The Politics of Elementary-Secondary and Higher Education.

Overview & Synopsis

Although elementary-secondary and higher education have traditionally been treated as separate objects of political action, various pressures are bringing this arbitrary division into question. In an effort to understand how these two levels of education interact in the political educational arena in different States, the Education Commission of the States surveyed education officials, policy makers, informed citizens, and media representatives in 12 of the 15 most populous States. The findings indicate that in most States, interlevel relationships in education are on the verge of open conflict over such basic issues as resource allocation, organization of post-high school education, responsibility for vocational-technical education, and teacher preparation. Pressures toward further political interaction and potential conflict between the two levels are likely to increase in the years ahead, meaning that these developments can be ignored only at considerable peril to education. The best prospect for turning interlevel relationships away from conflict and toward cooperation lies in creation of new overall coordinating mechanisms. (JH)