Julie Shively, NBCT

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Teachers influencing Policymaking

• Julie Shively, NBCT
• 8th Grade Math and Science Teacher, Georgia
• U.S. Department of Education Teaching Ambassador
  Fellow Alumnus

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Warm Up
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• What policies affect your ability to effectively
  instruct your students?

The Role of Teachers in Policymaking
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Warm Up

• Policies

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Warm Up
Where do these policies originate?
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Teachers as Policymakers
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• Teachers make a difference in students lives
  every day.
• How can you make a difference in education policy?

The Role of Teachers in Policymaking
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Teaching Ambassador Fellowship
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• Mission Improve education by involving
  teachers in national
• education policy
• Program Formerly 5 teachers who accepted a
  fulltime fellowship to work at U.S. Department
  of Education for one year
• Formerly 20 teachers who continued their
  classroom teaching while working part-time for
  ED
• Duties Worked within an office to learn about
  specific policy. Met people within and without
  the Department to discuss education policy.
  Provided input regarding the realities of
  the classroom to policymakers as they revised
  and created education policy.

The Role of Teachers in Policymaking
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Teaching Ambassador Fellowship
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• Achievements of the Fellows
• Changed conversations within and without ED
• Altered the landscape of ED
• Hosted national teacher forums and break-out
  sessions
• Assisted with ED exhibits and demonstrations
• Provided feedback on federal discretionary grant
  programs, websites and publications
• What about the millions of teachers who are not
  Fellows?

The Role of Teachers in Policymaking
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Policies in Your Classroom
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Assessments
Standards
Teacher Quality Certification Requirements
Curriculum
Your Classroom
Parent / Community Input
Administrative Processes
Money/Resources
The Role of Teachers in Policymaking
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Basic U.S. Policy Structure
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Congress
School Board
Legislature
Federal Money Policy
Local Money Policy
State Money Policy
Parents Non-Profit (and For-Profit) Foundations
Organizations
Charter Schools
Schools
Teachers
Students
The Role of Teachers in Policymaking
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Federal, State, Local Contribution
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The Role of Teachers in Policymaking
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Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)

• Elementary and Secondary Elementary Act
• 8 Subsequent reauthorizations
• 1968-1980 Used Title I as focused
• resources v. general aid
• 1980-1988 Block grants with limited spending
• 1988-2002 Standardized assessment and standards

Reauthorization process began
Will your voice be heard in the upcoming
reauthorization?

• No Child Left Behind
• Latest Version of ESEA

1965
2002
2007
2009 and Beyond
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Why Should Teachers Get Involved?

• Every federal, state, and local policy affects
  classroom instruction, curriculum, and assessment
  in some way.
• If we dont cause change in the right way, change
  will be forced upon us by those who have never
  stood in front of a class.
• We know the realities of todays schools and can
  connect policy with practice in an effective
  manner to cause sustained reform.

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How Teachers Influence Federal PolicyExamples
Leadership Positions in National Organizations
Interactions with Members of Congress
Using State/National Recognition Platforms
U.S. Federal Register Public Comment
Grants Review, NAEP Development
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How Teachers Influence State PolicyExamples
Standards Development
Assessment Development
State Legislature and Department of Education
Professional Organizations
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How Teachers Influence Local PolicyExamples
School Board Forums
Curriculum and Standards Development/Mapping
School Opening, Restructuring
Student, Parent, Teacher, Community Organizations
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What is Your Message to Improve Education?

• What are you passionate about changing?
• Be succinct and specific
• Gather the facts, the data, the research
• Learn the language of policymakers
• Know what the opposition will say

Parlaying your passion into powerful policy
may influence generations of children.
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Your Assignment

• 5 Minutes
• Brainstorm what education policy you want changed
  - be specific
• Who is your audience?
• Write out a 30-second message to give to your
  audience, your parking lot speech
• Review your speech for language, emotion, clarity
• Add details for your 3-minute speech
• What data and research do you need to support
  it? That will support your three-minute speech
• Think of one emotional support regarding a student

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Useful ED Websites

• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
  Information
• http//www.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/index.ht
  ml
• State Contact Information
• http//www.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/index.html?
  srcgu
• National Center for Education Statistics
• http//nces.ed.gov/
• Institute of Education Sciences
• http//ies.ed.gov/
• U.S. Federal Register Home Page
• http//www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/

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Useful ED Websites

• U.S. Department of Education Publications
• http//www.ed.gov/about/pubs/intro/index.html?src
  gu
• Federal Resources for Educational Excellence
• http//www.free.ed.gov/
• Doing What Works
• http//dww.ed.gov/
• What Works Clearinghouse
• http//ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/

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Contact Information
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• Teaching Ambassador Fellowship Information
• http//www.ed.gov/programs/teacherfellowship/inde
  x.htm
• Fellowship Email
  TeacherFellowship_at_ed.gov
• Listserve Sign-Up http//www.ed.gov/programs/tea
  cherfellowship/signupform.html
• Secretary of Education Blog http//www.edgovblog
  s.org/duncan/topic/listening-tour/