Izhak Berkovich is an associate professor at the Open University of Israel (OUI). He serves as the head of the Research Institute for Policy Analysis at OUI. He also serves as a member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Educational Management. His research focuses on the strategic and the micro aspects of leading educational organizations, as well as on educational policy, governance, and planning.

• Preface.- 1. Introduction to Education Policy.- 1.1 Definitions and basic concepts.- 1.2 Public education in the 21st century.- 1.3 Values ​​and ideologies in education.- 1.4 Summary of the chapter.- References.- 2. The Policy Process: The Design of Education Policy.- 2.1 Power, politics, and agenda setting.- 2.2 Key players and the social construction of the target population.- 2.3 Decision-making processes and ethical aspects of decision making.- 2.4 Summary of the chapter.- References.- 3. The Policy Process: Implementation of Education Policy.- 3.1 Policy instruments.- 3.2 Field effects on implementation.- 3.3 Evaluation of education policy.- 3.4 System change and education reform.- 3.5 Summary of the chapter.- References.- 4. The Policy Process: Contextual Factors.- 4.1 Demographic and economic aspects.- 4.2 Political culture.- 4.3 National culture and social cohesion.- 4.4 Summary of the chapter.- References.- 5. Contemporary Discourse in Education Policy in the 21st Century: Problems.- 5.1 Public education in crisis.- 5.2 Bureaucratic structure and central government.- 5.3 Poor professionalization in teaching.- 5.4 Inequality in education.- 5.5 Summary of the chapter.- References.- 6. Contemporary Discourse in Education Policy in the 21st Century: Solutions.- 6.1 Promoting school effectiveness.- 6.2 Promoting teaching as a profession.- 6.3 Promoting equality in education.- 6.4 Summary of the chapter.- References.- 7. Criticism of education policy as a field of knowledge.- 7.1 Criticism of the basic assumptions and conceptualization of studies in education policy.- 7.2 Criticism of comparative studies in education policy.- 7.3 Criticism of evaluation studies in education policy.- 7.4 Summary of the chapter.- References.