39
conclusion also suggests that researchers should determine if all bureaucracies share
similar norms and ethos; the preliminary research in the DC area suggests that they do
not, and that bureaucracies are divided in their orientations by those that are client-driven
and those that are primarily regulatory in nature. Finally, one should keep in mind that
Fairfax and Montgomery counties are among the best case scenarios for immigrants and
minorities in suburbia. The two counties are among the wealthiest in the United States.
As a result, their schools have almost resources almost unmatched by other school
districts around the country. Among the 50 largest school districts, their graduation rates
are the highest.
31
If school administrators in these counties are driven by a distinct
educational ethos to propose redistribute policies, they also generally have the resources
to make these policies happen. That may not be true at all times elsewhere. While the
possibility that bureaucratic norms can drive policy merit further exploration, the limits
of bureaucratic incorporation are worth keeping in mind.
31
According to the study by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, Fairfax and Montgomery rank
number 1 and 2, respectively. See Jay Matthews, “Area Schools Rank High in Graduating Minorities,”
Washington Post, November 14, 2001; p A01.
Convention