Education Policy 101

May 1, 2011 11:38 AM

I'd like to educate myself on the (intentionally) broad field of issues surrounding education policy. Where should I begin? I'd most appreciate suggestions for books to read, podcasts to listen to, blogs to follow, or anything else of that ilk.
posted by Mr C to education (7 answers total)

One good place to start is with some of the blogs on Education Week. They cover a variety of different topics, some which you may find more interesting than others.

Other blogs include Eduwonk and The Quick and the Ed.

The Hechinger Report is also a blog, but it provides longer, researched pieces by journalists.
posted by statsgirl at 11:52 AM on May 1, 2011

You can divide education policy/ed reform into two pretty broad camps. I'm firmly entrenched on one side and will read anything by Diane Ravitch. I'm reading her new book right now. I follow her on Twitter. She's impressive. In general, you can just search on #edreform in twitter and find tons of stuff.

Sir Ken Robinson's Changing Education Paradigms is a great primer (especially if you watch the "animated" version.)

The NY Times education section has great education coverage but seems to slant pro-charter.. that's been changing a bit recently.

The other side will be more pro-charter and testing stuff - Michele Rhee's book, Waiting for Superman, etc.
posted by adorap0621 at 11:52 AM on May 1, 2011

I recommend The Answer Sheet blog by Valerie Strauss in the Washington Post.
posted by datarose at 12:01 PM on May 1, 2011

Anything by Michael Apple. You may or may not find yourself agreeing (I vary), but I always find him interesting to read.
posted by bardophile at 12:33 PM on May 1, 2011

Seconding suggestions listed above. Eduwonk is a particularly smart blog that rounds up all the latest news with sharp commentary, but written from the perspective of the pro-charter accountability people who seem to think that everyone should go to a 4 year college. A provocative refutation of this idea (from an economic perspective) can be found in Alison Wolf's book "Does Education Matter? Myths about Education and Economic Growth." And I also recommend Mike Rose's (a professor at UCLA) thoughtful and compassionate work on non-traditional students, particularly "The Mind at Work" and "Why School?" He also has a blog. Sorry no links right now, I'm in a hurry.
posted by smokingloon at 6:02 PM on May 1, 2011 [1 favorite]

I've been learning a lot from Dana Goldstein: her blog, Twitter, recent article on "The Test Generation".
posted by milkweed at 7:39 PM on May 1, 2011

Milton Friedman: The Role of Government in Education. 1955 essay that essentially launched the modern school-reform movement.

- aj
posted by Alaska Jack at 8:27 PM on May 1, 2011