The intent of this course is to explore and further our understanding of reforms in education over the past two decades in Canada and other selected OECD countries. Through academic readings, we examine how and why particular policy discourses (e.g. school choice, system accountability) have become accepted in recent years. We further consider the implications of policy reforms for practices within educational organizations. The design of this course reflects the view that reforms cannot be comprehended without considering the social, political, economic and historical contexts in which they arise.