Political Economy of Education: The Politicization of Research and Its Impact on Policy Implementation

Summary

In this article, the issue of politicized research in education is analyzed, showing how policymakers may manipulate evidence to serve ideological interests rather than support evidence-based, effective policy-making. Weiss (1993) and Henig (2009) argue that selective evidence use, or "cherry-picking," undermines the research's objective purpose, leading to policies disconnected from practical school-level needs. Using Tanzania's Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) as a case study, the article demonstrates the consequences of underfunded and poorly aligned policies in practice. Spillane (2002) highlights the role of local administrators in bridging research and policy by promoting evidence-based practices in schools, despite national-level political pressures. Recommendations from McDonnell and Elmore’s (1987) policy instrument framework propose using mandates, incentives, and capacity-building to counteract politicized research. This approach advocates for institutional support, teacher-led initiatives, and collaborative feedback systems to foster an environment where research-driven, equitable education policies can thrive.

Introduction

Politicalization of research—politization of evidence to support policy—is a powerful dynamic in educational policy that can significantly hinder the development of effective, research-informed policies. Politicians in education can turn to the results of studies for ideological purposes, even if they ignore unintended results. This manipulation of evidence may also break up the line between research and school-level implementation, where policymakers might fail to account for important contextual conditions in which it is most effective. In my work as an educational leader in the United States and Tanzania, I will need to be able to see how politics shapes research applications in education and how local administrators can adapt. To start my essay, I’ll discuss Weiss (1993) and Henig (2009)’s politicisation of research. From there, I will consider what politicised research says about school-level policymaking (in Spillane (2002)). I will conclude with recommendations based on the frameworks of McDonnell and Elmore (1987) about how educational leaders can counter these impacts and advocate for research-based policies that are effective for students.?

The Problem of Politicized Research in Education

Both Weiss (1993) and Henig (2009) argue that politicians routinely misinterpret research in education to serve established interests, which can have negative consequences for the integrity and practicality of research results in policy. Henig (2009) in particular looks at how political stakes in issues like charter schools tend to "cherry-pick" information that supports the position and ignores the other data, which could offer a more balanced view. Such cherrypicking of evidence both harms the neutral purpose of research and produces policies that are not rigorous or complete enough. Policymakers, for instance, might discount evidence of contextual readiness, such as Tanzania’s Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC). Originally introduced with the promise of better learning, but without giving teachers the time and resources they required, the CBC had little effect (Mtitu, 2014). This is a case of how evidence discrimination generates well-intentioned, bad-for-nothing policies.?

Weiss (1993) also explains the politics of research interference: evaluators are under pressure to generate results in favour of powerful parties, he observes. Although both Henig and Weiss are talking about the issues of research policing, neither is very clear about how educational leaders can work around them. That absence suggests that there must be pragmatic solutions that can assist local administrators to withstand the politics of use in research. Given the Tanzanian example, in addition to Weiss’s and Henig’s, we can see that policy-based on selective evidence not only doesn’t tackle reality but also can drive systemic inequality if not well-supported and locally responsive.?

Implications of Politicized Research for School-Level Implementation

Even in the face of politicised research, however, school administrators, as Spillane (2002) suggests, need to take the lead in closing the gap between research and policy-making. Spillane thinks that local school administrators can be particularly well-positioned to champion evidence-based practice by identifying the conflicting interests that drive policy and then trying to mould the policy in their local context. Local administrators, he contends, despite their knowledge of the challenges posed by national and state discourse, must be willing to put the research to work in their own schools.?

However, Spillane’s perspective, while insightful, does not fully address the systemic barriers that often prevent local administrators from implementing these reforms effectively. Across the U.S. and Tanzania, administrators face often-existing barriers to accessing evidence-based practice, including limited funding, a lack of professional training, and poor evidence-based practices (Spillane, 2002; Mtitu, 2014). In Tanzania, for instance, CBC reform was hard to implement because the teacher professional development that is so important to successful curriculum reform was lacking. This case shows the need for institutionalised backing from the government and others to provide spaces where local leaders can put research-based policies into practice.?

The implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) in Tanzania highlights the difficulties that arise when educational policies, rooted in selective or idealized evidence, fail to address on-the-ground realities. The CBC, introduced in 2016 with a focus on active, play-based learning for early childhood education, aimed to improve early literacy and cognitive development by emphasizing guided play (Fesseha, 2020). However, as with other initiatives impacted by politicized research, the CBC faced significant challenges in translation from policy to practice, particularly in rural regions. Despite evidence supporting guided play as a developmentally appropriate and effective learning strategy (Fisher et al., 2013; Pyle et al., 2017), the implementation of CBC fell short due to limited teacher training, insufficient resources, and poor alignment with the practical needs of educators and students in resource-scarce settings (Mtitu, 2014; Kejo, 2017). This example underscores the need for educational policies that not only incorporate holistic research but also provide systemic support, such as targeted funding for teacher training and resources that enable schools to engage effectively with curriculum reforms. For local administrators, bridging the gap between CBC’s policy objectives and classroom practice requires advocating for structured support for guided play, alongside collaboration with policymakers to ensure that early childhood education is adequately resourced to meet its ambitious goals. Integrating insights from this example reinforces the argument that only with appropriate resourcing and a clear implementation framework can policies like the CBC achieve their intended impact, closing the rural-urban educational gap and fostering equitable learning outcomes across Tanzania.

In an attempt to overcome these challenges, educational leaders can look to create a partnership in which educators are asked to critically question the research and use it in the classroom. In doing so, local administrators can shave time between research and action and make sure policies are not only theoretically valid but practical too. Administrators who invest in teacher-led research and foster meaningful engagement with policymakers can help to inculcate a school culture that focuses on evidence-based practice, which in turn can help counter the influence of politicised research into policy.?

Recommendations for Mitigating the Impact of Politicized Research

McDonnell and Elmore’s (1987) article on policy instruments offers guidance for educational leaders wishing to mitigate the effects of politicised research through the use of mandates, incentives, and capacity-building. According to McDonnell (1987), such tools can be used to incentivise research to be genuinely used and not politicised. Mandates to hold schools to a minimum standard that is based on good research, for instance, can curb the temptation for selective evidence. Incentive measures like grant programs to schools that run a program on evidence can also incentivize administrators to go for the research-based interventions.?

However, while McDonnell’s framework offers valuable tools, the effectiveness of these instruments often depends on the local context and the resources available to support their implementation. For example, in Tanzania, the CBC failed in part because there was no institutionalisation of capacity-building, such as teacher training and professional development (Mtitu, 2014). If the government doesn’t provide continued funding and support, even the best-laid mandates and rewards might not yield dramatic results. It implies that, as well as policy tools, school leaders will need to push for long-term investment and professional training to make a space where evidence-based policies can thrive.?

For an illustration of how these recommendations could be put into action, take a school district in Tanzania undertaking a curriculum change. Local administrators could support teachers in the areas of training workshops and continual support to ensure they are able to understand and implement research by giving them access to the resources and skills to do so. Furthermore, if schools collaborate with teachers, administrators, and policymakers to promote the adoption of research in policymaking, political concerns could be diminished from shaping education. For example, regular feedback mechanisms in which teachers can openly talk about issues and offer feedback to policymakers could lead to a better fit between policy goals and classroom practice and so make the reform more effective overall.?

Conclusion

The politicisation of research is an immense problem in educational policymaking, and it often leads to policies that don’t account for school-level implementation. Weiss (1993) and Henig (2009) emphasise the risks of using selective evidence, and Spillane (2002) emphasises the role that local managers can play as bridges between research and practice. McDonnell and Elmore’s (1987) policy tools offer a toolkit for countering politicised research, but these are best used in tandem with institutional support and continuing professional education. Through collaborations, teacher-led programs, and the right kind of funding, school leaders can help create a climate in which evidence-based practice thrives. After all, working in the contested space between research, policy, and politics only comes down to using research for the purposes of students, not for politics, and making sure that school policies are evidence-based and targeted towards students and teachers.?

References

Fesseha, E. (2020). Play-Based Learning in Tanzania: From Policy to Practice. Right to Play Organization. https://righttoplaydiag107.blob.core.windows.net/rtp-media/documents/PBL_Policy_In_Tanzania.pdf

Fisher, K. R., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Newcombe, N., & Golinkoff, R. M. (2013). Taking shape: Supporting preschoolers’ acquisition of geometric knowledge through guided play. Child Development, 84(6), 1872–1888.

Henig, J. R. (2009). The politicization of evidence: Lessons for an informed democracy. Educational Policy, 23(1), 137–160.

Kejo, S. M. (2017). Exploring play in early years education: Beliefs and practices of pre-primary educators in Tanzania [Master’s thesis, University of Victoria]. University of Victoria Repository.

McDonnell, L. M., & Elmore, R. F. (1987). Getting the job done: Alternative policy instruments. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 9(2), 133–152.

Mtitu, E. A. (2014). Learner-centered teaching in Tanzania: Geography teachers' perceptions and experiences. International Journal of Education and Research, 2(2), 659–672.

Pyle, A., DeLuca, C., & Danniels, E. (2017). A scoping review of research on play-based pedagogies in kindergarten education. Review of Education, 5(3), 311–351.

Spillane, J. P. (2002). Local theories of teacher change: The pedagogy of district policies and programs. Teachers College Record, 104(3), 377–420.

Weiss, C. H. (1993). Where politics and evaluation research meet. Evaluation Practice, 14(1), 93–106.