Culture and Education Policy: Analyzing Values in State Policy Systems

Abstract

Reference to values in education policy studies is commonplace, but close analysis is never done. This article provides behavioral definitions of four basic values—quality, equity, efficiency, choice—that render them amenable to quantitative analysis. The concept of culture is offered to explain policy behavior, specifically the meritocratic, egalitarian, and democratic cultures within our national culture. These value definitions are applied—via content analysis—to state education codes in Illinois and Wisconsin to demonstrate how policy choices are moved by different cultures. The results also demonstrate evidence for Elazar’s “political culture” concept. The conflict and complementarity inherent in these values are also discussed.