527 T he public’s interest is manifest in many contexts, but one that touches almost every member of society is schooling. Therefore, the institution of schooling is a key context for serving the public’s interest, but schools are a complex and contested venue for both special and public interests. Simultan- eously, schools are opportunities to create pas- sive, docile workers and to create critical, independent-minded thinkers and doers. The public interest (or common good, as it is sometimes called) is something most people agreeisworthy,butthedevilisinthedetails.For some, the public interest is served when there is thegreatestgoodforthegreatestnumber,aclas- sic utilitarian perspective. For some, the public interest is served when all individuals are free to do as they please as long as they do no harm to others, a libertarian perspective. For some, the public interest is the elevation of every single member of a community or group. In this chapter, I argue that globalism, and neoliberalism particularly, is a primary influence on conceptualizations of schooling and educa- tion; as a consequence,it influences what we con- sider to be quality schooling and education, includingthemeansweemploytodiscernquality in education. This chapter analyzes the impact of globalism on education and thus on the evalua- tion of education. I suggest how evaluation of and in schooling might alternatively challenge or resist the values inherent in neoliberal concep- tions of schooling and thus promote democratic values, including education for the benefit of all and a governmental role that arises from the interests of the people rather than capital. Serving the Public Interest Through Educational Evaluation Salvaging Democracy by Rejecting Neoliberalism Sandra Mathison CHAPTER 30