Introduction

In 1983, the ‘Nation At Risk’ report called for widespread reforms such as increased high school graduation requirements, expanded student testing, and tougher requirements for entering the teaching profession. Using a bureaucratic model to mandate reform proposals it led to policy mechanisms such as prescriptions, specific patterns of resource allocation, performance measurements and requirements for an improved work force (Murphy, 1991). By 1986 most states had responded to this call by either passing large educational reform legislation packages or addressing some aspect of the ‘Nation At Risk’ (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983) report through mandated educational policy requirements. Reform initiatives were passed by state legislators, who assumed the role of developing educational reform legislation.