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When Zero-Sum Yields No Winners: The Case of Implementing Changes to Bilingual Education Law in Massachusetts
Journal Issue
Volume 11, 2004Abstract
Even when clear outcomes arise from a political process, corresponding victories and defeats are not always translated into an implementation reality. The case of implementing recent changes to bilingual education law in Massachusetts serves as an apt example of such a phenomenon. In particular, two crucial educational implementation factors, perceived policy legitimacy and teacher motivation, and their interplay, will be analyzed vis-à-vis the policy approval and implementation processes. The methodology of this presentation will include both a direct analysis of Massachusetts' situation and a comparative one with the more developed implementation process in California. From these analyses, possible implementation outcomes within Massachusetts will be presented along with suitable recommendations for spurring positive movement within the implementation process.