In the world of education policy making, research fi ndings often do not seem to matter much. Whether the issue is early childhood education, grade retention, student testing regimes, the professional development of teachers, or any one of the dozens of other areas where choices are regularly made about how to structure and deliver educational services, although research may frequently be cited (Kirst, 2000; Center on Education Policy, 2007), it is much more likely to serve as a bit player than a main attraction in shaping actual decisions (Corcoran, 2003). Why are the fruits from research so often ignored in education policymaking, or a marginal infl uence at best? Why aren’t research fi ndings seen more often by education leaders as helpful in exercising their responsibilities? Why, even when seriously considered, is research so often misapplied in developing and executing education policies? What are reasonable objectives for the role that research and sustained scholarly attention should play in shaping the decisions and actions of policy makers and educators? How far is educational research from attaining these objectives and what, if anything, might serve to foster such attainment?