Special Resource Material Developed by the Center
Title: Piecemeal Policy Advocacy for Improving Schools Amounts to Tinkering and Works Against Fundamental System Transformation (Policy Notes)
Description: When groups of advocates effectively lobby for a program or special initiative, the trend is for policy makers to respond in an ad hoc, piecemeal manner. This approach to improving schools generates program after program and special initiative upon special initiative. And, despite good intentions, such activity works against the type of fundamental system transformation needed to enhance equity of opportunity for success at school and beyond, as well as generating other pernicious effects. This is of particular concern in districts that predominantly serve economically disadvantaged families where most special initiatives end up helping relatively few students.

This set of policy notes discusses

  1. the problem of tinkering with school improvement – highlighting
    1. lessons learned from the Gates Foundation’s reform initiatives and
    2. concerns about current lobbying for SEL, connecting community services to schools, and adopting school climate as an accountability measure,
  2. the need to reframe and broaden thinking about transforming schools,
  3. the importance of overcoming the tendency to wait for guidelines and politics related to the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) before planning ways to transform schools.

Access at:   http://smhp.psych.ucla.edu/pdfdocs/tinkering.pdf