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Conceptualizing Policy Implementation: Large-Scale Reform in an Era of Complexity

Item

Title
Conceptualizing Policy Implementation: Large-Scale Reform in an Era of Complexity
Abstract/Description
The purpose of this chapter is to examine contemporary policy aimed at instituting large-scale change, specifically focusing on reform strategies and policy instruments. We begin by explaining various perspectives or theories for examining the policy implementation process: technical-rational, mutual adaptation, and sense-making/co-construction. We argue that the sense-making and co-construction perspectives are particularly useful for examining the dynamics involved in the implementation of current educational policies in the United States. After describing prevalent policy instruments, we then use these complementary perspectives to examine research and the theories of action behind three recent reform movements or policies: No Child Left Behind (NCLB), comprehensive school reform, and data-driven decision making (DDDM) initiated at the district level. We summarize with conclusions and implications for further research.
Author/creator
Datnow, Amanda
Park, Vicki
Date
2009
In publication
Handbook of Education Policy Research
Editor
Gary Sykes
Schneider, Barbara
Plank, David N.
Ford, Timothy G.
Publisher
Routledge
Resource type
en Research/Scholarly Media
Resource status/form
en Published Text
Scholarship genre
en Theoretical
IRE Approach/Concept
Sensemaking/Interpretation
Education Reform
Policy Implementation
Data-Driven Decision Making (DDDM)
Language
en
Open access/full-text available
en No
ISBN
978-0-415-98991-6
978-0-203-88096-8
978-1-135-85647-2
DOI
10.4324/9780203880968.ch28
URL
Publisher Webpage
Citation
Datnow, A., & Park, V. (2009). Conceptualizing Policy Implementation: Large-Scale Reform in an Era of Complexity. In Gary Sykes, B. Schneider, D. N. Plank, & T. G. Ford (Eds.), Handbook of Education Policy Research. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203880968.ch28

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