Redefining education regimes and reform - The political role of governors

Governors across the country are playing a more important role in steering education policy than in the past. In our nine-state study of the politics of education from 1995 to 1997, the authors observed governors putting forw ard major reforms from vouchers to state standards and forming important co alitions with the business community and religious groups. Professional org anizations, which have monopolized decision making in education for years, were forced to adjust to these new participants. Charter schools were stron gly supported by most governors; they particularly appreciated the competit ion and local aspects of this reform Overall they showed little interest in compensatory funding for city schools, and school finance equity was only an interest if pressure came from property-poor suburbs. Urban schools are in dire need of more equitable and creative reform efforts, but this seems unlikely in the current political climate.