Agenda setting in Colorado educational policy making

This case study investigates agenda setting in Colorado educational policy making, to determine how educational policy issues become the subject of governmental action. The study uses a conceptual framework that focuses on the interactions among three largely independent streams within the policy process: problems, policies, and politics. The study finds that numerous variables related to problem definition, the generation of policy alternatives, and political developments come into play in order for an educational issue to emerge as a priority for state action in Colorado. The mix of variables that contribute to agenda setting varies by issue, with the fate of some issues heavily influenced by events in the problems stream, and others governed by political or policy stream developments.