How Can Educational Policy Assist the American Educational System to Move Forward?

According to Rippner (2016), the educational system in America is a set of integrated systems. However, educational policymakers “rarely seek out or have access to the big picture” of the system (Rippner, 2016, p. 2). A lack of access and lack of hands-on experience or knowledge of the educational system itself are among the greatest challenges facing educational policymakers. The fact that the educational system is broken into distinct sectors--including early childhood education, K-12, and higher education--and that the sectors are often disconnected from each other add to policymakers’ challenges. To fully understand the system, it needs to be examined and viewed as a whole. Only then can policymakers understand the problems “plagu[ing] the individual parts as well as the interactions between them” (Rippner, 2016, p.2).

Of interest to many policymakers within the educational system, particularly in higher education, is the “leaking educational pipeline” (Zimpher 2013, p. 40). Keeping students in the educational pipeline long enough for them to obtain the education necessary for a sustainable career is paramount. This approach knows as Cradle to Career is an effective lens through which to view the "leaking educational pipeline"syndrome. The Cradle to Career approach was founded in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky in the 2006 when over 300 local organizations came together to improve education through a shared agenda with measurable and specific outcomes (StriveTogether, n/d). Currently, StriveTogether boasts more than 10,000 local organizations in its network, supports 70 community partnerships,across 37 states and the District of Columbia, and impacts 10.4 million students (StriveTogether.com, n/d). 

In Monterey County, Bright Futures is the Cradle to Career program working to re-link the American educational structure, which is “one of the world’s least-linked educational structures” (Boswell, 2000, p. 4). Bright Futures is supported by Cal State University Monterey Bay and outlines seven community goals, which includes early care and education, kinder-ready, language and literacy, critical thinking, youth contentedness, college or job training ready, and career pathways (BrightFuturesMC.org, n/d). While there is good progress being made, there is more to be done.

The American educational system is made up of numerous and complex moving parts. The complexity of the system makes reform or improvements difficult to achieve. There are inherent, historic and systemic tensions which stem the flow of students through the educational pipeline. However, viewing policy creation and changes through the long-range approach may be the key to the beginning to resolve the “leaking educational pipeline (Zimpher, 2013, p. 40) and provide educational policymakers with a successful approach.

References: 

Boswell, K. (2000). Building bridges or barriers? Public policies that facilitate or impede linkages between community colleges and local school districts. New Directions for Community Colleges, 111, 3-15.

Rippner, J. A. (2016).  The American policy landscape.  New York: Routledge.

StriveTogether.com (2018). Retrieved from https://www.strivetogether.org/about/

Zimpher, N. (2013). Systemness: Unpacking the value of higher education systems. In J. Lane & B. Johnston (Eds), Higher educational systems 3.0 – Harnessing systemness, delivery performance (pp. 247-44). New York, NY: SUNY Press.