Institutional Constraints on Business Involvement in K–12 Education Policy

With each passing decade, the U.S. public educational system has been under increasing scrutiny and pressure to change. This pressure has come from many fronts–including, the media, parents, government, and business. In this study, I examine the actions of a group of business leaders representing several multinational corporations as they try to affect education policy in the state of Michigan. I focus special attention on the environments in which the corporations and K–12 public schools operate and uncover the relationships between the many agents calling for school improvement. The fact that this group took a thoughtful approach and had a significant impact on education reform is by no means an indication that other business groups will do the same. Given enough good information and time to reflect on the complex issues surrounding schools, it is possible that business leaders and educators can reach consensus on a direction for educational reform.