Conflicting Missions?
Teachers Unions and Educational Reform

An analysis of the role of teachers' unions in education reform. The volume is a compilation of material taken from a 1998 conference organized by the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University. The essays reflect a variety of perspectives and opinions.

In examining the relationship of teachers unions and educational reform, the authors approach the subject from several directions. They ask whether unions affect educational productivity, most notably in terms of student achievement. They analyze how teachers unions function as professional organizations concerned with the occupation of teaching, as institutional actors defending interests within a bureaucratic system of education, and as political actors wielding influence on legislation and elections. Reflecting a variety of perspectives and opinions, Conflicting Missions? offers a balanced analysis of a controversial topic. It is a useful starting point for readers who want to discover the complexity of teachers unions and their influence --both positive and negative --on the national effort to improve America's schools.