Instructions
At the end of the semester, students will synthesize and summarize the materials collected to write a 4-5 page final research report that answers the following topics/questions:
- Write a summary of your policy issue that includes the policy or policy issue. (5pts)
- How are stakeholders affected by this issue? In other words, what populations or other entities are affected by or contributing to this issue and how are they affected? How may this issue be affecting populations specific to Florida? (15pts)
- What are different political perspectives about this issue? For instance, how would liberals (Democrats) and conservatives (Republicans) view this issue differently? (15pts)
- What has research found about this issue? Describe specific research studies and their findings about this topic. (30pts)
- Based on news reports and research findings about this issue, what changes should be made to existing policy or what new policy should be created in order to make improvements to current conditions? What should policymakersspecifically do about this issue? Note that simply stating that policymakers “should be aware” of an issue is not a sufficient response. (35pts)
You do not have to write a single essay for this assignment – answering the five questions separately is fine. The policy research report will be turned in the assignment drop box. Under normal circumstances, assignments will be graded and returned within one week. To receive full credit for each questions, you must:
- Answer all of the questions completely.
- Provide original thoughts and arguments that are clear and make sense.
- Provide factual information that is correct.
- Provide responses that reflect information from the course lectures and readings.
- Research outside of the article, course readings and content are not required, but any additional information that is used must be cited using APA style.This means that you must include in-test citations and a reference page that is properly formatted according to APA guidelines.
Education mytopicfor the policy report.
Below are the articles and the research peer review that I want you to use for my policy research report. Those articles I already discussed in my class. Based on this researches my policy research paper needs to be done.
Newspaper article #1
Is College Tuition Really Too High? By Adam Davidson Sept 8, 2015
This article refers to the increment on college tuitions and private universities. The authors compare cost of tuitions between 1974 and 2015. Also, it makes reference to the household median income. In other words, since 1974 the increasing cost of life to 2015 has been exceeding ridiculously. What about those who are not earning enough money and live on poverty level? Those people live on painful situation and for them higher education is unreachable. Today, higher education is a painful bill not only for median families but also for those people whose are not in a good economic situation. According to the article, tuition in private universities is now three times as expensive as it was in 1974, costing average $ 31.000 a year. Moreover, public tuitions is increasing four times now as it was on 1974, an average of $9.000 per year. Consequently, for low income population which is the majority a higher education is out of reach. For these reasons, government wants to increase funds to address that issue. However, solving this crisis now with the political issues is difficult. Trump claimed that he will cut education funds “way, way down.” President Obama wants to supply more funds to the department but as everyone knows takes process of approval. Similarly, Hillary Clinton offers in her campaign increase education department funds. Finally, the debating process will take a while and certainly without agreements. The truth is that people are struggling financially in order to afford a higher education. I am a vivid example of those who cannot afford school nor do I qualify for financial aid. According to government “I max out” my federal grant. It took me a while to finish my 2 years college. Obviously, for immigrants a second language is a process to go through. As a result, people maximize the federal grant and less money left for college. I have been playing with credit cards in order to pay for college. Now, I asked for a loan and I have been very careful in managing that money, which is only used for paying my classes. My goal is common like the others students not matter what I just want it to fulfill my dream graduating from FIU as a Social worker. But the reality is that I have a child who is 14 years old and as a parent it is my priority to make his educational dream comes true. That is probably the situation of many parents who cannot afford a higher education. They have to let go of their dreams in order to have their children education. I encourage you to read that article, many people can be identified with it. We should advocate as a social workers because as Nelson Mandela said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
Davidson, A. (2015, September 8). Is College Tuition Really Too High? New York Times.
Newspaper # 2
Take Out More Students Loans. By Lauren Camera Sep 29, 2015.
The article shows a research made from Perdue University and Gallup about black students who recently graduated with more than $25,000 in student loans. The finding was made through a survey to students of college graduates and their satisfaction. As a result, of the survey there are concerns about the effects on those who were in a higher education but coming from less- privileged backgrounds.
Moreover,among those recent graduates who received their degrees between 2006 and 2015, 63 percent say they took out student loans for their undergraduate education, with the median reported amount at $30,000. Overall, 35 percent of recent graduates took out loans totaling more than $25,000, which the survey notes is the level at which debt burden appears to have a more serious impact on graduates’ lives. Importantly, though, that percentage rose to half for recent black alumni and to 42 percent among first-generation college students. However, the survey showed that Hispanic students are less like to incur in debt. Also, the survey look to the extent in which student loans debt forces them to delay major purchases such as: house, continuing education, open business, buying a new car. The survey was based on 30,000 students with bachelor’s degree or higher across the US. However, the students “strongly agree” that the cost of their education was worth.
On the other hand, other students who received their degrees between 2006 and 2015 are significantly less likely than all graduates overall to think their education was worth the cost, 50 percent compared to 38 percent – though that could be a result of both older alumni making more money and younger alumni making student loan payments.One factor that made it more likely that alumni would agree that the cost was worth the degree include if they were active in extracurricular activities, held a leadership position in a club or other organization, had a job or internship or worked on a project that took a semester of more to complete.
In brief, there are many articles in similarity that relates to issues in education. As you can see the most affected here were black population who’s graduated as the first ones in their families with a less privileged conditions.
Camera, L. (2015, September 29). Take Out More Students Loans. Retrieved October 4, 2015, from http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/09/29/black-first-generation-graduates-take-out-more-student-loans
Newspaper # 3
Education Gap Between Rich and Poor Is Growing Wider.
By Eduardo Porter. Sep 22, 2015
The article refers the growth in on education from 1970 with school desegregation and the war on poverty that brought equality to the US. However, the editor emphasizes on racial disparities that disadvantage the African American population. Statistics showed on 2012 that blacks reduced their test- score by 50 % in math and reading compared what it was 30- 40 years before. Moreover, the author claimed that racial disparities still in American society but it is not a divider. The author compared the gap between a person with a college degree and the person whose only have a high school diploma. It shows that children with parents are college graduated are more than twice likely to go college. Children with parents who only completed high school are seven times likely to dropouts, the author mentioned only 5 % of Americans whose parents did not finish high school have a degree. In addition, refers to a new book edited named “Two Many Children left behind.” Furthermore, children from low-income SES tend to develop disadvantages such as obesity, low performer, more social and emotional problems as well as likely to report poor health. According to the article, programs serving poor and minority children is less attractive to teachers because children are more difficult to manage and catch up. Consequently, point policy prescription not only for improving teacher curriculum but also for parents in teaching them parenting skills, raising their pay and helping them with the demand of work and family. Finally, the gap between rich and poor is twice as large between black and white children. In brief, poor children are always affected in the society. Social disparity does not play a big role. As we can see the most affected are the ones who resources are less. Once again, advocacy plays an important role for social workers that are the voice for those who’s still in that inequality side.
Porter, E. (2015, September 22). Education Gap Between Rich and Poor Is Growing Wider. New York Times.
Newspaper # 4
UFT, special education advocates call for better reading instructions.
By Linda Casio, December 14, 2015. New York time. Teacher Issue.
This article make reference about students with disabilities that needs to improve their low literacy. In order to help those students that their comprehension processing is late, the teachers advocate raising their voices at City Council hearing Oct 28, 2014. According to them, special reading programs needs to be develop for those children with disabilities. Teachers claim that on 2013-14 school year, only 6.7 % of students passed the English language art test. Moreover, evidence- based practice is been used to incorporate phonics, comprehension and fluency. Teachers claim that students with special education in classrooms is not in direct correlation with the number of students increasing in class each year. Those students need a direct attention. However, if the number of them in class exceeds, they cannot be benefited from the intervention. Students with special education are extremely affected with this issued. My policy is about Education in USA. We agree that the system needs to modify or implement programs in order to help those kids with learning disadvantages.
Ocasio, L. (2014, December 4). UFT, special ed advocates call for better reading instruction. New York Times.
Research peer review # 1
Social Work Education and Global Issues: Implications for Social Work practice
This article refers to social work education focusing on national problems instead of global problems. Although, social workers think globally has less interaction among international organizations. Social workers are to become not only more involved but also more effectively involved in international organizations and global issues, the international dimension of social work education must be strengthened. Educational programs for social workers around the world give only limited attention to social issues that extend beyond national boundaries. Most students have little if any exposure to international roles for social workers. Although there is some international content in the curricula of a sizable number of schools of social work, most of it is focused on cross-national policy and program comparisons rather than global issues and practice roles (Hokenstad& Kendall, 1995). For these reasons, education on social worker has to propose an international curriculum to prepare extensively to the social workers students in order to become more effective among international interventions. Diversity classes are taught for cultural understanding, but it is not enough to appreciate the great gap in the quality of human beings. It should be an internship program to develop globally skills in order to be successful as social workers practitioners with ethnic groups.
Beverly L, E. (2011). Social Work education and global issues: implications for social work prectice.Education, 131(3), 580-580. Retrieved October 24, 2015, from http://fiu.catalog.fcla.edu/fi.jsp?st=education global issues&ix=kw&fl=ar&V=D&S=0101445702867426&I=3#top
Research # 2
Education in Black America: Is It the New Jim Crow?
This research talks about the quality of Education for African American in USA. It shows the education system’s inability to provide success to children. For example, children who face disciplinary actions or those who are involved in the juvenile justice system for delinquency or dependency proceeding. In addition, stated that those children cannot complete his/her curriculum because are frequently place from home to home especially the foster care children. On the other hand, children who are in juvenile detention have to receive their education there or sometimes worse in adult prisons. The African American are the population well-represented through this research. Consequently, the educational quality decreased dramatically. Another finding was the legal contribution of criminalization on black children due to welfare programs, disciplinary proceeding, and the juvenile justice system. This population is most likely to be placed in a foster care and face disciplinary actions in school. It was concerned of the obstacles on the black population in order to be productive in their society and limits youth generation the potential for them to reach success.
Marrus, E. (2015). Education in Black America: Is It the New Jim Crow? Arkansas Law Review (1968-Present), 68(1), 27-54.
Research # 3
Effect of Educational Intervention on Cervical Cancer Prevention and Screening in Hispanic Women
This research focused on approaching Hispanic women in Boston area in order to reduce and understand factors that affect cervical cancer prevention, screening and care provided. The methods used in the research were providing educational material to each participant. For example pamphlets mailed to participants, radio segment focusing on cervical cancer awareness in English and Spanish stations, and monthly education session at the Hispanic community center in the Boston area. The four main areas focused were: attitudes toward cancer, healthcare utilization services, HPV awareness and HPV vaccination information and practices. As a consequence, researchers find that were an increase the knowledge about the acceptance of HPV vaccinations. Moreover, the educational intervention increased the HPVrisk and knowledge among respondents. Also, shows the personal and cultural barriers among the population studied related with HPV knowledge. Finally, the research identified that this group of women represents a target population for which HPV educational programs was designed at a cultural and educational level to assess this community. In brief, the education can be a good source to implement cultural understanding and eliminate prejudice that certain ethnic group present. At the same time can be useful a powerful tool to implement levels of prevention in healthcare system.
Foley, O. (2015). Effect of Educational Intervention on Cervical Cancer Prevention and Screening in Hispanic Women. Journal Community of Health, 40(6), 1178-1184. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
Research # 4: This article is the best to use besides others because talks about laws, policy and parties (republicans and democrats)
The Era of Meanness: Welfare Reform and Barriers to a College Degree.
By Lynne A. Weikart
Abstract
In response to the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the accompanying block grant, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, broad-based advocacy coalitions formed in many states to lobby for meaningful college programs for welfare recipients. State by state, these coalitions wrestled with creating programs that would allow welfare recipients to remain in 4-year colleges, but only a few states managed to develop such programs. This article compares the advocacy coalitions in two states, Maine and New York, where welfare advocates struggled to achieve progressive state welfare higher educational policies and, in some instances, succeeded in keeping welfare recipients in 4- year colleges.
Keywords: higher education; policy implementation; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; welfare reform.
Summary of article
This article refers to the law passed by Bill Clinton and the US congress in 1996 the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) and the accompanying block grant, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which was the most dramatic restructuring of federal aid to mothers and children since its beginnings in the Great Depression of 1929. The law limited the welfare to the total of 5 years over and individual’s lifetime. The TANF law only allows 1 year of postsecondary education and vocational education is accepted under the statute. However, few states signed for it because they were pressure to fulfill work-requirement quotas that it became difficult for them to offer 4 years of higher education to their welfare recipient. The ideology “emphasized the rapid entry to labor force and penalizedstates that allow long-term access for education and training.” (Adair, 2003, p. 248).
Nonetheless, wealth of evidence research found that people with a higher educational level, such as Bachelor degrees have better improve to financial opportunities and enhance their quality of life. For this reason, welfare recipients benefit significantly from higher education. A 1990 Ford Foundation study showed that welfare recipients who completed a 2- or 4-year college degree earned significantly more than did other former welfare recipients (Boggs, 2001). As a result,another study of 253 welfare recipients who graduated from college in 1995 and 1996 found that 17 months after graduation, 88% of the students were off welfare and that their median wage was $11 an hour. Apparently, a higher education is essentially to reduce the welfare dependency.
However, states did not develop programs to manage the 4 years college because the of theTANF requirements needed by states to get welfare. Because of this policy college drop outs increase especially for women to 29% to 82 %. Only 19 states develop strategies for his/her welfare recipient. For example, Oklahoma and the District of Columbia allow post- secondary education. Others such as Massachusetts and North Carolina permitted only 3 years, South Carolina permitted only 30 months, and Wisconsin permitted welfare recipients to attend only technical colleges. Only 15 states of the 19 states allows recipients to attend 4 years college.
In brief, it is important the implementation of new policies in order to obtain better results for people affected by this law. The importance for the rest of the states to recognize that education is a solid base for individuals to improve and economic stability in society and be independent of the welfare system.
Academic ability is essential for meaningful participation in our society. We need to invest in intellectual ability. We as a society are in the human development business. —E. Gordon, 2002
Weikart, L. (2005). The era of meanness: welfare reform and barriers to a college degree. AFFILIA: JournalOf Women And Social Work, 20(4), 416-433.
Research Report
Education Policy Research
Policy Summary
Education has continued to experience major transformations and reforms over human history with aim to explore better socio-cultural identity and face challenges of the current times. Policies are made to steer education towards new directions and do away with non-progressive processes. Until 1950, education was deemed to be individual states’ duty; there were no significant involvement of the federal government towards the primary and secondary education. Post-World War II efforts saw the formation of National Defense Education Act (NDEA1958) that led to increase in education funding by about 170% (DiNitto, 2007). The NDEA was the government’s first move towards academic improvement in schools. Both primary and secondary schools saw an increase in enrollment of about 36 million in 1954 up from 26 million a decade ago, parents also demanded a more quality education for their children. This move received huge backing and gave the government the momentum to steer education decisions.
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1965): Access and Diversity
This Act gave equal opportunities and provision of universal education to all. Even though numerous schools had been put up across the states, there still was inequality regarding access to quality education. The government moved in to ensure integration to ensure all children could access public schools regardless of their color or socioeconomic class. The government funded schools with low-income students in order to compensate what was termed as “culture of Poverty” associated with the low-income students. According to DiNitto (2007), the government undertook reauthorization on Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) every five years to ensure proper utilization of funds. This move received high rejection even with the well intent because it was based on achievements by both teachers and students.
Achievement to Accountability: Leave No Child Behind
This Act stood on stronger accountability in terms of results, based on annual progress, better education methods, mainly by following a set curriculum by the federal government and parents were granted higher freedom to either keep their children’s yearly progress or transfer them to other schools (Weikart, 2005). This history therefore indicates how important funding is towards successful education.
Policy Issue
Over the years accessing education has been a problem to most students, education has been turned into “preserve for the rich.” Portar (2015) explains that education is becoming expensive as days go by and those who suffer are those from low income families. The gap between the rich and the poor is widening especially in higher education where those from well-off families complete their studies while those with poor background struggle to meet their dreams, most of them being the black and Hispanic students (Marrus, 2015). The government has drastically reduced its funding towards public education, subjecting most students from low income families to taking high interest education loans, which they will have to repay for a very long period after school (Camera 2015).
Effects to the stakeholders
Children from poor background start having problems as early as their kindergarten years. They first join those from rich families with level brains, and then fall behind as they progress. These children are associated with social and emotional problems basically due to being different from others in class and face health challenges. Edwards (2011) in his research article, Social Work Education and Global Issues: Implications for Social Work Practice, argues that their families cannot afford private tuitions, extra lessons or piano classes as of those with richer families.
If these children manage to higher education, they will have to take loans to finance their studies; these debts have major setbacks when they graduate. According to a newspaper article, “Take out More Students Loans”, a survey was conducted on recent graduates it showed that about 36% of those who took higher education loans had problems such as: been delay in purchasing a home, and having a car were problem as indicated by 33% of them. Furthermore, 19% of these graduates delayed in starting a business due to the debt they are servicing, 48% of the graduates could not proceed to their postgraduate studies due to their loans (Camera, 2015).
Lack of fund also sets bad record to colleges and universities in the country. Most public universities and colleges used to receive about 50% of their funds from the government between the years 2001 and 2002, currently, the same universities receive about 30% funds. This is because these funds have been an easy target to politicians mainly for their political agenda. Universities and colleges therefore admit a large number of students but only a few manage to graduate due to lack of funds in between (Davidson, 2015).
Most Florida residents have also received the negative side of the high fees; most universities have reduced their staff. This means that unemployment within Florida citizens has risen. These universities have also eliminated some of their programs; this may be due to low enrollment or lack of teaching staff. This affects the quality of education in Florida universities and the whole of U.S. The U.S Government embarked on taxing the locals in order to offer education funding. This move has left most Florida residents with low incomes they can spend on their day to day survival activities. They cannot afford decent housing which is evident in most of Florida’s residents (Marrus, 2015). Florida has also recorded high rate of students working to help their parents to meet their fees. Others have abandoned university education and are now idle in most streets, which is a threat to security, in fact there are rising cases of youths involved in crimes in Florida.
Political Views
President Obama who belongs to a democrat party proposed free education in community colleges for those students who can achieve a G.P.A. of 2.5 and come from poor families with an income of less than 200,000 Dollars annually. Hillary Clinton, Martin O’Malley as well as Bernie Sanders have promised to push up funding towards colleges if given a chance (Davidson 2015). However, Republican governors have used public education in their national aspirations as an agenda to lure primary voters. Donald Trump has his target on the Department of Education stating that he will reduce its spending drastically. According to Porter (2015), Jeb Bush also has his target mainly on primary and secondary education where he has opposed the idea of teachers influencing school choice. Bush also plans to reduce government spending in Florida’s public universities.
According to the literature review there are many problems in education. For instance, in this article “Is College Tuition Really Too High?” by Adam Davidson Sept 8, 2015, makes reference to the increment on college tuitions and private universities. The authors compare cost of tuitions between 1974 and 2015. Also, it makes reference to the household median income. In other words, since 1974 the increasing cost of life to 2015 has been exceeding ridiculously. According to the article, tuition in private universities is now thrice as expensive as it was in 1974, when it was costing about $31,000 a year. Moreover, public tuitions is increasing four times now as it was on 1974, an average of $9,000 per year.
The article “The Era of Meanness: Welfare Reform and Barriers to a College Degree” by Lynne A. Weikart is also pertinent in this aspect. The article states that in response to the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and the accompanying block grant, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, broad-based advocacy coalitions formed in many states to lobby for meaningful college programs for welfare recipients. The coalitions pressurized for the formation of programs to allow welfare recipients to remain in college. However, only few states developed the programs. This article compares the advocacy coalitions in Maine and New York. Welfare advocates in these states struggled to attain progressive state welfare higher educational policies. Moreover, the welfare advocates succeeded in keeping welfare recipients in 4- year colleges.
In addition, “Education in Black America: Is It the New Jim Crow?” this research talks about the quality of Education for African American in USA. It shows the education system’s inability to provide success to children. For example, children who face disciplinary actions or those who are involved in the juvenile justice system for delinquency or dependency proceeding. In addition, stated that those children cannot complete his/her curriculum because are frequently place from home to home especially the foster care children. On the other hand, children who are in juvenile detention have to receive their education there or sometimes worse in adult prisons. The African American is the population well-represented through this research. Consequently, the educational quality decreased dramatically. Another finding was the legal contribution of criminalization on black children due to welfare programs, disciplinary proceeding, and the juvenile justice system. This population is most likely to be placed in a foster care and face disciplinary actions in school. It was concerned of the obstacles on the black population in order to be productive in their society and limits youth generation the potential for them to reach success.
Policy Proposal
As pointed out above, education problems mainly start as early as children start their kindergarten, poor parents cannot give their children equal resources as compared to richer parents. I propose a policy in which the government should increase the budget state and local levels that is giving to the education department. For example, President Barack Obama requested to increase the budget 23% to help the disadvantaged poor and minority students, as well as students with disability and English learners. This move will ensures that children from poor backgrounds move at the same level as those from well-off homes.
Student loans have also been pointed out as another hindrance to successful education. States have reduced their public education spending or even withdrawn completely, federal’s funding is way below adequacy and cost of education has gone up beyond affordability by most of students from low income families (Porter, 2015). They have been forced to seek the assistance of high interest education loans which they will have to repay for a long period after college which affects their lives. Higher education funding should be increased to ensure that students do not fall for the final option of education loans. These funds should also be evenly distributed, it has been pointed out those children from well-off and middle-class families receive most of these loans as compared to those from poor families. These education loans should also have better terms to ensure graduates do not strain to repay them.
What policymakers need to do is to enact a policy regulating the amounts to be paid in public universities in all states. The fees should be harmonized with approved provisions for any university who may think that their fees should be higher than others. This will ensure that education can be afforded by many and that they need not necessarily borrow education loans to finance their education (Porter, 2015). This move will translate to future befits to the education system and the students themselves.
The issue of federal funds being inadequate can also be avoided through proper management and continuous audits. The policymakers can ensure that funds are used for their intended purposes and those found guilty of misusing or diverting the funds to their own accounts should be charged and held responsible (Davidson, 2015). By doing these, the funds would be of best assistance to most students.
References
Camera, L. (2015). Take Out More Students Loans. Retrieved October 4, 2015, from http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/09/29/black-first-generation-graduates-take-out-more-student-loans
Davidson, A. (2015). Is College Tuition Really Too High? New York Times
DiNitto, D. M., & Cummins, L. K. (2007). Social Welfare: Politics and Public Policy: with Research Navigator. Allyn & Bacon.
Edwards, B. L. (2011). Social work education and global issues: implications for social work practice. Education, 131(3), 580-586.
Marrus, E. (2015). Education in Black America: Is It the New Jim Crow. Ark. L. Rev., 68, 27.
Porter, E. (2015). Education Gap Between Rich and Poor Is Growing Wider. New York Times.
Weikart, L. A. (2005). The era of meanness: Welfare reform and barriers to a college degree. Affilia, 20(4), 416-433.
