Introduction to Education Policy

Abstract

This chapter provides a background for the discussion of the two main foci of the book: (a) the processes of design and implementation of education policy, and (b) the contemporary discourse on problems and solutions in education systems. At the beginning of the twentieth century, education became accepted as a basic public resource, and the idea that the government should shape the policies that guide the education system took root. Since then, the essence of the state, its relations with its citizens, the nature and extent of the education systems, and the importance attributed to them have undergone considerable changes. In recent decades, as a result of the growing dominance of globalization and multiculturalism, public education has been reshaped, and the management of public education systems is changing (Goren H, Yemini M: Comp J Comp Int Educ 48(3):397–413, 2018; Ichilov O: The retreat from public education: global and Israeli perspectives. Springer, Dordrecht, 2009). In this chapter, we begin by explaining the basic concepts, such as policy and education policy, as well as related concepts, such as educational planning. Next, we define what public education is, discuss how a given historical period influences it, and talk about trends in the present era that shape it. We also discuss the key ideologies that shape education, and explore how they relate to education policy.