An examination of the political context of adult education at a pragmatic level is presented. Topics include: four levels of decision making (employment of staff, program planning, student selection, and tutor and student relationship); less controversial areas; political neutrality; and politics and policy. (LH)

A more effective approach to strategic planning and management must be based on an understanding of the political dynamics through which policies are made. (Available from Subscriptions Manager, Pergamon Press Ltd., Headington Hill Hall, Oxford OX3 OBW, England; $60.00 annually.) (Author)

The evaluator as purveyor of truth may be seen as one more lobbyist competing for politicians' attention. This article explains how evaluators can present their results forcefully in the political arena. Available from: Evaluation, 501 South Park Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415. (CP)

This article reviews the articles which follow in this special issue on the political influence of the aged, discusses the effects of public policy on the aged, and asks whether there is a "politics of aging." (AM)

Discusses two ways of enhancing the ability of clients of local educational services to contribute to policy decisions; first, by developing public policies which support private, voluntary citizen organizations to influence educational policies and, second, by strengthening mandated advisory councils. Briefly describes five means of implementing…

Analyzes problems that have accompanied the growth of the citizen participation and public interest movements, and suggests that public participation that is not carefully ordered and constrained by administrators can lead to poorly conceived decisions. (Author/JG)

The paper compares special education legislation in the US and Britian, focusing on the origins of legislation and policy, content of the legislation, and the implementation in relation to the political contexts. (CL)

This study was one of several activities conducted at the end of a 5-year World Bank/Government of Ghana project, the Tertiary Education Project (TEP). This project was designed to assist the government of Ghana with the restructuring and quality enhancement of its tertiary education sector. Although the government had prepared an ambitious reform…

Common strategies for making public educational policy are outlined and a variety of indirect and slow as well as direct uses of policy are examined. Some suggestions are provided for policy analysts to make their work more relevant to current policy debates. (MSE)

The American political process and the institutions through which it operates are dependent upon a variety of factors: economic forces, demographic trends, cultural experience, and psychological dynamics. Responses of the political system to the forces shaping it are examined. (LBH)

Constituents, seen as only average information sources, are the primary influence on both state and federal legislators. If principals worked with superintendents (as community leaders) and school board members (as highly regarded local officials), educator teams could significantly shape state and national educational policy. (MLH)

Based on a review of research on evaluation use, the implications for future research and for improving the practice of evaluation are discussed. Six principles of evaluation use are outlined, and internalization of evaluation functions by decision makers is addressed. (TJH)

UNESCO has undergone several phases in its contribution to the formulation of language policies worldwide. UNESCO has acted as a somewhat sporadic advocate over the years without coming forward with an actual charter of linguistic rights. It may be that international organizations by their nature seek consensus only or that UNESCO is without a…

This evaluation of European Community and Union vocational training programs looks at programs implemented before and after the 1994 European Union treaty. It concludes that the political and legal framework has allowed only modest successes and the third generation of programs must take this into account. (SK)

Based on a case study of the formulation and enactment of the Education Amendments of 1972, an analysis of the federal policy-making process for higher education is presented to provide the academic community a realistic perspective on federal action. Includes discussion of the policy arena, sources of policy options, and pluralistic…