The politics of teacher education reform: Strategic philanthropy and public policy making

The issue of what appropriate role philanthropic foundations should play il l the formation of policies related to the education of professionals is ex plored. Specifically, the 1910 Flexner report on medical education and the 1996 National Commission on Teaching & America's Future report on teacher e ducation, both financed by Carnegie foundations, are compared and contraste d. The influence of strategic philanthropy in the democratic process has de creased over 90 years, so more public engagement is needed if meaningful ch anges in practice are to occur.