Education, Equity, and the States examines how variations in state governance determine how federal initiatives are implemented and makes recommendations for approaching reform from this perspective. The book defines the key ways in which state policy environments differ from one another, illustrates how those differences matter, and encourages reformers to account for these disparities to achieve more sustained and equitable improvement.
Drawing on original research, Sara E. Dahill-Brown highlights three major factors that differ from state to state: the number of districts (fragmentation); the degree to which education governance is separated from other political issues (exceptionalism); and how much state legislation tends to impinge on local autonomy (local control). She examines the historical and political trends that have shaped differences among the states and how they affect the impact of education reforms. By identifying typical patterns in state governance, Dahill-Brown suggests ways to work with varying governance structures to lead to more successful and equitable outcomes.
Dahill-Brown argues that reformers at every level must routinely assess the appropriateness of their consensus-building and collaboration strategies. With the increasing importance of states in education, her work makes a notable contribution to our understanding of the landscape of education reform.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Why Variations in State Governance Matter for Education Reform
1. A Foundation and Framework for Understanding State Governance
2. Early Roots of Education Governance in the United States
3. Recent Federal Initiatives and the Changing Role of the States
4. School Districts, Fragmentation, and Inequality
5. Exceptionalism, Partisanship, and Democracy
6. The Rhetoric and Reality of Local Control
Conclusion: Toward More Sustainable, Equitable Education Reform
Appendix: Notes on Data Sources and Modeling
About the Author
Sara E. Dahill-Brown is an associate professor in the politics and international affairs department at Wake Forest University. She is an alumna of Utah’s public schools and a recovering Texas middle school teacher. She has worked as a researcher and volunteer in the school systems of Wisconsin, where she earned her doctorate, and North Carolina, where she now lives. Her writing has appeared in the Russell Sage Journal of the Social Sciences, Studies in Educational Evaluation, and Politics and Policy.
"...the author helps readers understand the constant tension between federal and local demands, where states have significant influence to use their position in working toward a more equitable educational system, particularly for the most marginalized." —J. L. Newman, Choice
"Its fresh perspectives on educational governance structures will interest contemporary education reformers and researchers at all levels who desire to make significant and lasting changes within the complex and decentralized landscape of American public education." —Timothy A. Drake and Jennifer DeNeal, Teachers College Record
"Impeccably researched and well-crafted, Dahill-Brown’s work should be read by all those working directly in the education sector, particularly those in the U.S. Department of Education and those employed at the state level." —Publius: The Journal of Federalism
"Education, Equity, and the States provides readers with the information necessary to successfully navigate the complex and varied terrain of educational governance structures and systems and ultimately elucidates how these can and do impact educational policy in disparate ways from state to state." —Education Review