Advocacy groups, philanthropies, and think tanks play an increasingly visible role in local and federal education policy. Many of these intermediary organizations have promoted “incentivist” reforms such as charter schools, merit pay, and pay-for-performance for students. (Such reforms are based on the idea that external rewards and inducements will motivate improvement in public schools, teachers, and students). These intermediaries often use research to gain support for their positions. More systematic understanding of how these increasingly influential policy actors acquire, interpret, and use research to shape policymaking is critical. This is a comparative case study of three policy issues at the federal level and in three cities. The investigators will examine what research is used by intermediaries, how that research is packaged and conveyed to policymakers, and how policymakers use it. The study will include policymakers and representatives from influential foundations, advocacy groups, and other intermediary organizations at the federal level and in New Orleans, Denver, and New York City. They will conduct site visits and interviews with policymakers and individuals at intermediary organizations. The team will collect documents from the organizations and observe dissemination activities.
The investigators will examine what research is used by intermediaries, how that research is packaged and conveyed to policymakers, and how policymakers use it across three policy issues at the federal level and in three cities.
