Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Bridging the Divide, Education Policy & Practice
by Margie Glick, Manager of Partnerships and Programs, Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland
A prevalent theme in Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond’s City Club speech, Redesigning Public Education Systems for Today’s (and Tomorrow’s) World was the disconnect between policymakers, researchers and practitioners within the field of education. Her nonprofit, the Learning Policy Institute specifically aims to bridge the gap between these three constituencies with the aim of improved student learning outcomes.
I witnessed these gaps firsthand while serving as an education policy legislative staffer to a Member of Congress from 2009-2012. Often the legislative staff responsible for tracking and proposing federal education policies had limited, if any, professional classroom experience. At the same time, the legislative aides were unlikely to have the time necessary to stay on top of current education research. Rather, much of the information absorbed by staff members was the result of conversations they had with constituents, association representatives and researchers.
This, while obviously problematic for several reasons, should be viewed as an opportunity. If you are a teacher, principal, support staff, student or parent and are frustrated with how policy impacts the classroom, you must speak up. This can include calling or emailing your elected officials at the federal or state level (don’t know them, visit www.CommonCause.Org). It can also mean getting involved with the state and national associations that represent you like the Ohio Parent Teacher Association, National Education Association, or the National Association of School Counselors. These organizations frequently coordinate online advocacy campaigns and host annual lobby days in Columbus or DC, which can provide you with the opportunity to directly advocate for specific policies. Alternatively, you may also consider inviting your students to contact their elected officials to express their opinions on specific policies like testing or recess. There is a good chance thoughtful letters from students will lead to a more substantial impact.
Through this type of advocacy, you can become part of the conversation, rather than remain on the sidelines. And over time, more elected officials and their staff can be exposed to good policy, like reinstating funding for art and music classes or publishing dashboard reports related to school performance rather than letter grades - as outlined in Dr. Darling-Hammond speech - without the unintended consequences that are far too common in today's education policy arena.
Margie Glick is the Manager of Partnerships & Programs with the Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland. In this role she oversees advocacy efforts related to college access and affordability. She is also currently a member of the 2018-19 class of Education Policy Fellows through Cleveland State University. Margie served as a legislative staffer and a government relations professional in Washington D.C from 2009 to 2014.
