CONTEXT, COURSES, AND THE CURRICULUM - LOCAL RESPONSES TO STATE POLICY REFORM

An important component of the first wave of recent policy reform inclu ded increased state-mandated high school graduation requirements. This article documents local variability in response to state-mandated ref orm and illustrates the challenges of implementing centralized policy as a tool to improve the quality of education. The longitudinal resear ch, based on the experiences of students and staff in five diverse hig h schools, combines both quantitative and qualitative techniques to es tablish a convincing picture of local adaptability. The article conclu des with a discussion of the need for state level policymakers to be m ore sensitive to local content and culture if they want to reform loca l practice and improve learning opportunities for students.