Fowler- Chapter 7

Fowler's chapter seven discusses issue definition and agenda setting.  Fowler used a great story to start the chapter with the moral of the story being that as human beings, "we have a powerful desire to perceive the reality we think we should perceive."  pg. 148.  This certainly has strong implications for policy as well as the idea of playing the game.  Education leaders need to play the game and be ahead of the game, so that they are not blind-sighted with new policies that require implementation.

Figures 7.1-7.3 discuss problems in schools, how they relate to policy, and how policies relate to student motivation.  The big thing that stands out to me is motivation, incentives, and morale--with morale crossing over with every point.

EPPRC- Education Policy Planning and Research Community-- loosely linked set of institutions, para private
Funding- outright donations, endowment, grants, contracts
***I knew the Gates Foundation was a big player, but I did not realize that in less than 10 years of its founding in 2004, it is the third most important education organization, after Congress and USDOE.

I liked when Fowler talked about research and how many say that basic research isn't practical-- BUT without basic research, there would be nothing to build on for the more advanced research (like applied and integrative research).

"Food is essential to a successful think tank" (pg. 156).  This applies not only to think tanks, but for anything.  Food is a good incentive to get people to show up.  Think about any community, work, or student related event.  Yes, the content is important but without the food, there would be barely anyone there to listen, discuss, and share.

Elements of Skillful Issue Definition

1. Claims
2. Evidence
3. Solution
4. Discourse-- powerful language
5. Broad Appeal-- but does this then water down the policy?

Policy Agenda-- systematic agenda (people outside government-- (1) professional agenda, (2) media agenda, (3) public agenda) and governmental agenda.

 **Access to policy agenda is highly competitive!

Nondecision-- failure to act.  Sometimes easier to push aside than to have an outright now-- at least for the government officials, not those this policies affects.  

From Fowler's text, attention to an issue is what helps a policy attract support and to keep it in the public eye.

Influencing Agenda Setting- knowledge, allies, organizational effectiveness