ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces two interrelated approaches to identify topics that merit further inquiry about the impact of policy changes—policy frames and rationales. It considers how states adapted to the new trajectory by reframing policy, building on the frameworks established by the end of the 20th century. The chapter encourages readers to think critically about the claims made by policymakers and considers how they use evidence to build rationales for changing programs. Paying attention to the role of frames is a useful analytic tool for researchers, policymakers, and educators. The chapter recognizes that these frames are embedded within political ideologies that routinely inform the policy-formation process. It considers basic frames, adaptive frames, and regional influences. The state cases illustrate some of the regional differences in higher education, a topic that merits further attention in policy research. The federal government has used similar policy mechanisms today to incentivize more-neoliberal policy preferences, such as increased school choice and greater accountability.
