The Expansion of Teach for America during the 2013 North Carolina General Assembly Session: A Case Study of State Educational Policy Formation

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Autor/in	Baldwin, Lela Jean
Titel	The Expansion of Teach for America during the 2013 North Carolina General Assembly Session: A Case Study of State Educational Policy Formation
Quelle	(2015), (179 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit Ed.D. Dissertation, North Carolina State University
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
ISBN	978-1-3696-6207-8
Schlagwörter	Hochschulschrift; Dissertation; Educational Policy; Policy Formation; Case Studies; Politics of Education; Program Effectiveness; Teacher Effectiveness; Teacher Recruitment; Alternative Teacher Certification; Political Issues; State Legislation; North Carolina + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Thesis; Dissertations; Academic thesis; Politics of education; Bildungspolitik; Politische Betätigung; Case study; Fallstudie; Case Study; Educational policy; Effectiveness of teaching; Instructional effectiveness; Lehrerleistung; Unterrichtserfolg; Lehrerrekrutierung; Politischer Faktor; Landesrecht
Abstract	Drawing on the Multiple Streams Model and Policy Regime Change Theory, this study sought to identify the political and instrumental factors that influenced the formation of a policy that led to the expansion of Teach for America in North Carolina. Data for this single intrinsic case study were drawn from interviews with organizational leaders, legislators, and the media along with documents (e.g., media accounts, state budgets, and internal documents). Analysis involved a priori codes (developed from the two theoretical frameworks guiding this study) and open codes to identify emergent themes. The results showed that the expansion of Teach for America in 2013 occurred for purely political reasons. A sweeping change in the composition of the state legislature, coupled with a personal vendetta against an administrator of an existing teacher recruitment program, impacted the formation of this teacher recruitment policy. The suggestion that the expansion of TFA was due to strong teacher effectiveness data was unsubstantiated. Simply, key legislative leaders had no interest in preserving the Teaching Fellows programs and used their influence to place Teach for America expansion on the policy agenda. Without any legitimate opposition, policymakers gave TFA a significant increase in funding and an expanded role in school districts across the state. This study yields several theoretical implications. Neither framework, multiple streams nor policy regime change, offered a viable model to explain the formation of state educational policy. Simply, the models fail because the policy was outside of the public view, was relatively insignificant when compared to other controversial issues like teacher retention being considered at the same time, and the major opposing organized coalitions, Teaching Fellows and their advocates, had minimal influence. Most importantly, the study revealed that political events and changes in leadership are sufficient by themselves to lead to state educational policy change; a defined problem for a solution need not exist. This study offers practical insights for organizations seeking to inform state-level teacher recruitment policy. It is crucial that organizations survey the political landscape to determine next steps, particularly when the majority party is viewed as adversarial. These steps may include redefining the problem for which their solution is necessary or discrediting the alternative policy solution in order to raise their political profile with those in power. At times, organizations are best served by making policy change contentious and by rewriting the policy story. These revisions may include creating a focusing event or refocusing program feedback to bring the issue into public purview which may expand the debate. Future research on the development of state-level teacher recruitment policy should include the development of a theoretical framework that includes how state educational policy formation occurs when there is a lack of public attention, no opposing political force and negative personal relationships exist that impact policy change. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01