Research

4

Journal 4

Latoria Johnson

EDG7692

Professor Iuspa

April 2, 2023

Journal 4

The voice of business leaders is a critical stakeholder in education policy as they significantly influence shaping education systems' goals, objectives, and outcomes. Business leaders believe that education is the key to a nation's economic success; therefore, it must be designed to meet the demands of the labour market. They view education as a means to train and produce a highly skilled workforce that can respond to the changing requests of the global economy. Their primary concerns are improving the quality of education, increasing accountability, and ensuring that education is aligned with the needs of the labour market.

Business leaders have an impact on education policy in a variety of different ways. To begin, they provide financial assistance to educational institutions, which allows such institutions to make investments in areas such as technology, infrastructure, and the professional development of teachers. Second, they engage in lobbying efforts aimed at persuading legislators to bring about reforms in the educational system that would result in an overall improvement in the quality of education, such as the introduction of a standards-based education (Spring, 2011). In the end, they prepare students for the workforce by forming partnerships with educational institutions in order to provide students chances for work-based learning in the form of internships, apprenticeships, and other similar programs.

On the other hand, the influence of business leaders on education policy has also been criticized for its limited concentration on the production of a highly trained workforce that is capable of meeting the needs of the labor market. Some people believe that the purpose of education should not only be to develop employees who are able to carry out certain duties, but rather to generate well-rounded citizens who are capable of critical and creative thinking (Spring, 2011). In addition, there are many who believe that the influence of the corporate sector on educational policy ultimately results in the privatization of education, which in turn undermines the democratic role of the public education system.

One article that shows education governance in action is "California school board approves ethnic studies curriculum" (https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-education-california-d4e28bba7b0c54fcd446ec456fa38e14). This article addresses the local level of education governance and how it promotes an educational policy. The article reports that the California school board has approved an ethnic studies curriculum that will be taught in high schools across the state. The curriculum aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of the contributions of ethnic minorities to American history and culture. This policy is a significant step in promoting social justice and equity in education by addressing the historical and cultural erasure of ethnic minorities in education.

The human capital ideology places an emphasis on the economic worth of education and considers it as a method of developing a highly trained workforce that is capable of contributing to the economic development of the country. Individualism, competitiveness, and a belief in one's own worth are examples of the cultural values that drive the concept of human capital. Individualism places a high priority on personal accomplishment and success, whereas competitiveness places a high value on the ambition to win in a cutthroat environment. The concept that people should be rewarded based on their own talents and accomplishments is fundamental to the meritocratic value system. On the other hand, cultural norms that support the democratic equality ideology place a greater emphasis on the significance of equal political and social rights for everyone. These principles include the importance of community, democracy, and equal opportunity. A commitment to equal opportunity recognizes the significance of giving every person, regardless of who they are or where they come from, the same opportunities to achieve their goals.

The habits of mind used in this reading was thinking flexibly. I used this to think about the business leaders and the education policy.

Reference

GECKER, J. (2021, March 15).  California ethnic studies debate: Whose stories get told? AP NEWS. Retrieved April 2, 2023, from https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-education-california-d4e28bba7b0c54fcd446ec456fa38e14

Spring, J. (2011).  The politics of American education. Taylor & Francis.