A study of education policy research at the Brookings Institution

Abstract

This paper reports a study of the education policy research efforts at the Brookings Institution, a leading non-profit public policy research organization (think tank) in the United States. The data for this study was derived from on-site interviews, the Brookings Institution library as well as archival materials. The on-site interviews took place during the summer of 1996, and focused on contextual factors, including a review of research efforts in education policy at Brookings. The data from the interviews and those from the library and archival collections were analyzed in conjunction with each other. The findings of this study show that the Brookings Institution has a long history of involvement in education policy research in the United States. The findings also reveal that a number of factors work together in policy research efforts at Brookings, including a progressive trend of involvement in education policy over time, availability of a critical concentration of scholars with some degree of interest in education reform, and an organizational climate conducive to research on innovative education policies. The latter includes a sense of cohesiveness, and mutual understanding and respect between the scholars and administrators. Strong administrative support, as well as technical support for research and dissemination of research findings, are key factors. These findings should help educational researchers, policy makers and administrators gain a clear picture of the role of a leading public policy research organization in education reform, and provide a basis for researching the role of think tanks in education policy.