Content uploaded by Malbis Ruiz-Morris
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Malbis Ruiz-Morris on Feb 02, 2024
Content may be subject to copyright.
Karen M. Moronski-
Chapman
Strategic researcher
and analytics director
with extensive
experience leading
research initiatives
Nathan Daun-Barnett
Faculty Expert on
College Access for
low-income, first
generation, and under-
represented minority
students
Edward P. St. John
Emeritus professor
Expert on school
reform, financing higher
education, and
addressing inequalities
in access to education.
CHAPTER 13
POLICY RESEARCH (PR)
CHAPTER AIM
To encourage policy researchers
and students of policy research to:
•Examine relationships between actual
changes in programs and funding in
relation to intended and unintended
outcomes.
•Consider the assumption that need based
aid improves access.
•Build understanding of the consequences
of change in programs into policy studies
and the ways that research is interpreted
.
What is policy research?
Garrett and Islam (1998)
support that policy research
is only one of many factors
that affect the final policy
decision. Research should
not be limited to providing
solutions, but should help
policy makers to think about
issues and define the scope
of problems and possible
responses
MAJOR POINTS
•Reshaping education
•Reshaping PR studies
•Recognizing the
Limitations
•Designing & Interpreting
Policy Studies
CORE IDEAS
Reshape
Education
•Strategies
•Policy research
studies
•Summative policy
reports in contexts
•Political and
ideological changes
RESHAPING POLICY STUDIES
Reemphasizing
educational quality
in liberal arts
education as a
foundation for
higher education
Using testing and
accountability to
monitor education
outcomes instead of
adequately funding
education to ensure
quality
RESHAPING PR STUDIES STEPS
Analysis of emerging inequalities
Focus on ways that assuming universal effects and systemic linkages limits the
capacity of researchers to illuminate effects of program and funding changes.
Build partnerships with activists in government agencies and community
organizations that share commitments to promoting education equity and social
justice.
RECOGNIZING THE LIMITATIONS
OF METHODS IN POLICY
STUDIES
Advancing
statistical methods
Use newer
statistical methods
Awareness of
changes in
programs, policies,
and funding
RP LIMITATIONS RENDERED
The Toutkousian study was
virtually useless for policy
purposes.
After completing the
study and presenting their
findings, the authors learned
that the Indiana Commission for
Higher Education
(ICHE) had cut funding by
changing eligibility
DESIGN &
INTERPRETATION
OF POLICY
STUDIES
GAPS
•The attention given to developing and
preserving mechanisms (programs and
funding) that reduce inequalities is too
little and at times doesn’t exist.
Unfortunately, those inequalities
continue emerging and increasing
•The design of programs and sources of
funding are ignored, making it difficult
to discern implications for
deliberations on either program
features or sources of funding.
•Research Ignoring Changes in Program
Features and Funding
•Advancing statistical methods in policy
research remains crucial to address
inequalities emerging from system
changes.
•It is also imperative that policy analysts
stop advocating for neoliberal reforms
without considering the inequality crises
in education finance and begin applying
critical thoughts in their analysis.
CHAPTER STRENGTHS
It provides practical
tips to strengthen and
conduct efficient
research to inform
decisions based on
the data collected
Study reveals a
comprehensive
theoretical framework
on PR
Research Exposing
Emerging Inequalities
New programs
impact enrolment on
inequality reduction
EVALUATION
FR
16
•The chapter is clearly written
•The author opens the topic in the way I expected,
making this chapter relevant, as it addresses
essential theoretical information while discussing
the policy research component
•The author achieved the key purpose of the
chapter. Therefore, I would recommend this book
to my classmates because it highlights the
limitations of public relations and how we, as
researchers, should approach it as change
agents.
THANKS
REFERENCES
Garrett, J. L., & Islam Y. (1998). Policy research and the policy process: do the twain ever meet?
https://pubs.Iied.Org/6138iied
John, E. P. S., Daun-barnett, N., & Moronski-chapman, K. M. (2018).
Public policy and higher
education: reframing strategies for preparation, access, and college success
. New York,
NY: Routledge.
