This paper analyses how the impact of international student achievement studies and the recent economic crisis in Europe are influencing the development of educational policy transfer and borrowing, from East to West. This is contrasted with education reform movements in East Asia, which have long legacies of borrowing from so-called…

Certain policy areas with considerable impact on young people's educational experiences and achievements, notably assessment and qualifications, do not involve consultation with young people to any meaningful extent. Findings from a national study, which included focus groups with 243 students in the 14-19 phase, are presented with respect to…

Outlines steps toward integrating student opinion into the policy and decision-making structure of the school. The objective is to provide students a way to achieve meaningful participation in the school setting. The relationship among academic achievement, dropout rates, and student participation is discussed and a student opinion questionnaire…

This simulation can be used to help secondary students examine the national and global energy issue. Students role-play various groups, including the Departments of Energy and Transportation, the U.S. Automobile Manufacturer's Association, oil lobby groups, conservation groups, citizen groups, a solar lobbying organization, and a nuclear power…

Reasons why a written policy is advisable for high school administrators, publications advisors, and student journalists. (RL)

The Parental and School Choice Interaction (PASCI) study is investigating how English secondary schools are responding to an environment characterized by heightened competition and increased parental choice and how school decisions affect parental choice decisions. Plans to study four consumer empowerment models (competitive market, personal…

Although designed for participants in the National Issues Forum, this booklet, which describes the impact of the federal deficit and the federal budget process, is also useful for secondary school social studies. The six sections begin with an introduction describing why the deficit grows yearly and why it is difficult for Congress to stop its…

Traces the responsibility of adolescents to participate in policy formation. Includes discussions of adolescent participation in educational policy, school policy, and public policy as a required experience. (MA)

Consent engineering is a consultative approach used by public policy-makers to secure the legitimacy of proposed policy changes by involving representative interest groups in decision making. Using the example of five reorganizing secondary schools in Victoria, Australia, this article outlines the circumstances obviating consent engineering at the…

Business and industry have been shaken by the explosion of new technology, and scientific and technological advances will continue to have a profound impact on the labor market. Vocational education plays a key role in preparing citizens for jobs. This manual encourages greater use of advisory committees in vocational education programs. Advisory…

A study was conducted to determine if advisory councils, mandated by Public Law 94-482, are having a measurable impact on vocational education programs in South Carolina. Data received from 49 area vocational centers indicated that 2,170 persons were serving as advisory council and committee members to these centers. All reported advisory members…

An emphasis on logic is the basis of argumentation theory and practice, both past and present; the policy systems model of debate--which is based on the assumption that argumentation is a means for injecting rationality into choice--sharpens and clarifies traditional ideas and suggests significant new approaches, while retaining existing…

Surveys 646 teachers (in 26 secondary schools) to determine perceptions of their level of participation in school decisions. Finds high teacher participation in decisions involving curriculum and instruction and pupil personnel, but little or no participation in planning, policy development, student achievement, and budgeting. (Contains 36…

Summarizes a study of 26 Dutch secondary schools to determine the possibility of distinguishing types of schools by their policymaking capacity. Schools' policymaking capacity seems related to teachers' professional orientation. In schools with a colleague-oriented policymaking capacity, teachers participate more in administrative decision making…

Describes a three-part class assignment for a high school literary magazine course (and applicable to other student publications) in which students each select two poems for publication in an imaginary poetry journal and describe their reasons; collectively discuss responses and how they might be worked into an editorial policy; and end up with an…