“Christopher Cross is one of the nation’s foremost authorities on federal education policy. This book is essential reading for those who wish to understand the complex issues that have shaped federal education policy in the past and are guiding this new period of a greatly enlarged federal role.”
—James B. Hunt, former Governor of North Carolina

Political insider Christopher Cross has updated his critically acclaimed book to reflect recent education policy developments, including the impact of the Obama administration and “Race to the Top” as well as the controversy over NCLB’s reauthorization. Featuring a new introduction and the addition of postscripts for key chapters, this important book traces the evolution of federal education policy during the latter half of the 20th century. Cross draws on his 32 years of experience in Washington, research he has conducted in several presidential libraries and interviews with more than 20 people who held key positions during that time. What emerges is a highly readable chronicle of how the federal role in education has been transformed, including a look at:

• The major organizations, interest groups, and policymakers who influenced federal policy, including Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Elliot Richardson, Al Quie, John Brademas, Adam Clayton Powell, Walter Mondale, Abraham Ribicoff, Ted Bell, Bill Bennett, Carl Perkins, and Ted Kennedy.
• How and why the U.S. Department of Education came into existence.
• How the Title I program came to emphasize whole school reform.
• The history behind the development of the federal government’s special education policy.
• The justification for the federal role in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

Christopher T. Cross is chairman of Cross & Joftus, an educational consulting firm. He was previously a senior fellow at the Center for Education Policy and a distinguished senior fellow at the Education Commission of the States. During his 32 years in Washington, D.C., he served in both the executive and legislative branches, as an assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Education, the Republican staff director of the House Committee on Education and Labor, and a deputy assistant secretary in the old Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

Critical Acclaim for Political Education: National Policy Comes of Age by Christopher T. Cross—

“Christopher Cross does an excellent, even-handed job….If we are to make intelligent choices about where the nation is headed, if we are to choose between competing approaches, it is important that we understand how and why we have come to where we are today.”
—From the Foreword by Richard Riley, former U.S. Secretary of Education and Ted Sanders, President of the Education Commission of the States

“Chris Cross’s analysis is not only thoroughly researched; it is an insightful and compelling reading. For those of us interested in anticipating the next steps in the evolution of public education policy in this country, Political Education should be required reading.”
—Nancy S. Grasmick, State Superintendent of Schools, Maryland State Department of Education

“Concise but illuminating . . . chock-full of historical nuggets.”
—Education Week

“The book is clearly written, informative, and generally well-balanced.”
—Harvard Educational Review

“Accessible, well grounded, and convincing. For those trying to find a text that translates theory work into a practical understanding of policy making, this book is the one.”
—AACTE Briefs

“Interesting and informative . . . Cross has done an excellent job in contextually framing federal education policy development and implementation.”
—Teachers College Record