Most passionate educators believe that education policy is one of the most important issues in the education system, and to become an education policy advocate, you need to become an expert on education research and the academic discipline of education. Education policy has helped shape the landscape of the school system for the last 50 years or more, and it extends to all levels of education, from preschool and kindergarten to college and post-graduate school. The terms education policy and education research are used interchangeably, and they represent the two faces of this dynamic profession.
To become an expert in education policy and research, you need to get a master’s or doctoral degree. With a master’s degree, you can work in government, non-profit organizations, research institutions, think tanks and schools as an education policy advocate, but to teach at the post-secondary level, you need a Ph.D. If you think you want to get a Ph.D, consider entering a Ph.D program right after getting your bachelor’s degree rather than working toward a master’s degree. Because a master’s degree is considered a terminal degree, some universities don’t accept Ph.D students with master’s degrees.
What Do Education Policy Advocates Do?
To be an education policy advocate, you need to be extremely passionate about education reform, equal opportunities for students of all races and economic backgrounds, civil rights in education and, above all, learning outcomes for students. Education policy advocates have been working behind the scenes of all the landmark education bills passed since the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, according to the Department of Education. One of the first education policy victories was the Race and National Origin Discrimination amendment to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Education reformers were also behind the Disability Discrimination clause of the Americans With Disabilities Act, and they fought to pass the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
As an expert in education research, you will be one of the people looking for solutions to some of today’s most pressing problems in the education system. In addition to passing well-known legislation, education reformers work on the everyday problems faced by schools throughout the country. They tackle problems related to school size, classroom size, teacher certification and pay, school infrastructure and student values, among other issues. Education research is a cross-discipline subject encompassing psychology, sociology, human development and economics, and both private universities and government agencies devote resources to conducting this research.
How to Go Into Education Policy Advocacy
While it’s possible to major in any subject as an undergraduate, if you know you want to go into education policy or research, you may want to get a bachelor’s degree in education. This degree will prepare you specifically for the cross-discipline areas of research you will be conducting as a policy advocate or researcher. After earning your bachelor’s degree, start working toward a master’s or doctoral degree in education policy. While earning your post-graduate degree, you will gain professional experience doing research, which will position you to be able to work in a policy-making capacity when you graduate.
Related Resource: Education Internships
For educators of all subjects and grade levels, education policy is the most influential force guiding daily decisions, and no matter where you work after earning your degree, you have an opportunity to shape the policy that defines education in the United States. If you’re passionate about improving education for everyone and breaking down the racial and economic achievement gap, become an education policy advocate.
Be the first to comment