This case study of the Early Childhood Education Program (California) focuses on the political meaning of evaluation. It shows how analysis of evaluation politics reveals who controls education policy, which values are prevailing and dominant, and which definitions of policy goals constitute the assumptive world. (RDN)

Reviews the contributions of field studies conducted in the areas of educational administration and policy, including organizational processes, education politics, and leadership and decision making. Suggests new directions in educational policy that field research could explore. (GC)

Analyzes the assistant principalship in terms of socialization, the enculturation process, and the actual work activity of assistant principals. Training and work of assistant principals should be restructured to avoid a trend toward development of a custodial, non-risk taking, noninstructional leader orientation. (PS)

Describes research in the process of decision making and socialization in the careers of women administrators. Shows how organizational policies and career norms affect women's incentives and opportunities for training. Suggests that contraditions of feminine and administrator roles and norms often lead to strain, and sometimes failure.…