ABSTRACT
From an institutional perspective, education policy is composed of diff erent kinds of governance structures, as noted in chapter 1. Th ere is government with its formal policies of control, its regulations, and “moral” incentives. I introduced several dimensions of this aspect of the policy system in my earlier discussion of NCLB and its regulations that support education privatization. However, the policy environment for K-12 education also is comprised of market-oriented controls. I discussed several of these in chapter 2. One example is the use of advertising as a mechanism for spurring sales to school districts. Another example involves selling diff erent kinds of products to districts as a means of capturing more of their revenue. Th ese market dynamics, while not generally recognized as a form of education policy, are part of the broader governance structures in which schools and districts operate. Th ey also are integral to the transformations underway in K-12 education contracting.
