This paper argues that a conservative, illusory, and technocratic rationality pervades recent educational policymaking in New York State. A document called "A New Compact for Learning," published by the State Education Department in March 1991, is analyzed to show that technocratic rationality, a functionalist theory of educational policymaking and implementation, permeates the state's school improvement effort. Two interdependent components of the New Compact are categorized--the Global, or macro, and the Village, or micro component. The Global component is examined in terms of regents and economics; the Village in terms of shared purpose, teacher education, assessment, and choice. A discussion of the subcomponents attempts to demonstrate how the New Compact will very likely reify technocratic rationality both at the policymaking and procedural levels of public schooling throughout New York State. (Contains 28 endnotes.) (LMI)