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Policy Analysis
Camerie Porter
School of Education, Liberty University
EDAS743: Executive Leadership in Curriculum and Instruction
Dr. Richard Beadle (Mark)
September 30, 2023
Author Note
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to
Camerie Porter
Email: Cporter60@liberty.edu
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To operate beneficially and effectively, school sheets create approaches, methods, and
controls to direct staff. Guardians can superiorly get it how schools are run by utilizing these
arrangements and methods. Every policy is intended to establish and express expectations clearly
and understandably, to guide everyday activities for learning and safety, and to provide controls
and safeguards to ensure school safety. Policies must be stated clearly, concisely, and with all
relevant elements and expectations included to represent the true meaning intended by the board.
Policy I: Lesson Plans, Policy II: Overview of the Teacher-Development Process, and Policy III:
Selection of Instructional Materials are the three disciplines chosen for comparison with a
specific set of regulations. The policies used to tell stories such as "How the Grinch Stole
Christmas" or "Cat in the Hat Tales" are as follows: one appears unclear and incomplete, another
appears excessive in depth and scope, and the third appears around right in both detail and focus.
Maryland's language and literacy expectations are outlined in three documents: Healthy
Beginnings, Maryland Early Learning Standards, and Maryland College and Career Ready
Standards PreK–12 (MCCRS), developed by the State Department of Education. As an educator,
the beginning of a child’s journey of reading and writing starts as young as one years of age. At
that point they most children start to hold a writing tool and engaging in reading. In one of my
Literature Review papers, I expressed that reading and writing are related, according to Jouhar et
al. (2021), Graham (2020), Kuehner & Hurley (2019), Collins et al. (2017), Lee & Schallert
(2016), and Robinson et al. (2016), and students do better when reading and writing are taught
together. Four sources of information were noted by Fitzgerald and Shanahan (2000) that
students use for both reading and writing. The four knowledge sources are general, meta,
pragmatic, procedural, and thirdly, pragmatic. Students employ background knowledge, or
general knowledge, to comprehend what they are reading and generate writing topic ideas.
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Policy I: Lesson Plans policy presents challenges for teachers in submitting successful
lesson plans due to excessive interpretation and lack of a clear direction. The policy lacks a
curriculum or standards, making it ambiguous and lengthy, while Policy III: Selection of
Instructional Materials is more concise. The board's intentions are clear, but too much
information can hinder comprehension and adherence. Policy II: Overview of Teacher-
Development Process policy is concise and explicit, emphasizing teachers' responsibilities
regarding teacher visits and frequency, highlighting the importance of clear communication in
achieving desired results.
The English/Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Common Core State Standards are a
set of rigorous academic requirements that spell out the knowledge and abilities every student
needs to possess by the conclusion of each grade level to be prepared for success in college and
the workplace. More than 40 states, including Maryland, have embraced them. They were
developed because of a state-led initiative. Our current State standards will be replaced by the
Common Core State Standards (CCSS). The standards create uniform learning objectives for all
students, regardless of where they reside, ensuring that kids continue their academic progress
even when they move from one state to another. When there is a clear roadmap of academic
standards, students, parents, and instructors may work together to attain similar goals. The
standards focus on the knowledge and skills students will need to succeed in postsecondary
education and a globally competitive workforce, making them relevant to the real world. The
CCPS were established by a diverse group of teachers, parents, administrators, researchers, and
subject matter experts to be demanding academically, achievable for kids, and workable for
teachers and districts.
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Our policy journey then turns to discuss the specifics of the policies that are being
assessed. Again, there is a lack of specificity in the policy as stated by Policy I: Lesson Plans.
When it comes to lesson planning requirements, teachers need guidance so that the time they
spend with students is not just spent complying with legislation but also following a plan. The
standards contain specifics on "what" the students must accomplish, and without these specifics,
the teacher's focus and, consequently, the students' focus, will be gone. The opposite end of the
spectrum is Policy II: Overview of Teacher-Development Process, which is overly detailed. The
"devil is in the details," and there are numerous and excessively minute subtleties in this
circumstance. Excessive detail increases the likelihood that the administration, students, and
instructors may choose not to read or grasp the policy. Policy II: Overview of the Teacher-
Development Process, once again, defines a goal for teacher development and develops a plan to
ensure that all phases are addressed. The instructions are thorough enough to prevent surprises,
but not so much that management or instructors are confused.
The proceedings conclude with expectations on the policies of the various schools. When
something is wrong, it is wrong, and once again, the Policy I: Lesson Plans regulation falls short
of informing teachers about the genuine requirements for lesson plans and classrooms.
Unfortunately, this will lead to a chaotic world of expectations and results in which "you never
know what you're going to get" since there aren't enough specifics and details. The focus on
detail The Policy III: Teacher Development Overview Process restriction limits the capacity of
the instructor to incorporate materials into the lesson plan and curriculum. Excessive demands
will stifle the educator's and the learning environment's innovation.
The Maryland Department of Education makes the rules and procedures available for
easy access, and they are clear and break down everything needed for educators and students to
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succeed each year. For this reason, it is crucial to be familiar with and examine these regulations.
Finally, the website lists mentors who can provide more assistance. The evaluation of new and
incoming educators is the one policy that, if I were superintendent, I would modify. During their
first year of teaching, new teachers should get mentoring and examples on how to carry out
lessons from start to finish.
When we reach the concluding chapter of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" or "Cat in
the Hat Tales," which marks the end of our policy trip, we discover that, despite their best efforts,
school boards do not always follow through on their pledges. The study reveals that policies
often lack vision, clarity, and specifics to effectively increase student performance, safety, and
staff involvement. These policies can range from well-written, deliberate ones to vague ones, and
overly detailed ones, which can lose expectations and objective clarity.
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Reference:
Cambron-McCabe, N., Cunningham, L. L., Harvey, J. J., & Koff, R. H. (2004). The
Superintendent′s Fieldbook: A Guide for Leaders of Learning. https://eric.ed.gov/?
id=ED495629
Duke, N. K., & Taylor, B. M. (2014). Handbook of Effective Literacy Instruction: Research-
Based Practice K-8. New York: The Guilford Press.
Fitzgerald, J. & Shanahan T. Reading and writing relationships and their development.
Educational Psychologist, 35(1), 39-50. http://doi.org/10.1207/S15326985EP3501_5
Graham, S. (2020). The sciences of reading and writing must become more fully integrated.
Reading Research Quarterly, 55(S1), S35-S44. http://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.332
Jouhar, M. R. & Rupley, W. H. (2021). The reading-writing connection based on independent
reading and writing: A systematic review. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 37(7), 136-156.
http://doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2020.1740632
Kuehner, A. V. & Hurley, J. (2019). How integrating reading and writing supports student
success. Journal of Developmental Education, 42(2), 20-26. https://www-proquestcom.
ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/2220135706?pq-origsite=summon
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Lee, J. & Schallert, D. L. (2016). Exploring the reading-writing connection. A yearlong
classroom-based experimental study of middle school students developing literacy in a
new language. Reading Research Quarterly, 51(2), 143-164.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/43999150
Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood Development. (2015).
Supporting Every Young Learner: Maryland’s Guide to Early Childhood Pedagogy.
Baltimore, MD: Maryland State Department of Education.
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