Implementing Educational Reform: Sociological Perspectives on Educational Policy

This book is organized into eight parts: systemic reform; sociology and educational policy; national content standards and assessments; opportunity-to-learn standards; school to work; school, parent, and community support; professional development; safe, disciplined, and drug free schools; and the implications of federal legislation. The basic format of the sections provides a chapter on the major topic and response followed by an issue sheet. The issue sheets are responses to the chapters in this book originally presented at the 1995 conference Implementing Recent Federal Legislation and summarize issues discussed in the roundtable discussions that were conducted at tne conference in which all participants shared ideas and background information. These issue sheets were prepared for the Spivak Program of the American Sociological Association and were then compiled for this volume into one issue sheet per topic.

This book is organized into eight parts: systemic reform; sociology and educational policy; national content standards and assessments; opportunity-to-learn standards; school to work; school, parent, and community support; professional development; safe, disciplined, and drug free schools; and the implications of federal legislation. The basic format of the sections provides a chapter on the major topic and response followed by an issue sheet. The issue sheets are responses to the chapters in this book originally presented at the 1995 conference Implementing Recent Federal Legislation and summarize issues discussed in the roundtable discussions that were conducted at tne conference in which all participants shared ideas and background information. These issue sheets were prepared for the Spivak Program of the American Sociological Association and were then compiled for this volume into one issue sheet per topic.

Booknews

Sixteen sociology studies examining the possibilities and problems inherent in "systemic" educational reform, particularly in relation to implementing the agendas of Goals 2000. The contributors provide a sociological framework for understanding systemic reform, evaluate national standards for content and performance, "opportunity-to-learn" standards, the school-to-work opportunities act, school and parental support, professional development, safety in schools, and the underlying implications of Goals 2000. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.