Recent national events—the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, high inflation, labor shortages, and debates on gun control—have soberly and repeatedly reminded Americans that policy matters. Advocacy matters. Who’s in office matters. Voting matters.
Americans cannot sit on the sidelines. Policy decisions about health care, education, and public safety play a significant role in shaping personal, institutional, business, and programmatic behavior. Ultimately, policy decisions have lasting, multigenerational effects on the economic well-being of individuals and families.
This is especially true of introducing equity as the central frame or lens in major education and workforce policy making. The truth is that many policies at the federal and state levels purport to and perhaps sincerely do have an intent of closing achievement gaps, leveling the playing field, redistributing funding to make up for wealth gaps between affluent communities and lower income ones. What needs to happen to make policy centered on equity be more powerful in achieving the intended goals?
But what is policy? The legislation made in Congress, decisions made by the Supreme court, and rules and regulations made by the federal government are all examples of policymaking. In general, policies are principles that guide decision-making and lead to specific outcomes. Policies can be formally enacted in laws, rules, and regulations by government entities—the federal government and state, regional, and local bodies—and policy can be influenced and developed by higher education systems, school districts, and workforce boards.
At Jobs for the Future (JFF), our mission is to work towards an America where equitable economic advancement is obtainable by all. JFF strives to build up the policy and advocacy capacity and expertise of our partners so that, collectively, we can advance equitable policy solutions that transform our nation’s education and workforce systems to better support today’s learners and workers.