Cd. Herrington et I. Lazar, Evaluating integrated children's services: The politics of research on collaborative education and social service research, EDUC POLICY, 13(1), 1999, pp. 47-58
Based on the history of education and other human services (e.g., health, w
elfare, housing, and social work) in the United States, this article analyz
es the differing political status among providers of student services. The
resulting political pressures structure professional research norms and mit
igate against professional collaboration at both the delivery and research
levels. The chapter identifies four key issues that need addressing in the
design of collaborative research projects to be responsive to converging po
litical pressures. These issues emerge not only from the efforts to collabo
rate but from the differing training, backgrounds, and interests of evaluat
ors and researchers from various service agencies and schools, and from the
divergent needs of clients around health, housing, welfare, job preparatio
n, and K-12 education. The role of the school is key because shared service
s often occur on the school site, where children spend the most time.