Radical changes have occurred in public education policies over the past three decades. States have raised the standards for graduation and sought to improve college enrollment and success. State policy frameworks are developed by an array of politicians, analysts, and citizens amid changing economic and social contexts, and the logic behind these policy frameworks is seldom reviewed, evaluated, revised, or redefined. Public Policy and Higher Education provides readers with new ways to analyze these complex state policies. The text offers:Case studies that let readers work through various policy "frames" Reflective exercises at the end of each chapter Approachable explanations of complex public policies for those readers without a background in economicsRather than arguing for a single approach or "best practice," the authors examine how policymakers, administrators, and professors can work to inform and influence change within systems of higher education using research-based evidence along with consideration of political and historical values and beliefs. This textbook is an invaluable resource for graduate students, administrators, policymakers, and researchers who seek to learn more about the crucial contexts underlying policy decisions and college access.