The educational policy implementation process is examined in this book, which shows how policy implementation has evolved through several stages during the past 25 years. The first two stages primarily addressed macro-implementation issues of whether and how policies initiated at higher levels of government became implemented in school districts and schools. The third stage, which has just begun, includes various attempts to improve local educational systems rather then just create new categorical programs at the margin. Themes of the book are that: (1) today's policy objectives and programs are more complex and comprehensive than simple "lack of capacity and will" problems; (2) state and federal initiatives rather quickly affect local practice; and (3) there is still a need for more information on effective strategies for restructuring the overall education system. Articles include the following: "The Evolution of Education Policy Implementation, by Allan R. Odden; "Title I of ESEA: The Politics of Implementing Federal Education Reform," by Jerome T. Murphy; "The Utility of a Longitudinal Approach in Assessing Implementation: A Thirteen-Year View of Title I, ESEA," by Michael Kirst and Richard Jung; "The Maturation of Redistributive Programs," by Paul Peterson, Barry Rabe, and Kenneth Wong; "Interaction of State and Federal Programs," by Mary T. Moore, Margaret E. Goertz, and Terry W. Hartle; "Cumulative Effects of Federal Education Policies at the Local Level," by Michael S. Knapp, Marian S. Stearns, Brenda J. Turnbull, Jane L. David, and Susan M. Peterson;"Thinking About Program Quality," by Allan R. Odden; "The Rand Change Agent Study: Ten Years Later," by Milbrey Wallin McLaughlin; "Getting the Job Done: Alternative Policy Instruments," by Lorraine M. McDonnell and Richard F. Elmore; "Learning from Experience: Lessons from Policy Implementation," by Milbrey Wallin McLaughlin; "Research on Education Reform: Lessons on the Implementation of Policy," by Susan Fuhrman, William Clune, and Richard Elmore; "Implementation of the California Mathematics and Science Curriculum Frameworks," by David D. Marsh and Allan R. Odden; "Ideas and Values in Implementation Analysis: The Case of Teacher Policy," by Lorraine M. McDonnell; "School Restructuring: Implementing Middle School Reform," by David D. Marsh and Patricia S. Crocker; "Legislative Oversight of Education Policy Implementation," by Patricia Wohlstetter; and "New Patterns of Education Policy Implementation and Challenges for the 1990s," by Allan R. Odden. A 30-page bibliography is included. (LMI)