The Federal Role in Improving Educational Practice

In discussing the federal role in educational practice, David Cohen argues that the increase in federal power has also encouraged growth of power in the state, local, and private sectors. He examines how raised expectations from the federal level, the growing complexity of decisionmaking, and declining financial resources have complicated the work of teachers and principals in local schools. Thomas Minter, speaking as a practitioner on the federal and local levels, asserts the importance of federal programs and examines the effects of some of them on practice in the New York City schools. Brenda Turnbull surveys the disparate and underfunded federal programs devoted to improving educational practice. Although she concludes that much of the record has been disappointing, she notes that much has been learned about local adaptation of federal programs. Responding to these papers, Chester Finn asserts that for too long the emphasis has been on process rather than educational outcomes. He argues that schools m...