 2021 Winner of the AESA Critics’ Choice Book Award.

The study of educational leadership makes little sense unless it is in relation to who the leaders are, how they are leading, what is being led, and with what effect. Based on the premise that learning is at the heart of leadership and that leaders themselves should be learners, the Leadership for Learning series explores the connections between educational leadership, policy, curriculum, human resources and accountability. Each book in the series approaches its subject matter through a three-fold structure of process, themes and impact. Series Editors - Clive Dimmock, Mark Brundrett and Les Bell As global pressures focus increasing attention on the outcomes of education policy and on their implications for economic prosperity and social citizenship, the experience of each individual learner is decisively shaped by the wider policy environment. However, there is often an underdeveloped understanding of how education policy is formed, what drives it and how it impacts on schools and colleges. This book explicitly makes these connections and links them to the wider challenges of educational leadership in a modern context. Education Policy is divided into three sections, which examine: the development of policy at the levels of the nation state and individual institutions the forces that shape policies with emphasis on human capital theory, citizenship and social justice and accountability research-based case studies highlighting the application of policy in a range of situations. The book provides a valuable resource for students, practitioners, middle managers and educational leaders in all sectors, both in the UK and internationally, who are engaged on masters and doctoral degrees, or undertaking leadership training and preparation programmes.

Enhance learning with a collaborative, inquiry-based system of leadership! This practical guide presents a systematic, ongoing process for collecting information, making decisions, and taking action in order to improve instruction and raise student achievement. The authors illustrate a collaborative inquiry-action cycle within a real-world context and offer questions and exercises to guide individual reflection and group discussion. Thoroughly grounded in research, this book helps administrators: Identify areas for instructional improvement Determine community-supported solutions and build stakeholder commitment Articulate an action plan based on multiple data sources Take steps that support teacher development Systematically evaluate program results

Written specifically for school administrators and those preparing to be school administrators, this easy-to-read book contains only what's needed by leaders in today's assessment-dominated world of educational accountability. The content of the text is unabashedly practical, addressed specifically to the assessment-related needs of today's school administrators. The real-world orientation of the book, based on the author's extensive and continuing work in the nation's public schools, makes the book attractive to those instructors who teach assessment courses taken by prospective school administrators. Students (and in-service school administators) will recognize that this text is not loaded with dry, abstruse content about measurement and psychometric exotica. This book deals with the real-world measurement issues that today's educational leaders will most certainly encounter.