Understand the state department of education/higher education
This week, you will examine the state’s role in educational policy at the PK-12 or higher education level.
Access the website for your state’s department of PK-12 education or higher education based on your professional preference. Every state should have a website for each of these organizations. Some example of PK-12 and higher education state department sites are provided in the resources for this week.
In this assignment, you will compare and contrast state education policy at either the PK-12 or higher education level by accessing websites for three states. One of the states must be your own and the other states must be bordering your state (or at least in your region of the U.S.—Hawaii and Alaska residents may choose any other two states). International students may choose a state that they would like to visit plus 2 bordering states; or select 3 regions from their location.
For this two-part assignment you will address the following:
Part I:
Write at least one paragraph for each state noting the following—What is each state saying about policy? Legislative news? What seems to be the focus or what seems to be important?
In your next paragraphs, compare and contrast the states. You may focus on areas of emphasis or areas of disagreement or discrepancy. In other words, what is the policy related items that you saw for one state that you didn’t see for another state?
Part II:
Find a news article from your state or local news or a video in which the leader of your states department of PK-12 or higher education has been interviewed or is making a statement. What is the leader saying? Write 1-2 paragraphs discussing what the leader has stated, how that relates to any policy initiatives or news items on the state’s website, how you view the leader’s comments, and the impact of that leader on your state.
