As an

academic discipline An academic discipline or academic field is a subdivision of knowledge that is taught and researched at the college or university level. Disciplines are defined (in part) and recognized by the academic journals in which research is published, a ...

the study of politics in education has two main roots: The first root is based on theories from

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...

while the second root is footed in

organizational theory Organizational theory refers to a series of interrelated concepts that involve the sociological study of the structures and operations of formal social organizations. Organizational theory also seeks to explain how interrelated units of organiza ...

. Political science attempts to explain how societies and

social organization In sociology, a social organization is a pattern of relationships between and among individuals and groups. Characteristics of social organization can include qualities such as sexual composition, spatiotemporal cohesion, leadership, struc ...

s use

power Power may refer to: Common meanings * Power (physics), meaning "rate of doing work" ** Engine power, the power put out by an engine ** Electric power, a type of energy * Power (social and political), the ability to influence people or events Math ...

to establish regulations and allocate resources. Organizational theory uses

scientific theories A scientific theory is an explanation of an aspect of the natural world that can be or that has been repeatedly tested and has corroborating evidence in accordance with the scientific method, using accepted protocols of observation, measureme ...

of management to develop deeper understandings regarding the function of organizations. Researchers have drawn a distinction between two types of politics in

school A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the Educational architecture, building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most co ...

s. The term ''micro-politics'' refers to the use of formal and informal power by individuals and groups to achieve their goals in organizations. Cooperative and conflictive processes are integral components of micro-politics. ''Macro-politics'' refers to how power is used and decision making is conducted at district, state, and federal levels. Macro-politics is generally considered to exist outside the school, but researchers have noted that micro- and macro-politics may exist at any level of school systems depending on circumstance. There is a significant difference between politics ''of'' education and politics ''in'' education. More debates on the prevailing differences are solicited from academia of the world to define politics educationally. An example of politics in education is in Freidus and Ewings' article about educational policy. They suggest that an example of politics in education is race in Neoliberal school policies. Politics in education shapes decision making processes within different educational systems.

In the United States

Texas

In 2025, with recent developments within Texas public education, political debates intensified around the key issue of the

school voucher A school voucher, also called an education voucher in a voucher system, is a certificate of government funding for students at schools chosen by themselves or their parents. Funding is usually for a particular year, term, or semester. In some cou ...

program. Proponents of the bill argue that vouchers provide families with educational choice, while critics contend that such programs take away funds from tradional public schools and cause educational inequalities. On April 24, 2025, the

Texas Legislature The Texas State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. It is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. The state legislature meets at the Capitol in Austin. It is a p ...

approved a $1 billion private school voucher program. Once the bill is signed by Governor Abbott, the program is set to launch in the 2026–27 school year.

In the United States

Texas

References

Further reading