Origins of Public Policy in Education – INITIAL DISCUSSION AND RESPONSE TO A STUDENT

Origins of Public
Policy in Education

For this week’s discussion, please respond to the
following:

·       
Introduce yourself to
your peers by sharing something unique about your background.

·       
Explain how you expect
this course will help you move forward in your current or future career.

(Just some of my thoughts)

I live in Maryland
but go back and forth from Baltimore to Montgomery County.

I work in
community colleges teaching adults pursuing different career paths in allied
health programs.  I teach various prerequisite
courses to the students and am also lead instructor for Surgical Technology and
Medical Assisting programs in 2 different community colleges. I also teach Spanish
classes in the Life Enrichment Program at another community college.

My great
passion is teaching dance. My current focus is teaching various Latin dances to
all ages and students from all nationalities.

_________________________________________________________ 

·       
As you learned from this
week’s reading, there are many people and agencies involved in the development
of educational policies that govern K-12 and Higher Education institutions.
Select three of the actors (people and agencies)

THESE ARE THE ACTORS I HAVE SELECTED:   PLEASE WRITE ABOUT them briefly.

1. TEACHERS

2. SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

3. STATE GOVERNMENT

_______________________________________________________________________________

Students initial post. Please respond to them:

1. The U.S. Constituion: The Tenth Amendment reserves the powers that are not delegated to the federal government by the states. Education usually falls under state jurisdiction. Due to this, the Constitution does not formally grant the federal government control when it comes to education (Spring 1). Despite this, it does create a “framework” for what federal involvement can be through clauses such as the Equal Protection Clause and the Commerce Clause. These clauses have been used to justify what federal interventions are appropriate in education, especially focused on civil rights and funding.
2. The U.S. Secretary of Education: This person leads the U.S. Department of Education and plays a vital role in setting the national education agenda. The Secretary advises the President on current educational policies and administers federal education programs in the US (Spring 1). They can also influence policies by proposing initiatives as well as advocating for legislative changes. They can also distribute federal funding as well as interpret the laws related to education.
3. The U.S. Congress: Congress holds the primary authority to pass legislation that is related to education in regards to the federal level. Congress can enact laws such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). These laws outline federal educational policy in the U.S. The federal budget is also controlled by Congress (Spring 1). It allocates funds for education programs and initiatives. Congressional committees oversee education policy, hold hearings, and can also influence educational policy. They can do this through hearings and investigations.