Advocacy Focus, East Early College High School 

Date: Monday-Thursday – May 13-16 

1. Essential Question: What is Educational Policy? (See OneNote for Definition) 

Activity- (Writing/Discourse/Reading) 

Task 1: Agree or Disagree 

1. Post up Agree and Disagree signs on opposite sides of the room- Either the teacher or the student leader will read the following statements. If a student agrees or disagrees with this statement, they will move to the corresponding side: Between EACH statement, pause, and have either partner-share, group share, or cold call share.  
   1. Education is a right, not a privilege 
   2. I am receiving a quality education 
   3. I take advantage of every opportunity I have  
   4. I am able to share my opinion in the classroom without shame 
   5. I know the individuals who serve on our school board 
   6. My parents deeply value education 
   7. I will be the first in my family to go to college 
   8. I have had the opportunity to visit colleges 
   9. I have taken a college, AP, or honors class 
   10. I will be able to afford a college education  
    

Task 2:    Why Educational Policy Matters 

1. Students will watch a video and as they watch the video, they should take notes that help them answer the following question: Which events do you think were most important in education policy? Why?  The video link is:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMeVx17lKbc 
2. After watching the video, discuss the question: Which events do you think were most important in education policy? Why?  
3. Next students will read the following Policy Statements:  
   1. Policy: H.R.716: Enhancing Educational Opportunities for all Students Act (01/27/2017) This bill amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow a state educational agency to allocate grant funds among local educational agencies based on the number of eligible children (children age 5 to 17 from a family with an income below the poverty level) enrolled in the public schools and the state-accredited private schools within each local agency's geographic jurisdiction. This bill also amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) allow payment of home school expenses from Coverdell education savings accounts; (2) remove the dollar limitation on contributions to Coverdell education savings accounts and require such accounts to provide adequate safeguards to prevent contributions from exceeding the amount necessary to provide for the qualified education expenses of the account beneficiary; and (3) allow tax-exempt qualified tuition programs (529 tuition programs) to pay qualified pre-kindergarten, elementary, and secondary education expenses. 
   2. Policy H.R.1462: Ending Common Core and Expanding School Choice Act (03/09/2017)  To amend part A of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow States, in accordance with State law, to let Federal funds for the education of disadvantaged children follow low-income children to the public school, charter school, accredited private school, or supplemental educational service program they attend, and for other purposes. (a) In General.—For each fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate the amount appropriated to carry out this part among State education agencies based on the number of eligible children residing in each State.“(b) Eligible Child.—In this section, the term ‘eligible child’ means a child aged 5 to 17, inclusive, from a family with an income below the poverty level on the basis of the most recent satisfactory data published by the Department of Commerce.“(c) Criteria Of Poverty.—In determining the families with incomes below the poverty level for the purposes of this section, a State educational agency shall use the criteria of poverty used by the Census Bureau in compiling the most recent decennial census, as the criteria have been updated by increases in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. SEC. 1112. FUNDS FOLLOWING ELIGIBLE CHILDREN.“(a) Calculation Of Per Pupil Amount.—For each fiscal year, the State educational agency shall calculate the per-pupil amount by dividing the amount made available to the agency under section 1111 by the number of eligible children (as defined in section 1111(b)) residing in the State.“(b) Use Of Funds.—Each State educational agency shall use each per pupil amount calculated under subsection (a) for qualified elementary and secondary education expenses and in a manner directed by State law.“(c) Funds Distributed To Parents.—In a case in which State law directs a State educational agency to distribute all or a portion of a per-pupil amount to a parent of an eligible child, the agency also shall determine, consistent with State law, how the agency will verify that funds are being used in accordance with this section and whether to require the parent to establish an education savings account or other dedicated accounts to maintain such funds 
4. After reading each policy, in groups of 3-4 students will answer the following questions on their own paper:  
   1. How does this policy define education? 
   2. What is this policy trying to accomplish? 
   3. What are the pros and cons of the policy? 
   4. How does this policy help or hinder your current and future educational opportunities?  
   5. What would you recommend to modify/or change to improve this policy?  
    

Task 3:   Presenting the Findings 

1. Each group will present their findings to the class 
2. After each presentation, allow audience members to ask clarifying questions  

Task 4: Reflection and Discussion  

1. Students as a class group will discuss the following questions- allow 3-5 students to answer each question presented.  
2. The questions are:  
   1. Who is impacted by education?  
   2. How does policy impact this social issue?  
   3. You all made recommendations to each of those policies – how do you think they will be implemented?  

Reflection and Discourse--Closing Discuss: Why is it important for parents, students, and educators to become proactive with Educational Policies?