Discussion: Educator’s Role in Policy Development In this Discussion, you will examine the role of a special education leader when a federal policy must be implemented in a local setting. Successfully

Discussion: Educator’s Role in Policy Development

In this Discussion, you will examine the role of a special education leader when a federal policy must be implemented in a local setting. Successfully implementing a federal policy into local practice is affected by how well local leaders develop and sustain two critical features: resource support (or capacity) and the motivation (or will) of the responsible implementers activating the policy locally. You will base your discussion post on an interview you will conduct with a special education leader who has implemented a federal policy in their local setting, and the experiences and actions the leader provided to assure resource support and motivation to successfully implement the policy.

To prepare:

·         Review the module Learning Resources related to policy development and implementation.

·         Identify and interview a special education leader who has participated in policy development, policy implementation at the local, state, or federal (country) level, or both.

·         Use the following questions as a starting point for your interview:

o    What is your role in the field of special education?

o    What problem(s) led to the development of the special education policy with which you were involved?

o    What role did you play in ensuring effective development or implementation of the policy at the local, state, or federal level?

o    What advice could you provide about the policy development or implementation process and the successful implementation of policies at the local, state and/or federal level?

A brief summary of your interview including the role of the leader and context in which the leader is employed. Be sure to use the answers to your interview questions when drafting your summary. Then, answer the following:

·         In what ways did their experience align with the readings and resources in this module as it relates to policy development, implementation processes, or both? In what ways did it not align and how?

·         What do you believe was the most important piece of advice the special education leader shared that you believe would benefit future special education leaders in policy development, implementation, or both?

Required Readings

Fowler, F. C., Hulett, K. E., & Kieff, J. E. (2011). Leadership, advocacy, policy, and law (Laureate Education, custom ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

• Chapter 6, “The Major Education Policy Actors” (pp. 142–168).
• Chapter 7, “Setting the Stage and Getting on It: Issue, Definition, and Agenda Setting” (pp.169–196.
• Chapter 10, “Policy Implementation: ’Getting People to Carry Out Policy” (pp. 271–311).

Kairie, M. W. (2014). The role or policy in the development of special education. International Journal of Progressive Education, 10(3), 86–96.

Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

A comparative overview of the role that government policy plays in the progress of special education in the United States of America and Kenya.

Rallis, S. F., Rossman, G. B., Cobb, C. D., Reagan, T. G., & Kuntz, A. (2008). Leading dynamic schools: How to create and implement ethical policies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Leading Dynamic Schools: How to Create and Implement Ethical Policies by Rallis, S.F., Rossman, G.B., Cobb, C.D., Reagan, T.G., & Kuntz, A. Copyright 2007 by Sage Publications Inc Books. Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications Inc Books via the Copyright Clearance Center.

• Chapter 2, “The Choice to Act: Shaping the Dialogue” (pp. 11–24)

United States House of Representatives. (n.d.). Find your representative. Retrieved from http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

USA.gov. (2015). Government agencies and elected officials. Retrieved from http://www.usa.gov/Agencies.shtml

Required Media

Grand City Community

• Laureate Education (Producer). (2015). Grand City [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Go to the Grand City Community and click into West Ridge Middle School. Review the scenario videos.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2011f). Leadership, advocacy, policy, and law: Advocating through policy [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author. https://cdnfiles.laureate.net/2dett4d/managed/WAL/EDDD/8071/03/WAL_EDDD8071_03_A_EN.pdf